Re-Handling a Cold Steel Trailmaster...question....

[Gary W. Graley]

I have a great knife, some will argue but I'm set on this one quite well, with one exception, the handle. Over the years of hacking and chopping, which this has performed exceptionally, keeping it's edge no matter how many branches it's hacked off, but the rubber handle is loose on the tang. I've heard others complain on this point also and just figured I was lucky, but no longer. It's not real sloppy loose, but enough to bug me.

My intent is to remove the rubber handle and replace it with some walnut or ironwood, doing the hidden tang thing.

Now the question(s)...

Which should I attempt to try;
Mortise two pieces of wood onto the tang?

Drill a block and epoxy the tang inside?

On either method, how would you guys/gals do this? As the tang is quite wide, maybe 7/8" and about 5" long.
Maybe I'll need to grind down the tang to a narrower section but it's quite hard I'm afraid and I lack a belt sander anyways.

I want to end up with an Octagonal shaped handle with a slight curve downwards on the edge side, much like one made by Rob Hudson, as I've always enjoyed the feel his knives had.

I worry that the guard that is on there may be too narrow to keep the wood thin near it? The guard width is just a bit over 7/8" with the tang at 5/16" thick, the rubber fits just right to the sides of the guard but would the wood be too thin against this?
Maybe tapered down to the guard as it approaches that point?

I'm a worry wort I know, so help if you can...I'd rather not do slab handles but like the hidden tang approach, feels better I think.

Thanks in advance,
G2

 

[Greg Covington]

I think your best bet is a hidden tang with this one...however, the tang on the CS runs all the way to the lanyard hole. You will probably have to cut the tang with a chopsaw or something similar.

I rehandled a couple Recon Scouts and that is the method I chose.

Also, since more than likely you will not be able to drill the tang for pins, I would use an epoxy such as Acraglas or maybe even JB Weld.

 

[SamuraiDave]

I have been playing with patinas, finishing and refinishing and then refinishing after that, with my CS SRK.

However, after I got the handle off, I have wondered how I would make a new handle.

This is a thread that needed to be.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Hull]

Just my opinion, but you will have one Hell of a time getting a tang of that size in a hidden tang type handle. Even cutting it down you will have problems.
With a mortised tang you will have a much easier time getting the drop you want in the handle.
You can drill holes in hardened material, just get the right bit.
Even a masonry bit will work, and then use a couple of Corby bolts, which will require a step drill for the slabs.

I woudn't worry too much about the material being too thin at the guard area. I routinely make knives with 1/2" wide guards, on 3/16" material, and they end up thinner by the time I finish the handle. I just grind the handle material down at the front of the handle, to match the width of the guard. That feels good in the hand also.

 

[John Andrews]

Yep, what Mike said. You could add a metal spacer ahead of the wood, if you don't think there is enough behind the guard to keep it solid. And then grind it down like Mike has said.You could, in a sense,thicken your guard this way, too. The 'Glas is the route I would go. You slap it together with that stuff, nothin' is goin' anywhere, unless you get it too hot while grinding it down. You mentioned you don't have a belt grinder, so that cancels that problem, and you can get some practice in with the files, ect.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

That sounds good guys, probably easier than drillin' holes deep into a block...Now to get some nice Ironwood or Walnut scales and lay this deal out.
Thanks,
G2

 

[PlaceKnives]

Here's a handle I put on my father's Trailmaster. I mortised the tang into two halves Micarta. I cut 4 notches in the tang and used 4 brass pins to secure it all together. Behind the guard is a 3/8" black Micarta spacer, the whole thing was JB Welded. This was the first re-handle I ever did and learned alot from it. The hard part was getting everything to line up and clamped up properly. I never had such a hard time with a handle as I did on this thing! It's easier to make a knife from scratch than to fix someone elses work.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

That looks good JP, I take it that you cut notches just deep enough for the pins to clear, as drilling the holes would be too hard right?

Like the contour I can see on that handle, bet she does well eh?
Thanks,
G2

 

[PlaceKnives]

I cut the notches just big enough to clear the 3/32" pins. I cut them in with the edge of a ginding wheel and then cleaned them up with a small round file.

The newer Trailmasters have a hole about halfway down the tang that can be used for a bolt or rivet. Unfortunately, my dad's was an old model with no hole in tang other than the lanyard hole. Because of that, I went with the pins.

The new handle shape really fits the hand nicely. My dad loves it, he never liked the original handle.