Making Bali Handles?

BaliLover · Feb 12, 2001

I bought a bali today from a pawn for $2 and I am going to use it for parts. It had skeletonized, open sided brass handles, brass pins, and a junky manila latch. The blade on it however is a nice looking weehawk and it takes an edge well. The problem is the handles are too soft and the pin dug into them which allows the blade to protrude out of the side and slice your hand. (didn't examine close enough before I manipulated.) I want to remake the handles out of stainless steel the same design as theirs but I don't know what I should use for pins to hold the latch or the blade in place. Any suggestions?

Sabo · Feb 12, 2001

Finish Nails work okay. Check out the 6d and 8d sizes.

I think Mr. Dawkind rolled his own pins and may have some input.

Good luck!

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"Catch you on the flip side"!

[This message has been edited by Sabo (edited 02-12-2001).]

David2584 · Feb 12, 2001

If you plan on putting that much work into a bali, I suggest you do the same with the pins. I say for the blade pins, use chicago screws: they should be stronger and allow disassembly. Check them out at www.kovalknives.com

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Dave

My collection

Dawkind · Feb 13, 2001

I made a jig and turned my first couple of sets out of 10-32 button head cap screws. It's more of a pain than it's worth and the rest I've made with the pivot screws sold by Koval in the above mentioned link. At $3.50 per set you can't go wrong!

Sgtp · Feb 13, 2001

A while back I bought a old frost culterly bali. It has sandwich constructed handles of brass liners and aluminum scales. The only problem was that the hidden pins that held it together were crap. The scales were separating from the liners and the blade was binding in the bent up liner. Well, I took it all apart, reshaped the liners, straightened out the deformed latch, and then repinned it with 6D's a la Clays technique with great results. After grinding the pins flat and applying a satin finish to the handles, I now have a brand new bali, IMO.

Refurbishing bali's is fun

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"I see you played knifie spoonie before..."

BaliLover · Feb 13, 2001

Dawkind, I have a few other questions for you, such as, if I decided to change the style a little and add inserts and bolsters instead of skeleton handles, how exactly does one pin the bolsters and inserts in? Are they glued in and pinned or just pinned?

Disco Stu · Feb 14, 2001

I'd use 2-ton epoxy AND pins. At least, that's what I use when I make a fixed blade. With that combo, you're guarateed they won't come loose.

Dawkind · Feb 14, 2001

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by BaliLover:
Dawkind, I have a few other questions for you, such as, if I decided to change the style a little and add inserts and bolsters instead of skeleton handles, how exactly does one pin the bolsters and inserts in? Are they glued in and pinned or just pinned?</font>

I use a 60` dove-tail cutter on the handle then, using a spotting bit, I drill shallow depressions along the handle. After the inserts are fit to the handle, I then use epoxy to secure them. This is basically the same procedure that the custom Bali-Song USA, Pacific Cutlery, and Benchmade knives used but without drilling the depressions. I hope this helps you out. The drawback is you'll need a mill or a very heavy duty drill-press and a milling table to use the dove-tail cutter.