Squaring Handle Materials?

bobbywett

bobbywett

Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
1,231
Hi Folks,

I was wondering what equipment/techniques makers are using to square their handle materials, i.e. (Guard, Pommel, & Main Handle Materials....Wood, Micarta, or what have you)?

Should the handle material be run through a wood planner before the ends are cut? Is a reversible variable speed disc grinder the optimum way to square sides and ends of handle materials?

What are your thoughts?


Thanks for any ideas,

Bobby,

Hershey, PA:)
 
I use my belt grinder to get it close, then finish the parts that need to be really flat by hand sanding on a granite block.
 
To square material:

1. Flatten one side. You have to start with a flat side. There are several ways to accomplish this. A jointer will do it, but its intended for pieces longer than knife handle size. I use sandpaper on glass, Tait uses granite with sandpaper. Either way, get one side flat.
2. Square an ajacent side. For this I use my large belt sander.
3. Flatten the opposite side of the first side you flattened. Meaning both sides are flat and paralell to one another. I do this at the table saw by putting the first face against the fence, and the squared face down. For longer pieces, a planer can do this. A note: A planer doesn't flatten wood. It thicknesses wood. Whatever unflatness you have on the side opposite the cutters is copied onto the side the planer is cutting. For example, you can run a cupped piece of wood down to dust and scrap in a planer, and it'll still be cupped.
4. Finally, make the final face flat and paralell to the opposite face. Again, I do this at the table saw.

It is very important for a person to have a good table saw, properly tuned. Also, as the table saw is a very powerful and dangerous machine, it is important to understand how to set up cuts properly, and what dangers a person faces during each cut. Small, short pieces of wood are the most dangerous to cut on a tablesaw. Understand kickback. Though, in my personal opinion, it is not possible to understand the force of a kickback until you experience it. Think of putting your hand over a shotgun barrel and pulling the trigger. Its that bad. Its that fast. Its loud.
 
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