Scottish dirk handle help

Y

ybrown

Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
13
hello,
I am very knew to knife making. I wanted to make a scottish dirk. As much as I wanted to make my own blade, I thought it would be better to start with already made blade and add a handle.
I had been looking at various photos on the web of dirks and there are two main designs, those that have metal guard ( is it called a guard on dirks?) and those that don't
Here are a couple of examples: http://www.museumofleathercraft.org/scottish-dirk/ and http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=21808

The only blade I found was this: http://www.atlantacutlery.com/p-951-scottish-dirk-blade.aspx
What I cant quite figure out is how the handle is attached to the dirk. It looks like I am not allowed to post attachments, so I can't show how I thought it should be done. :-(
I assume that without metal guard the blade is partially covered by a handle. How dip should it be inside the handle?

ok, I had uploaded the image to flickr account, so hopefully you can see it: https://flic.kr/p/E1gerR

I 'd greatly appreciate any help.
thank you
 
Just some food for thought. I made this set of late 16th century Dirks a few years back. The blades were forged from a seat bracket off a McCormicks reaper. 1880's vintage. As you can see in this photo there were shoulders filed where the metal, which shows at the bottom of the roughly shaped handle. I don't know about traditional but this is how I mount most hidden tang handles. These blades measured 20" at the shoulders.
DSC01761.JPG
DSC01686.JPG

DSC01783.JPG
DSC01769.JPG

DSC01775.JPG
DSC01786.JPG

DSC01790.JPG

DSC01789.JPG


The buttcaps are wrought iron thats been etched and file. You can accomplish much with a burr in a drill press. Make a little jig to run it against.

Some times just looking at different designs and styles helps to progress.

Best of luck, enjoy the build, Fred
 
Fred.Rowe said:
Just some food for thought. I made this set of late 16th century Dirks a few years back. The blades were forged from a seat bracket off a McCormicks reaper. 1880's vintage. As you can see in this photo there were shoulders filed where the metal, which shows at the bottom of the roughly shaped handle. I don't know about traditional but this is how I mount most hidden tang handles. These blades measured 20" at the shoulders.
DSC01761.JPG
DSC01686.JPG

DSC01783.JPG
DSC01769.JPG

DSC01775.JPG
DSC01786.JPG

DSC01790.JPG

DSC01789.JPG


The buttcaps are wrought iron thats been etched and file. You can accomplish much with a burr in a drill press. Make a little jig to run it against.

Some times just looking at different designs and styles helps to progress.

Best of luck, enjoy the build, Fred
Click to expand...

That's some amazing work and that wrought is very nice. How did you get the contrast like that. I etch in ferric but by the time i get that contrast it is pitted.
 
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