newbie questions

I've been admiring custom work for a while. Since I really can't afford to buy any customs, I'm left with the options of either A) Just drooling, or
B) taking relatively inexpensive knives and modding them myself, hopefully with the end result being something unique.

What I have done so far has been a basic re-vamping of the pins in a Jaguar Balisong. Rather than just using nails, I've gone and replaced the pins with screws, so the action is adjustable. I wish I had a jpg or two to post of it, I think it worked well. It's not as pretty as I would have liked, but that's why I went with a cheap knife to mod.

What I'm trying to do now is replace the dipped rubber coating on a cheap dive knife with some different scales. (What I had in mind was to use old circuit board.) Assume I've already got the circuit board cut to a rough shape, and the rubber coating scraped off the dive knife. I know I'll want something to fill the holes in the handle with - I was thinking wood, as it's cheap, easy to shape, & light. What I don't know is whether I should use epoxy and pins, or just epoxy. What kind of epoxy? What kind of finishing epoxy is clear enough (and workable enough) to use to cover the sharp soldering points on the circuit board? Is it something I can find at Home Hardware (or similar type store)?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks in advance ...

Jon

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Yeah, well, people ... They're in tiny pieces in my bag ...
 
Well let me tell you that you dont have to go the route you are going if you dont want to
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I bought a kit and I am just having a blast with it. Here is the list of what I bought....

Vise (INDESPENSABLE) $15
Clamps to mount vise to table $20
Clamps to hold tang to wood $5
Files (set of 3 from Sears) $10
Hobby Rasp (Sears INDESPENSABLE) $8
Sandpaper (various grits) $10
Wax Paper $2

Knife Kit with Epoxy and handle $27

Thats it really....and the total ..... $97

Most of that cost will be used over and over if you do it right and get good quality tools to begin with
smile.gif
Like I said I am realy having a blast with the kit and it's looking real professional (more then I had thought I would able to make it
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) If you have a table that you can mount to you wont have to get clamps to mount it to. The table I am working on is not mine so I have to do this.

Michael
 
Hi Jon,

Order a blade from any of the supply houses [or you might ask here if there is a maker who will sell you a finished blank] and ask a woodworking buddy to help with the handles.
Your buddy will be pleased to help and show off his tools, and you will end up with a genuine custon knife to be proud of.

You will also learn which tools you like and how they work for your purpose.

One of the makers here helped me customize my first two Buck knives, and also made my first knife blade for me, all at really reasonable cost.

I am now making knives from scratch, and the customizing and the finished blade were what got me started.

Take your time and go really slow- no one ever says "How long did that take you" - most folks just say 'Wow! You MADE that?"

Good Luck-

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA



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Proud Member
Buck Collector's Club
American Knife and Tool Institute
Oregon Knife Collectors Association
UsedKnife.Com
 
Thanks all. I've decided against pinning - the 'shaved' circuit board is too thin/fragile, I think, to handle the stress of the pinning process. Also, decided to go with the same type of finishing epoxy that model railroaders use to simulate water.It's off to the workbench for me today ...
 
You know what you can do is take a bunch of layers of that stuff that you want to use and just epoxy several layers together. Then it wont be soo thin and you will have the handle material that you want
smile.gif


Michael
 
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