Question about spacer material

smitty0331

smitty0331

Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
892
I just bought some spacer material at a knife show, and I want to re-handle a knife I made a few months ago. I'm not sure how to do it though. I have been putting oak handles on my first few knives, but I've never used spacer material before. What I do now is rough cut the handle, drill the holes, and temporarily pin the scales to the knife. Then I finish sand the scales, glue and permanently pin the scales, then I stain the oak and seal it with polyurethane. My question is at what point do I add the spacer material? Do I stain and seal the scales then cut the spacer material and pin it all up? I'm just afraid the polyurethane will add to the dimensions of the handle if I cut the spacer material before I finish and seal it. How do you guys do it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Couple things, dont use polyurethane. It has no place on knife handles. You should use wood that doesnt need a finish at all or have your wood stabilized.
I like to superglue the spacer material on the back side of the wood scales after they are flat and before roughing cutting them to shape. I use a table saw to slab them out so they are both the same thickness first. I hope this helps?
 
Spacer material is hygroscopic so it will soak up water (polyurethane finish) and the like. It is also impregnated with all kinds of goop that makes it hard and fairly stable so when it does soak up liquid, it's not going to move or swell very much. When you use it, really scratch it up good or it will sluff off most thicker adhesives. It likes super glue though and soaks it up readily and you can use thin CA (super glue type stuff) to seal the exposed edges when you are done.

Make your spacer material slightly oversize when fitting everything up. When you've glued it all up, grind away the excess overhang. It cleans up very nicely this way.
Did that answer your question?
 
Mostly, but since I finished my scales first, I think I have to get my spacer material exactly right before glue up or I'll risk sanding up my freshly finished scales. Is there a better way to do it than this?
 
smitty0331 said:
Mostly, but since I finished my scales first, I think I have to get my spacer material exactly right before glue up or I'll risk sanding up my freshly finished scales. Is there a better way to do it than this?
Click to expand...

Not a great way at this point but that's the learning process of building a knife. Not a big deal. Glue the spacer material to the tang let it dry and then clean it up. After that fit/drill/mount your scales to the tang "sandwich" as you would normally.
 
Sounds like a picture is needed, I glue them up before I even start cutting like Bruce said.

It may seem like a waste but it would be so hard any other way.

Anyways a couple of sets glued up and ready to be rough cut, drilled etc etc

Hope that helps

Spencer

dsc04801ly6.jpg
 
J.S. Carter said:
Bruce why shouldn't we use polyureathane on wood handles?
Click to expand...

I just think it looks so tacky. You can take a $300 knife and make it a $50 knife with that stuff. If its worth doing I think its worth doing right. Have your wood stabilized or at least give it a super glue finish. I like the super glue finish. Just put it on and sand it smooth with finer grits until you are up to 0000 steel wool and simply give it a furniture wax topping.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top