Need advice on making a handle.

[cgusek111]

I've got a Buck Omni Hunter 10pt that I want to make a new wood handle for, but I have no clue where to start. What kind of wood can I use and what kind can I not use. How do I even get the handle on there in the first place? I need all the help I can get and would greatly appreciate any advice. Thanks, Chris.

 

[Dan Zawacki]

Wow, what an open canvas...

Anyhow, wood choice is as much a personal preference thing as anything I can think of. You may want to bear a few things in mind, but even these aren't hard and fast rules, just general observations...

Hardwoods tend to work out MUCH better. They are more durable in just about every concievable way, and most fir type woods (pine, hemlock, etc) are rather plain by comparison to even basic hardwoods.

Stabelized woods are more durable and easier to work than a natural peice of the same wood. By durability, I am more refering to resistance to chemical (sweat and oil) and such than impact durability.

In order to start, you might just consider using an epoxy to stick the wood on. Without pins or any such, it'd be pretty obvious the wood is glued into place but it'd work pretty well nonetheless..

I would reccomend you do some browsing at knifemaker supply websites like pop's, and texas knifemakers supply, these sorts of places have bunches and bunches of different woods cut into handle "scales". A scale is a long thin rectangular block of wood that is a handy size to make half a knife handle out of. The come in pairs, one for each side of the metal inside the handle, which is called a tang.

A very basic way to do this would be to use a fast drying epoxy to stick one scale to each side of the tang. Use a vise or claps to squeeze it for at least the full curing time to ensure a good tight fit.

Once the epoxy cures, you can use a rasp to shape (profile) the wood to match the grip contour of the metal. Once that's done, you switch to files to mold the contours of the wood to what you want. Next you step down to a corse sandpaper, and progressively finer sandpaper.

Finish with a good oil finish for hardwoods. Gunsmith stock finishes are highly developed, well engineered products and work wonderfully for this. Alternatively, tung oil or linseed oil are the ages old standby's and are still used. If you really really had to, I guess you could use a basic poly-stuff to get the job done.

 

[DrThunder88]

If the tang is soft enough, you could drill pin holes through it. You might be able to soften it a bit with the precise application of a torch, but I really don't know.

Turning and carving blanks sold by woodworking stores are good sources of cool woods. I find that by sawing off a slab a little more than twice as thick as each of the scales, cutting the profile on the scrollsaw, drilling the pin holes, and then sawing the block in half, I get identical, bookmatched scales. I'm really new to this, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[AcridSaint]

For what it's worth, I wouldn't worry about drilling pin holes in the tang. You can take a piece of brass and peen it to fill each of the existing holes and then drill (and tap if you like) the brass. You could also consider flared tubing instead of pins/screws, then you would just have to match the hole size.

If you buy block from woodworker's supply houses, be careful about getting green wood. A lot of turning and carving wood has a higher moisture content and will shrink/shift over time.

 

[stingray4540]

For wood:

Try a search on ebay for "ironwood scales" and "stabilized burl".

You can spend a lot on a nice piece and try to outbid someone, or just bid on a piece that has no bids, and you are likely to get it. I hardly ever see more than one or two bids on knife scales on ebay. My wife just won a nice set of ironwood for only 9.99 plus shipping, she was the only one that bid. I've seen stabilized woods sell for a lot cheaper on ebay than on the knife supply sites, and you get to see what you are buying.

For attaching:

1) First, trace the outline of the tang onto the scales that are clamped together, and cut the scales slightly larger than the tang, so you don't have to work down as much material when you get to the shaping step.

2) **Clamp your scales together and FINISH the front part of the handles, because once everything is glued together, it is going to be hard to shape and finish the front part of the scales.**

3) Sand the tang of the knife with rough sand paper like 30 or 60 grit. And if you can use a flat screw driver or dremel to put scratches in it to help the epoxy hold, just don't get too close to the edges.

4) Use Devcon 2ton epoxy, or a similar slow curing high strength clear epoxy. Glue one scale on the one side and clamp with spring clamps. Don't clamp it down tight or you will squeaze out all the epoxy.

5) Once the first side is dry, if you want to use any of the pre-existing holes, or that oblong hole for a lanyard hole, then use the existing hole as a guide to drill through the scale that is already glued on.

6) Next glue the other side on the same way you did the first, and when it's dry, use the hole you drilled through the first piece as a guide to drill the second scale, if you are using any of the holes.

7) Now, use rasps, files, sandpaper to shape the rest of the handle. The front part should already be done, but now is the time to do the top, bottom, and back. This step takes the longest, and the most amount of sweat, but if you are patient and take your time, it will come out great.

Disclaimer: I have only completed one knife and am working on my second, so take my advice for what it's worth. This is information that I have come across, and this is how I did it for my first knife and it went well. This is the best way I know how to describe it, but maybe some more experienced makers will have better, or different advice for you.

 

[AcridSaint]

I wouldn't glue the scales before drilling, everything is fitted before I put any glue on a knife. If your scale is already epoxied in place and you blow it out when you drill it you've got more work on your hands. Since the holes are already in your tang, you'll want to glue both scales up at the same time to create a stronger bond between them as well. Also, if your pin holes are drilled before you start shaping, you can pin/screw your scales to each other and shape them without worrying about them shifting. The pins will allow you to mock up the scales on the blade from time to time and see if things are coming out the way you want.