Shaping stacked leather handle next to guard

T

tmerkl

Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
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What is a/the technique for shaping the stacked leather handle part directly beneath the guard, without cutting into the guard? Would this be a case where you somehow glued the stack together and shaped it separately from the knife, sort of like a block of wood, then attach to the tang? I'll try to post a picture below
compressedNL3_png_1200px_72dpi.png
 
That handle example is partially finished on a mandrel (without a guard)what replicates the tang.
Then its placed on the tang along with a guard for final finish grinding and coating.
Notice that handle originally slightly larger diameter near the guard. The its pressed against the guard, final grinding making handle sides somewhat flat.
tmerkl said:
somehow glued the stack together and shaped it separately from the knife, sort of like a block of wood, then attach to the tang? I'll try to post a picture below
compressedNL3_png_1200px_72dpi.png
Click to expand...
 
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I would do this way if it is mine .I will shape tang to be equally wide the entire length.Next I will make some punch for hole in leather to match tang dimension and make hole in all piece leather I will need. Then glued them together ,make temporary bolster/gard in shape how you want to be leather handle from piece of plastic , wood ....assembly all that and shape handle .After that assembly all for real with real gard and there should be minor sanding to get everything right ....
 
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jdm61 said:
In the case of Randall, the guard is "sculpted" not flat, so they may shape after gluing up.
Click to expand...
I'm working on one right now using this method. I couldn't help but start thinking about what if I wanted to have a plain guard like the one referenced. I think a sacrificial guard like Natlek suggests, or shaping the handle as a separate piece is the way to go. Thanks guys.
 
I have used a stainless spacer in place of the first leather washer, the spacer is finished to the size and shape of the finished handle before assembly.Then leather washers are placed on glued and shaped down to match the spacer, if your careful you never really touch the guard and can use tape or something to help orotect it anyway
 
Reading with great interest thanks, as I've never done one but have one in progress. I've got my washers cut out and wet compressed but was considering gluing/pressing them first, then drilling the tang hole as one operation instead of cutting tang holes in each washer first. How would that work? Then grinding to the final shape and even begin initial polishing before final assembly.

As for final fit up to the guard, I would think if the guard plate is to extend out past the front washer as in the OP picture apparently, there might always be some need to touch up the front washers so maybe duct tape the guard and proceed slowly be hand?

If it's to be flush with the leather I'd think you could glue up before final shaping but the leather would come off so much faster than the metal guard that could be an issue?

thanks
 
Ka-bar sells pre-cut leather washer kits for replacing handles on their iconic knife.
Doesn't solve the guard problem, though.
 
Also, some of the lessons learned for the next time:
1. I'm going to get a punch from Osborne to make the slot in my leather washes all in one go. Drilling and cutting out the web with a chisel is for the birds.
2. Size my tang to fit said punch, not as drastically tapered as I made this one
3. Get the handle closer to final dimensions before trying to shape it on the grinder. It took forever to grind off that much leather (washers started at 1.5"x1.5")
4. Closely related to above, the most coarse belt grit I had was an 80 grit. I wish I'd had a 36 or 60
5. Shape pommel before attaching
6. On the next one I think I will stack and glue the washers on a simulated tang and do the shaping first, and use a flat guard like the Fallkniven example above
7. I'm sure there's more but since this was my first stacked leather handle, I'm pretty happy with it overall.
 
Above all, be sure to wet form the leather washers first and stack them on the tang in the exact order they were wet formed.
 
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