What handle material?

[ghost squire]

I'm about to make a large fixed blade knife for a friend, and I was wondering what sort of handle material I should use. I was going to do a full tang construction and contoured slabs on either side, like this:

the one on the left
One of my problems is that he wants a guard on the bottom, but for various reasons the only way I can think of to make one within my means and tools is to extend both slabs past flush on the steel in that area, and then fill the gap in them with epoxy. Would this be a viable way of doing things?

And also what would be the ideal handle material for this? The blade will be similar in proportion to a KaBar. I was thinking some sort of micarta perhaps.

 

[Ilovetoolsteel]

I'm about to make a large fixed blade knife for a friend, and I was wondering what sort of handle material I should use. I was going to do a full tang construction and contoured slabs on either side, like this:

the one on the left
One of my problems is that he wants a guard on the bottom, but for various reasons the only way I can think of to make one within my means and tools is to extend both slabs past flush on the steel in that area, and then fill the gap in them with epoxy. Would this be a viable way of doing things?

And also what would be the ideal handle material for this? The blade will be similar in proportion to a KaBar. I was thinking some sort of micarta perhaps.

If you are using micarta why not fill the gap with micarta? Epoxy a filler piece in place.

I don't understand something, If you are making the blade full tang why not include the guard in the tang?

 

[ghost squire]

If you are using micarta why not fill the gap with micarta? Epoxy a filler piece in place.

Why didn't I think of that?! Thanks man, that actually is a great idea and I can't believe it didn't dawn on me before.

I don't understand something, If you are making the blade full tang why not include the guard in the tang?

Thats part of my problem, I'm doing stock removal at the moment and didn't want to grind off more steel than I had to to get a guard by selecting a wider steel stock. Theoretically I could have made the handle smaller but the person I'm making it for wanted clean lines on it (its going to be an Americanized tanto per his request).

Thanks again.