What is the process of putting together a handle on a fixed blade?

3

3ree7teen

Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
35
Hello All,
First of all, please redirect me if I am in the wrong place. Second, I'm new to knife making and want to know the process of putting together a handle on a fixed blade. Particularly using micarta, G-10, or some type of wood, and on a handle with just a slab of material on each side. I am mostly curious about the liners and the process of putting them in/purpose of liners.
Some terminology would also be helpful.
Thanks
 
the kid said:
Surprisingly this forum doesn't have a sticky about that.
Click to expand...
Guess you are being sarcastic and meant the Gen. Discussion sub-forum doesn't have a sticky, not Blade Forums overall or, you really didn't know where to look and can be surprised at the "surprisingly" substantial amount of information in the makers sub-forum.



3ree7teen.........Follow this link to a "sticky page" of tutorials and links on knife building. There are multiple topics listed under many of the headers so browse through them.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452465

After reading through you can post specific questions in the makers section. You will find the knife makers here are pretty helpful. Adding on some scales to a blank is often the first step in learning to modify and build your own knives.
 
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I tried the tutorials and they would not load. So here it is the "short version" for placing scales on a full tang knife.

First you need some holes in the tang. There are basically 2 ways to mechanically lock the scales. A number of small holes for pins or 2 or maybe 3 for bigger pins like mosaics or bolts like corbys. If small pins they should be spaced neatly and evenly, say 2 3/4" back from the blade and 2 about the same distance from the end of the handle. You can add more maybe 2 in the center, some people put in a lot but, It is unnecessary and I think it looks cluttered on most knives. If you use colbys or large pins the should be a bit farther back from the ends and centered on the length of the knife.

Colbys and the like are threaded and either one or both ends are usually about 1/4" round and have a smaller threaded piece so you can thread them together and pull your scales tight to the tang. They require holes a bit bigger than the threaded piece in the tang and a step drill to make the holes in the scales. A step drill is a drill bit with a small diameter tip say 1/4" to 1/2 " long and then the bit gets larger in diameter at 90 degrees. This way when you drill with it you get a hole that starts large and has a square shelf inside for your nut piece on the colby and then finishes with a smaller hole for the threaded piece.

Draw out an outline of the knife with a line where the scales start and draw in your pins to see if they look good visually. They must be drilled before it is hardened or you will need high dollar carbide drills and a good press or mill to drill them. I am going to assume you have holes and your blade is completely finished except for sharpening. It should be.

Drilling the scales. If you have a guard or bolsters. You must do all steps with the scales up tight against those. You can get the scale material close to the correct size by setting one down and positioning the tang over it and marking around the edge and then cutting close to the mark. Then match the other scale. Now take a couple drops of super glue and glue one scale in position to the tang. with the scale down drill straight thru your tangs holes (a drill press is best) with holes just a tiny bit bigger than you pins or bolts. Then super glue on the other scale and with that scale down drill back though the first scale, the tang and the 2nd scale. Now pop the scales off. They should come off easily if you only used a couple drops of super glue.

If you want to use liners for a bit of added strength to thin or fragile scales and or for a bit of color and distinction now is the time to cut them slightly over sized and glue them on. I now use Gorilla glue after wetting both surfaces and then clamp lightly using a piece of flat material on the line side to hold the liner flat to the scale and let dry. Good epoxy works well too. DO NOT SKIMP on glue quality. After the liner glue is hard redrill the holes thru the liner material.

Now place the 2 scales together and use some of your pin stock to align them to each other and glue together with a couple drops of super glue. If you are using Colbys you should use the step drill to redrill the pin holes before you put the scales together. Depending on how thick your scales are drill down with the step drill until 1/8 to 3/16 of the scale is still the small dia hole. Then place in the colbys and tighten so scales are held together well.

Now that both scales are together you want to shape and completely finish the ends that go towards the blade. You can file this end, grind it sand it and buff it, how ever until it is at the finish you want to have when complete. You do this at this point so they match perfectly and you finish them because once they are attached to the blade you can not work on them without messing with the blade finish.

Once this is done attach your scales using the GOOD glue you have chose to coat the inside of each scale. Give the pins a coat of glue as you install them. to make sure both sides get glue slide either slide the pins back and forth giving them some glue or put a bit in each hole with a toothpick and coat the sides of the holes. Once all the pins are in clamp lightly, if you use Clobys tighten them slightly. If using mosaic pins make sure that the patterns are aligned at this point! The pins or bolts can and should be a bit high from the scales at this point. Carefully remove any glue that squeezes out by the blade end of the scales . Use, some alcohol and a Qtip then a piece of thin cloth over something fairly sharp the clean the very edges of this junction. Let the glue completely dry and cure before you continue.

