Steel scales on a full tang knife?

[Rancho5]

I'm just wondering if using steel scales on a full tang knife would be a good idea. I've searched but can only find people using steel replacement scales for folders. It probably has more disadvantages than advantages but I was just curious. Is it "done"?

 

[S.Alexander]

I can think of a few reasons not too. Steel is heavy, and could throw off the balance of the knife. Steel also conducts heat better than most typical handle materials. On a cold or hot day a steel handled knife would be very uncomfortable to handle. Steel is harder to shape than wood/micarta/antler.

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

I used aluminium once, on a whim.
I'll never do it again. Probably.

 

[james terrio]

Even plain "skeleton" tang knives are nearly always cord-wrapped. There's a reason for that

I don't see any advantages to steel handles unless you mill the entire knife, guard and handle from a solid bar, like the Chris Reeve hollow handle knives. That would of course be very durable, since there are no joints or stress risers to possibly fail. But quite heavy for its size.

 

[Rancho5]

My thought was that the steel scales could be milled with holes to reduce weight, and acid etched to contrast with the blade. It seems that there might be lots of options. Anyone try something like this? If so, I'd love to see pics.

 

[John Katt]

lots of steel handle knives out there, I bet there is only a 3 or 4 oz difference between a knife with steel bolsters and pommel and a knife with a solid steel handle, I doubt weight and balance would be an issue

If i was going to do it, I would probably use stainless, salty sweaty gritty hands would make high carbon steel rust rather quickly, a stainless handle would also open up some interesting possibilities for engraving

 

[james terrio]

A 3 or 4 oz difference would be huge in any two knives of comparable size. Even a few grams here or there can noticeably change how a knife performs. The bigger the knife is, the more noticeable subtle changes are. (I'm not a fan of large metal bolsters or pommels either, for the same reasons of weight and balance... IMO a big metal bolster/pommel on any blade smaller than a serious sword is like a spoiler on a mini-van. It's just not required, all it does is weigh the thing down, and to me it looks stupid.)

Balance counts for a whole lot... I recently finished two large camp knives in the same pattern from the same bar of stock, with the same full-flat grind. One with a fully tapered tang and a sharpened clip and walnut scales, the other with a full-thickness tang, unground swedge and G10 scales. Their overall weights are really not that different, but they feel completely different in hand/in use. Much more than you might think just by looking at them.

Regardless, being a user-oriented guy, I simply don't want a hot/cold bare metal handle on a fixed blade, no matter how pretty it is. YMMV.

 

[John Katt]

I guess coming from a guy that has swung a 25 oz est-wing west coast framing hammer his whole life, I don't feel those subtle differences, until something reaches 5 or 6 pounds it doesn't really feel heavy to me (cave man effect)

I also think that making something fairly unique like a solid steel knife, it wouldn't get a lot of use, especially cold weather use, probably would be a wall hanger

Steel tools and cold weather can be an issue, but a good set of gloves negates that problem ;0)

 

[John Katt]

big metal bolster/pommel on any blade smaller than a serious sword is like a spoiler on a mini-van.

LOL interestingly enough there was a guy in my neck of the woods that put a lift kit and big tires on a 4WD Chevy Astro and had...I SHIT YOU NOT...a spoiler on the back, looked like something that came off a rice burner

I nearly drove off the road and wrecked my pickup the first time I seen it, because I was laughing so hard

 

[james terrio]

I also think that making something fairly unique like a solid steel knife, it wouldn't get a lot of use, especially cold weather use, probably would be a wall hanger.

Exactly. I don't make or even like wall-hangers and safe-queens, so... there's that. It's just my point-of-view. *shrug*

LOL interestingly enough there was a guy in my neck of the woods that put a lift kit and big tires on a 4WD Chevy Astro and had... a spoiler on the back, looked like something that came off a rice burner. I nearly drove off the road and wrecked my pickup the first time I seen it, because I was laughing so hard

That sort of thing does happen, and more power to 'em if they enjoy it. With enough spit and baling wire, a person can cobble together anything they dang well please, whether it makes any sense or not.

But I don't recommend that approach to anyone building their first hot-rod, grocery-getter, or handmade knife. KISS.

 

[John Katt]

Exactly. I don't make or even like wall-hangers and safe-queens, so... there's that. It's just my point-of-view. *shrug*

But I don't recommend that approach to anyone building their first hot-rod, grocery-getter, or handmade knife. KISS.

I'm familiar with your work James and your tenacity toward maximum functionality, and I respect your opinion, however for me, my opinion is this, I don't think I have seen too many knives that I didn't like, all the way from primitive to jewel encrusted knives with blades made from unobtainium, from work horse to wall hanger I like them all

So when someone says hey, I'm going off the rails and thinking about making a knife that is way outside the blade forum bubble, I say go for it, ultimately what is it going to hurt? might be the next fad ;0)

 

[John Katt]

Possibly another reason that I didn't even bat an eye when rancho5 said solid steel handle, these are my edc's the utility knife (style) I have carried for my entire career and about 15 years ago I found the utility knife with the folding blade...summer, winter, good tools

The utility with the built in folder isn't particularly durable, I think I have broken 3 of them over the years, then again I am hard on tools

 

[james terrio]

So when someone says hey, I'm going off the rails and thinking about making a knife that is way outside the blade forum bubble, I say go for it, ultimately what is it going to hurt? might be the next fad ;0)

I could not agree more, and I sure don't mean to discourage anyone. :thumbup:

 

[Rancho5]

No discouragement here at all. I just thought the contrast of a shiney blade and acid etched, holy scales might look cool. When I get better at grinding I might give it a whirl and post pics.