Need input on making stacked leather handle.

[sogflash]

I want to try making a stacked leather handle for a hidden tang fixed blade. The blade I'll try it on is very small, maybe 1,5 inches. It's also thin, and I'll only use it for light cutting tasks.

My idea is to use the same glue that I use when I make wooden handles and soak pieces of leather in it. Then I'm going to stack the leather let it harden under pressure. Hopefully this will give me a solid stick of stacked leather. After that I'll drill and file the hole for the tang and glue it in position.

Should I treat the leather in any special way once the handle is shaped? I hope the glue I'll use will stabilize it to a certain degree, and maybe prevent shrinking(?).

How is my plan? Good, bad or ugly? I'd appreciate any input. Remember this is the first time I'll make a stacked leather handle.

 

[Scott Hartman]

I've used Acraglas from Brownells with pretty good results. I just get leather pieces cut, stack them to the length of the tang, then coat between them with Acraglas, and stack them up on paper or cardboard, then clamp them, so the paper keeps the Acraglas off the clamp. I'll buff the leather with a red compound, then on a clean buff. Made the mistake of green compound, and the leather turned green. Red seems to darken the leather, but it buffs out nice.

 

[sogflash]

If I understand you correctly, you glue the leather together first, and after it has hardened mount it on the tang?

 

[Scott Hartman]

Yes, after hardening, drill a hole for the tang, get fitment against finger guard, then epoxy the stacked leather to the tang.
I just finished this knife.