Making octagon shaped handles- tips? jigs?

cbr900son

cbr900son

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Mar 3, 2011
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So I wanna try a few more japanese style chef knives and the last one I was very happy with the blade but not so much with my handle. Any ideas on how to make a nice perfect octagon for a handle. I was thinking maybe make a jog or something. I know the math behind it with angles and everything but the best way to execute it is the problem for me.
 
Table saw? Start with a square cross-section and bevel the corners.Make the cross section somewhat
larger than your finished size. DON'T try to hold the piece in your hands as you saw. Clamp it to
something that will keep your fingers out of the danger zone.
Bill
 
You could also do it with a flat platen and tool rest pretty easily, but as mentioned, just like forging to round, start by going square, then knock down the corners. Any tool that you can set an angle against a flat surface should be viable, such as a miter saw, table saw, any stationary grinder/sander, just depends on what you've got and are comfortable with. Personally I wouldn't even attempt it free hand on the grinder, but I'm sure plenty of guys can.
 
Just take your time. Measure twice, cut/grind once. Don't out-think yourself. It's not that difficult.
 
Was just curious. I have a grinder, miter saw, table saw and a router and table on the way so almost all those options are open. I guess I basically need to keep it simple.
 
The big problem for me with something like this is trying to make small cuts on small stock with big finger chopping machines. The saw options usually like to spit out the tiny stuff, so consider cutting out from longer pieces of wood if available, or thicker stuff. On thick blocks its pretty easy to maintain the angles once established by grinding them smaller. I wouldn't try feeding a 6" long section of 1" square through the table saw on a dare, but I love my digits.
 
The lapidary world has a 45 degree jig for cutting corners from cubes. A piece of angle iron welded to a straight piece of iron welded together such that the angle iron is 45 degrees off the flat.

Imaging a 6X6 inch piece of mild steel plate with a 6" angle iron welded at 45 degrees to one edge. Then your handle material can sit in the "V" and be easily pushed across a bandsaw blade, slowly and safely.
 
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Sam Salvati said:
Make a rectangle or square, then divide each side into 3 equal parts then connect the dots.
Click to expand...

thats how i do it.

no jig jsut stand at the grinder and make it happen (BTW they are not all perfect adn some are more oval or oblong in shape )
many of mine are taller then wide
 
butcher_block said:
thats how i do it.

no jig jsut stand at the grinder and make it happen (BTW they are not all perfect adn some are more oval or oblong in shape )
many of mine are taller then wide
Click to expand...
What size handles do you like? Im thinking right under 1" would be a good size.
 
Surprised no one said a router yet. This would be the easiest, fastest and most accurate as long as you have it square. IMHO anyway.
 
size depends on the blade size and ballance you are seaking
for all the jigs and other stuff remember that most all the handles are slightly tapered smaller at the front
 
st8yd said:
This will not create an equal sided octagon.
Click to expand...

nope but it will get your the 45 degree angle and you jsut grind and taper the angles till the sides are even (if thats what you are after )
or keep your 45s and make the sides taller then the top/bottom
 
butcher_block said:
nope but it will get your the 45 degree angle and you jsut grind and taper the angles till the sides are even (if thats what you are after )
or keep your 45s and make the sides taller then the top/bottom
Click to expand...
Yeah. I think Im gonna go buy some cheap square wood and test a few different measurements. I might try .9" with equal sides and maybe one thats 1" x .85" to see the general feel. Just finished one for my wife and its 1.05"x 1.10 and its just slightly weird feeling.
 
like sam said about the split the square 3 ways then draw the 45s on it. on the front part jsut trace 1/16 or so in and do the same then if you want more taper you jsut keep working the fron part of the handle a bit more then the back

believe me that much like after setting a good grind on a blade onece the angle is set on the handle its not to hard to chase the thing fore , aft or a bit left,right to make the handle look even
 
here is a picture that shows how i ground the corners off to match the marks i made (then i just chase them back the handle)
dsc07651sm.jpg

and here is how close to even you can get jsut with a quick slip in thirds and draw the corners
dsc07649sm.jpg

and the finished handle
dsc07714sm.jpg
 
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