Options for soft handles?

O

Omega Leather Works

Joined
Jun 13, 2007
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Hey guys.

I'm wondering if there are any soft handle materials that are used that I'm missing.

I know that horse stall mats are used.

I've seen neoprene used, and it looks good. Not sure how good it is in practice.

What other soft(ish) materials are used?

What about flexible liners under g10? I've heard of it being done to kind of cusion a grip, but I'm not sure how it's done.

Grip is a goal, but more importantly something that is just different.
 
I'm a (orthopaedic)shoemaker, we have all different kinds of rubber. Most up to 6mm thick wich would make good scales or a stacked handle, but also blocks.
If you have one around where you live ask if you can see some of the materials he uses.

I won't get around to use it myself soon, but I'd like to see it used and hear how it holds up.
If you like I'll send you a block and pair of scales. Postage isn't to bad.
PM me if you're interested
Just post a picture of the result and everybody is happy :)
 
How do you think it would be attached? Just glue? or could it be pinned as well? I like horsemat, although the white spots are a turn off for me.
 
Epoxy will hold it, normaly we only glue it to shoes.
I'd use the block and scales material is if it was a stacked handle with a screwed butt plate.
The scalesmaterial is tough I've been thinking about a full tang construction with small holes along the edge trough wich it you sew it on.
 
Sounds good. I too have been thinking about some type of cushioned handle material for my big choppers.
 
I think you should look at Baltic Birch specifically and wood in general. Wood is softer and lighter and warmer in the hand. It ages beautifully, and it is grippy too. (Specifically I am talking about unstabilized woods. Stabilizing ruins all of these qualities. IE, stabilized wood is not lighter, not warm, not grippy, and doesn't age beautifully. AND, its slippery as an ice cube when it gets bloody.)

Baltic birch is quite soft, like pine-ish. It has been used unstabilized on handles for thousands of years. And it ages really pretty as it gets older.
 
Check out this stuff called Sugru... Really neat with tons of applications. It's tough too. I have used it on my fencing foil grips. It stands up to moisture impact dirt all kinds of stuff. It's basically a moldable rubber compound that sets permanently after a couple hours. Just a thought

http://sugru.com/about
 
Fiddleback said:
I think you should look at Baltic Birch specifically and wood in general. Wood is softer and lighter and warmer in the hand. It ages beautifully, and it is grippy too. (Specifically I am talking about unstabilized woods. Stabilizing ruins all of these qualities. IE, stabilized wood is not lighter, not warm, not grippy, and doesn't age beautifully. AND, its slippery as an ice cube when it gets bloody.)

Baltic birch is quite soft, like pine-ish. It has been used unstabilized on handles for thousands of years. And it ages really pretty as it gets older.
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Wow, I was feeling bad about sending you those unstabilized pieces instead of some nice stabilized ones with that Sebenza, maybe not such a problem?

That wenge and black limba both came from instrument grade billets I used to build a guitar about ten years ago. The Wenge is some if the nicer I've seen, and it's been aged here that whole time so should be super stable anyways.

I have another piece of like to send you that is right up your alley, send me an email if you're interested. It is pretty rare stuff and I thought it might fit well with your knives.


On topic, I've been curious to try that sugru.

I know there are also castable two part urethanes, but they aren't really over the counter type stuff.
 
GHEzell said:
Birch bark, and stacked leather are traditional. Also cork for the knife that floats....
Click to expand...

+1 on the cork and or leather handle. i've seen leather handles, and also cork, but never together. a combo could be really interesting and would be "something that is just different"
i also think the natural materials would look and feel a lot better. i picture the neoprene as being to soft, i think the knife might kind of slide around in your hand. i've never seen horse stall mat but if its anything like a weight room floor then its not what i would want as a handle for any tool.
just my 2 cents
 
+2 for Birch bark. Its a bit of work to set it up correctly, but it has a wonderful feel in the hand and is gripy even when wet.

-Peter
 
mitch8 said:
i picture the neoprene as being to soft, i think the knife might kind of slide around in your hand.
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Nope, it's not mushy at all, and it's about as grippy as it gets, even when wet. Ugly as sin, though.

Birch bark handles are really super comfortable, and surprisingly durable. They look great too; much nicer than neoprene or horsestall mat. The only problem is it limits you to narrow-tang knives as far as I can tell. I have not figured out how to laminate birch-bark "mycarta" for use on full-tang knives... the oils in it prevent it from gluing up worth a hoot. That doesn't really matter when it's compressed between a guard and pommel/buttcap.
 
HallHandmade said:
Wow, I was feeling bad about sending you those unstabilized pieces instead of some nice stabilized ones with that Sebenza, maybe not such a problem?

That wenge and black limba both came from instrument grade billets I used to build a guitar about ten years ago. The Wenge is some if the nicer I've seen, and it's been aged here that whole time so should be super stable anyways.

I have another piece of like to send you that is right up your alley, send me an email if you're interested. It is pretty rare stuff and I thought it might fit well with your knives.


On topic, I've been curious to try that sugru.

I know there are also castable two part urethanes, but they aren't really over the counter type stuff.
Click to expand...

Totaly loved both blocks. The Wenge is going on a knife next week. I love using that stuff. Thanks a lot!
 
You guys are awesome. Some really great ideas to research, one of my favorite things to do.

That moldable rubber looks like a product I was looking at a while back, only it looks like the product you pointed out remains stable at (relatively) high temp, unlike what I saw.

I'll try to find a pic of horsemat stall handles. I know Benchmade used it on their Bladesports competition cutter as a functional material. Tractor Supply sells a big ol mat for very little. It would make dozens of scales.

Ian, I too thought it was great of you to send Andy the wood. Not sure if I thanked you for that.

Now, you two, get back to making my knives! :D :p

Hengelo, I'm working on a wharncliffe edc right now. I'm not sure if that material would be a good fit for the knife, but it might. I'll definitely take you up on that soon. Thank you very much for the offer!
 
mitch8 said:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...uot-Sinister-II-quot-because-choppers-are-fun
some close ups of horse mat

and info on glueing that you probably already found.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/562954-horse-stall-mat-handle-material
Click to expand...

Thanks Mitch. I hadn't seen those (yet), and the second one reminded me that it was RichardJ that did the neoprene handles I've seen. :)

I must be an anomaly (nothing new), but I kinda really like the look of the stall mat. There are roughly 1 bazillion horses here in the central valley so I can probably find some cheap/free. I also like the idea of using these materials as inlays in g10 or micarta.
 
MULDOON said:
Check out this stuff called Sugru... Really neat with tons of applications. It's tough too. I have used it on my fencing foil grips. It stands up to moisture impact dirt all kinds of stuff. It's basically a moldable rubber compound that sets permanently after a couple hours. Just a thought

http://sugru.com/about
Click to expand...

That's a pretty interessting idea, with this you can shape the handle perfectly to your hand. But how would you attach it?
 
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