Point on Handle Scaping my Palm - Can I Fix It?

D

DannyBoy2k

Joined
Jun 15, 2010
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69
I've had a beautiful 15" AK for about a year now sitting in my knife chest and I'd like to start putting it to some use in the field. I pulled it out the other day to try some mock chopping action and found that the point on the handle is biting into my palm, scraping off skin. This picture shows the area I'm referring to (click for larger):


I have a belt sander that I purchased to try my hand at belt sander sharpening. Can I use that to try and modify the handle? Didn't know if I could sand down the metal plate and horn without destroying it. I'd like to try and shape it to something like these two pictures (modification shown in red) (click for larger):




Would appreciate any and all thoughts.

Cheers,
Dan
 
You could try sanding it down by hand so as not to remove too much material. You may not have to remove as much as you outlined to make it comfortable.
 
Dan:

I would try a file rather than a belt sander or hand sanding. Files give you a lot of control and you can get them in all shapes and degrees of fineness without spending a lot.

You'll be dealing with a complex curved surface and two different materials in the handle and pommel. A belt sander could make a mess and maybe loosen the pommel. Hand sanding could work but it might be a very slow and laborious process.

I'd run a flat file around the edge of the metal pommel, and a file with a convex surface around the concave curve of the handle. If the handle is wood that should work well. If it's horn I'm not sure; to play it safe I would use a fairly fine file.

As bemo says, take off only as much material as necessary to relieve the problem, probably much less than shown by the red line in your photos. You could also take off some handle material a bit further from the pommel so that the change in profile is not too abrupt.

Good luck,

-- Dave
 
Danny, I'd try holding it further up (index on the bolster). That's how they're traditionally used.
 
Ahoy Dan.
If you feel comfortable using your belt sander to safely to trim the pommel's point, then have at it. Or you can use a file to round that point off. However you do it, I would go slowly and check how it feels in hand as you take it down. Checking it while removing a little at a time will help keep you from taking off too much. (If your handle is horn and you're using the belt sander, you'll probably want to keep the speed lower to keep from "burning" the horn.) Make that khukuri usable for you as Bill Martino says here:http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/125553-Modifying-handles?highlight=handle%2Bpoint
 
I suggest just slightly rounding the "point" with a small file, and then try modifying the way the khukuri is gripped so that when it is swung and the wrist is snapped, the "point" doesn't actually dig into your hand.

By "slightly" I mean that it can be accomplished with a needle file, which is what I use.

Keeping the traditional shape will keep it in your hand better without having to grip it so tightly. Modifying it as in the photos would also probably hurt the resale value, if that's an eventual consideration.
 
You AK obviously doesn't fit you so I'll gladly take if off your hands. I'll even pay shipping... :D
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! Looking at it more closely, I think the real issue is the metal pommel plate sits slightly proud of the horn, and that is the part really scraping and hurting my hand. If I grind that down with a file so it is even with the horn, I think that will solve my problem.

stickfred, thanks especially for that thread with Uncle Bill's thoughts. I hadn't come across that yet.

~Dan

EDIT: I'll try to keep my hand more forward too!
 
No problem Dan. If the pommel is a little proud, you can certainly file that down to better fit the base of the handle. I also seem to remember, from the Archives, that some would take a small triangular file and file a little where the handle and pommel meet with a corner of the file. I think it may have been Yvsa that came up with this and it helped take the edge off the pommel.
 
stickfred said:
No problem Dan. If the pommel is a little proud, you can certainly file that down to better fit the base of the handle. I also seem to remember, from the Archives, that some would take a small triangular file and file a little where the handle and pommel meet with a corner of the file. I think it may have been Yvsa that came up with this and it helped take the edge off the pommel.
Click to expand...
You are correct that Yvsa came up with that method. It does work great getting rid of that sharp edge on the pommel plate and if done well adds a distinctive little touch to the handle. Combine that with a little rounding of the rear of the plate and it will be much more comfortable.
Sony Vaio Pictures 2978.jpg I did that to the handle on this FF, plus buffed all the way around it after. There is no pain or chaifing now.
 
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