Making Replacement Knife Scales

[Natlek]

What difference will make couple Rockwell's , anyway ?

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

I would prefer the template method as i prefer to have control on the whole time and cost of the process. Maybe i could normalize the knife i already own and then heat treat it again at a higher rockwell. Would this work or will it mess up the structure of the steel you think?

Are the scales for a fixed blade then? If so, you could just get a piece of 1084 and cut it to the exact shape of the handle and then heat treat that. Then you wouldn’t have to mess around with heat treating your existing knife. That’s what I would do I suppose you could leave some metal where the blade would be so it could be clamped into a vise and have the handle fully sticking out to work on a handle. If you can get the template to be the EXACT same as the handle on the knife, you’re good to go. Just go slow. I’d recommend using files once you get close.

 

[BITEME]

Nice one!
I'll experience it first hand, i guess...yes i deserve what's coming to me!

We all have it coming kid (Will Munny to Schoefield Kid)

 

[coldsteelburns]

You could always get a small bar of something such as CPM 10V with very high wear/abrasion resistance and grind out a few of the same template tangs for the same knife to within .010" around the perimeter of the finished shape, then send them out to Peters HT and request they be heat treated to the highest hardness available. After HT you can finish shaping them to the precise profile and dimensions of the tang, even finely dialing them in by hand sanding if needed. This way you'll have a few extras in the exact same size, so if for some reason one eventually began to wear a little bit you could switch to a fresh one, and/or you could use them to make sure the one you're currently using continues to match the original profile, as well as to check your scales against while after shaping one the used template. If you weren't already planning on it, I would definitely use an the actual tang (or folder liner) of the production knife you plan on making scales for to make the first template(s) from to make sure Just one idea.

You gotta start somewhere and you won't personally now exactly what else you might want or need dial in the process until you at least try a few sets of scales, so I see no reason not to give it a go with the set up you plan on using. It will take a bit more work and time than if using a CNC, but you're obviously already aware of that, and as long as you have a reliable template to use I can't see why it couldn't work.

I hope to see some pictures after you get set up and make a pair. BTW, if ya don't mind me asking, which knife do you plan on trying to make scales for first?

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Just some older videos of some knives I've made in the past)

 

[Chris*33]

ETA: If you do not have a time and controlled temperature heat treating furnace you can ruin a properly heat treated blade and do you have a Rockwell hardness tester or just guessing based off internet information.....

I was thinking to send the knife out for professional heat treating since i haven't done it before and there's no room for experimentation here.

What difference will make couple Rockwell's , anyway ?

The harder the knife the harder to remove material (with hand-sanding) in my understanding.

You could always get a small bar of something such as CPM 10V with very high wear/abrasion resistance and grind out a few of the same template tangs for the same knife to within .010" around the perimeter of the finished shape, then send them out to Peters HT and request they be heat treated to the highest hardness available. After HT you can finish shaping them to the precise profile and dimensions of the tang, even finely dialing them in by hand sanding if needed. This way you'll have a few extras in the exact same size, so if for some reason one eventually began to wear a little bit you could switch to a fresh one, and/or you could use them to make sure the one you're currently using continues to match the original profile, as well as to check your scales against while after shaping one the used template. If you weren't already planning on it, I would definitely use an the actual tang (or folder liner) of the production knife you plan on making scales for to make the first template(s) from to make sure Just one idea.

You gotta start somewhere and you won't personally now exactly what else you might want or need dial in the process until you at least try a few sets of scales, so I see no reason not to give it a go with the set up you plan on using. It will take a bit more work and time than if using a CNC, but you're obviously already aware of that, and as long as you have a reliable template to use I can't see why it couldn't work.

I hope to see some pictures after you get set up and make a pair. BTW, if ya don't mind me asking, which knife do you plan on trying to make scales for first?

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Just some older videos of some knives I've made in the past)

For now, i will start using the method with the flash trim router bit (since i now know it exists) on the actual knife and see how that goes. This method will allow me to do the same for folders that don't have a fixed steel insert, i think at least. The template is definitely in my list but i'll give it a go with the router first.

I own an ESEE 6 and a BK7 as fixed blades go, and for folders mostly ZTs (0562, 0450, 0450) now, but i'm trying to find a cheap second hand PM2 as well.

I'll get to it as soon as the router bit arrives, so early next week i believe. I'll post some pictures if the result is decent enough

Thank you Paul