Re handling the Cold Steel economy line

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

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Feb 2, 2005
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I have a Long Hunter, Finn Bear and Finn Wolf from the Cold Steel "economy" line, and have been contemplating re handling them. The plastic handles are okay, but these knives deserve a little bit more. I've seen articles in Backwoodsman, seen some stuff online about re handle jobs etc. I don't want to spend too much on this, it will be more a learning experience than anything else. Won't feel bad if they look like crap, but hoping they turn out well.
 
Just buy some scales of G11, or Mycarta or what ever you like. The stuff is not hard to work, especially if you have a belt sander. and a disk grinder.

Probably the easiest way would be to just use 2 ton epoxy and brass pins.

Just take the old handles off, you could even use a hack saw and just cut down each side.

I would probably rough up the tang a bit with some low grit sandpaper.

I am actually thinking about re handling my GI tanto. It was one of the original cord wrapped handles. It now sports a heavy duty Gorilla Duct tape handle. I use it only for throwing, though, so I am not sure I want to put a lot of effort into the handle just to break it off.
 
If you like the blade, then why not have a handle that makes it yours? Make sure and post a few pictures, before and after.
 
Good luck, the plastic is molded straight to the tang on those particular models. In sanding, you might try to work some ergos into the existing material before going bare bones and starting over.
 
You might try wrapping the tang with nylon rope, then melting it with a propane torch. The result is a 'blob' of super hard nylon gunk but it can be ground/filed/sanded into whatever handle shape you want. When I do this, I file a few small 'Vs' on the tang so the melted nylon can really grip. Warning, if you try this, don't start with your knife but practice on a piece of scrap metal, an old file, etc. BTW, I use 3/8ths inch diameter black nylon rope, the same stuff I use for my Ham radio antennas to pull them up. Makes a super strong, tight handle. Cheap too.
 
I'd be interested in knowing what kind of tang the Cold Steel Canadian belt knife has. I rather like this little knife.
 
I wouldn't completely remove the plastic material, just grind it down to give you a base to mount your scales-they aren't full tang knives. I wrapped my Finn Bear with a thin 1 inch leather strap over glue, and epoxied a penny I beat into shape to the butt. I don't mind the geometry of the handle, just the crap material, now it looks pretty decent.
 
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