Rehandling a CAK

[ilbruche]

I thought I"d document the process for those who might attempt such a project. These are the methods I use, YMMV.

The blade was sandblasted by Aliloff. Sandblasting reveals the temper line quite well since the hardened area resists the blasting more than the surrounding steel.

First thing to do is grind off a bit of the peened tang that holds on the buttcap and keeper. Then you put the handle in a plastic bag and soak it in boiling water for a couple minutes. It doesn't take long for the laha to soften.

These pictures show the buttcap and keeper.

I pry the buttcap off a little bit and then remove the scales. Using a chisel you can easily seperate them. I actually cut the pins with the chisel. They are very soft and you can cut them with a couple blows.

Ever wonder what is inside the bolsters? My experience has been laha and newspaper. You can see that the tang is full thickness all the way through the bolster.

Soaking the handle free tang some more lets you scrape off the remaining laha and you end up with this.

A little preliminary work on the tang with the grinder and belt sander helps reshape the tang to my liking. You can see the surface of the tang is very uneven and tapered as well. This makes fitting the new scales a bit more challenging. I"ll rehape most of the handle profile with files.

I"ll update the thread as I progress.

 

[cocomen69]

Thats awesome...Thanks for posting that, Bro.

 

[Darteres]

Very cool!

 

[396vette]

Hey bro'!

Is that the one I passed up? Can't wait to see the end result; when I get back I have one I might send to you if you're interested in another re-handle job!

Keep up the good work, it's going to be a definite looker when you're done!

 

[Radrunner]

Looks good. Thanks for all the pics - please keep it up when you update the thread! I may need to re-work a handle in the near future here on the 12" UBE i got, since the handle is a little small.

To that end - a question.... the 12" UBE (and the 15" BAS) I have are not full tang... anyone know how far the tang usually passes on these, and what the guts of the handle look like as far as attaching it to the bolster?

Look forward to the updates!

 

[ilbruche]

To that end - a question.... the 12" UBE (and the 15" BAS) I have are not full tang... anyone know how far the tang usually passes on these, and what the guts of the handle look like as far as attaching it to the bolster?

The tang extends all the way and is peened onto the buttcap.

The bolsters on the 2 I have taken apart were filled with newspaper and laha (Nepali epoxy). I have yet to dismantle a hidden tang so I"m not sure what is lurking underneath.

 

[raghorn]

Here's a picture of the straight tang from Dan Koster's rehandle thread:

 

[IUKE12]

Nice job, I really enjoy these kind of posts. Keep it coming.

 

[greenwoods]

Thanks Bruche, I enjoyed the other tutorial you did with the hidden tang, but the CAK is really useful. I'm doing my 18" CAK and this helps. My worry is the that the shock of chopping will undue my Bocote scales. As you noted before, I will make sure to really clean and even out the tang before I epoxy the scales on. The new laptop may arrive today, so pix are on the wing soon...

Thanks again
mark

 

[ilbruche]

Thanks Bruche, I enjoyed the other tutorial you did with the hidden tang, but the CAK is really useful. I'm doing my 18" CAK and this helps. My worry is the that the shock of chopping will undue my Bocote scales. As you noted before, I will make sure to really clean and even out the tang before I epoxy the scales on. The new laptop may arrive today, so pix are on the wing soon...

Thanks again
mark

I got a new trick up my sleeve for this one. If it works it will eliminate the need to flatten the tang. :thumbup:

I"m also giving the ol BDC a stacked leather handle. I might give it a bocote buttcap for old times sake.

 

[Yangdu]

Nice job, thank you for the pictures and post

 

[seaice]

My worry is the that the shock of chopping will undue my Bocote scales. As you noted before, I will make sure to really clean and even out the tang before I epoxy the scales on.

I had a problem on a (non-HI) kukri with a 2-pinned handle where with heavy chopping the slabs twisted out of place, and one slab had split.
Used epoxy and superglue to stick the slabs back on (plus superglue to fix the split) - but more importantly, used a tight fitting and epoxy smeared mild steel pin in a rear position where the torque effect was at maximum, rather than the load going onto a soft alloy which had allowed the displacement to happen in the first place.
A cut-down 6" nail makes strong pins.
Heavy use has shown that the handle definitely does not now have a problem.

 

[greenwoods]

Darned useful advice, seaice. I have aluminum and brass rods I cut for pins, but I will use a steel pin as this CAK gets heavy, continuous workouts.:thumbup:
Thanks

Bruche, I'm always interested in your trial and error discovery of new tricks. you really save me so much re-grind and re-epoxy time I owe ya bigtime...

mark

 

[ilbruche]

The pins on the HI khuks are very soft. Perhaps aluminum. One good whack with a chisel and you can cut them in half.

The CAK is glued up. I"ll reveal the progress tomorrow.

 

[ilbruche]

Stage 2 is my attempt to eliminate the need to fully flatten the tang. My lack of powerful grinding tools and general impatience led me to the following solution. I needed something thick that could be compressed so the tang irregularities and taper would be a non issue.

So I epoxied some 9-10 ounce leather onto the tang. Then I got my osage scales ready and put in some hollow 1/4" stainless pins.

Since the weather was wet and cold today all I did was take down the scales a bit with a drawknife. Tomorrow I may do more between sheath work.

I have seen leather used as a spacer before, but never quite this thick. I think once I get the handle shaped I may drown the exposed leather with as much superglue as it will hold. The leather may add some shock absorption also. There is a fine line between not enough movement and too much. I guess time will tell how it will hold up.

 

[Eric C]

I think the leather is a great idea, bruche! That should reduce the shock transferrance from the tang also.
Cheers
Eric

 

[SamuraiDave]

If you rough up the leather, maybe punch tiny holes in it with an awl, and then give it a thick layer of slow drying epoxy on both sides before you glue everything up I think it will be good. Be sure the tang isnt too smooth and the pins are roughed up and everything is grease and oil free.

I too am interested in seeing how this one turns out. Good idea with the leather.

Have yall reviewed Dave Rishtar's tutorial recently?

http://www.daverishar.com/Rehandle/Rehandle.html

Another cool handle mod.

Edited to add, just realized that you already epoxied the leather and the pins. Also, I cant tell how you did it but check out how Dave in the above tutorial mixes up some epoxy putty to fill the bolster before he puts everything together. One of the best ideas for filling spare room in there that I have ever seen.

 

[ilbruche]

These pictures show the scales filed down to match up with the tang. I got most of the contours done but it is too dark for pictures. I think I still need to take it down a bit for the best grip.

I"ll saturate the leather with superglue after it is all sanded and then I'll give it a danish oil soak before finishing it with Briwax.

 

[ilbruche]

I lied. Just enough light for a couple more pictures.

I need to thin it out around the bolsters a bit and also on the top part of the swell towards the back. I'm going to epoxy and peen on the keeper for fun.

 

[Leatherface]

ohh my goodness

makes me want to rehandle one of mine