Once cured you can grind, file or sand till the edges of your scales are totally flush with the edges of your tang. Grind, file or sand the scales to the contour you want. If you grind go slowly on the pins or bolts as you take them down so you don't overheat the glue or cause the scales to scorch from the heat made by grinding on the metal pieces. Once you have the shape you desire start using sand paper going up thru the grits until you have the finish you desire. You may want to use something stiff as a backing for your paper when sanding around the pins to keep from having a bit of a hump due to the pins being harder than the scale material.

If you are using wood and find small cracks or voids, put a drop of super glue on the crack or void and then sand, the material you sand off will join with the superglue to fill the void and make it natural looking. This usually takes several applications. On natural woods you should dampen the wood occasionally, this will bring up a bit of fuzz on some woods that will then sand off for a better finish. Finish is up to you on wood. Oils, superglue, and a variety of treatments work well.

There are of course more than one way to skin a cat or attach scales. This is the way I usually do it.
 
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Ramm9 said:
Guess you are being sarcastic and meant the Gen. Discussion sub-forum doesn't have a sticky, not Blade Forums overall or, you really didn't know where to look and can be surprised at the "surprisingly" substantial amount of information in the makers sub-forum.



3ree7teen.........Follow this link to a "sticky page" of tutorials and links on knife building. There are multiple topics listed under many of the headers so browse through them.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452465

After reading through you can post specific questions in the makers section. You will find the knife makers here are pretty helpful. Adding on some scales to a blank is often the first step in learning to modify and build your own knives.
Click to expand...

Not sarcasm.. I was looking at the Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment section and couldn't find a sticky.

I forgot or didn't know there was a separate knife makers forum..:o

@ib2v4u
I don't think many people are going to read that.. You need paragraphs.
 
the kid said:
Not sarcasm.. I was looking at the Maintenance, Tinkering & Embellishment section and couldn't find a sticky.

I forgot or didn't know there was a separate knife makers forum..:o

@ib2v4u
I don't think many people are going to read that.. You need paragraphs.
Click to expand...


He went to quite a bit of trouble to explain and write that out. How about a thank you, instead of telling him no one is going to read it. Btw, I read through his instructions and didn't have one iota of trouble understanding it.
 
Dang Jim , that's the short version ??:D you just lost 1/2 a day setting up your new shop , which is looking good by the way .

BTW , your son did a great job teaching you on the proper comma and spacing usage. :)
 
ONeill said:
Dang Jim , that's the short version ??:D you just lost 1/2 a day setting up your new shop , which is looking good by the way .

BTW , your son did a great job teaching you on the proper comma and spacing usage. :)
Click to expand...

Neil, thanks, it was still early in the morning and when I went out to feed my deer there was an inch of new snow on the ground, so I put a log on the fire and was waiting for the warm.
 
Anthony Chaney said:
He went to quite a bit of trouble to explain and write that out. How about a thank you, instead of telling him no one is going to read it. Btw, I read through his instructions and didn't have one iota of trouble understanding it.
Click to expand...

I was trying to help him. :rolleyes:
I don't see why I should thank him, I have not read his wall of text.

edit
I see you changed it, will read it after I have some time :)
 
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Go to this thread and read some of these books

Step-by step is good


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603203


or watch this video

http://smartflix.com/store/video/2025/Making-A-SubHilt-Fighter

also found if you google
Steve Johnson-Making a Sub-Hilt Fighter 2 Discs


The tiniest bit of effort on your part to research this would have yielded tons of info on your own, without having to ask others.

...you know, you could have asked "where can I find the best info" rather than "how do I do this"...which implies spoon-feeding you the exact method...

Liners are useless, Loveless started it to add colour and now it is status quo.
If you are using paper fibre liners and stabilized wood, the water absorbing paper negates the stabilized wood...

Jim...big effort in typing all that out, but the paragraphs do help.
 
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Great info. Thanks all. ib2v4u, thanks for your post, it was thoroughly helpful, and thanks to the rest of you for the links and stuff, also very helpful.
Thanks again!
 
I am a noob but i made a nice discovery just minutes ago. I tried using mother's billet polish on my burl handles using a paper towel and rubbing briskly, in just a few minutes i had the most incredible finish. I had tung oiled the wood and used 0000 wool on it for a nice satin finish. After the billet polish it looks truly as shiny as glass and the grain deepened in color contrast and clarity!
 
Ramm9 said:
Guess you are being sarcastic and meant the Gen. Discussion sub-forum doesn't have a sticky, not Blade Forums overall or, you really didn't know where to look and can be surprised at the "surprisingly" substantial amount of information in the makers sub-forum.



3ree7teen.........Follow this link to a "sticky page" of tutorials and links on knife building. There are multiple topics listed under many of the headers so browse through them.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452465

After reading through you can post specific questions in the makers section. You will find the knife makers here are pretty helpful. Adding on some scales to a blank is often the first step in learning to modify and build your own knives.
Click to expand...

Ramm9 & ib2v4u,
Thanks for the direction - I was wondering how to do this as well.

Also, thanks to the OP for posting the question to begin with.
 
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