- Joined
- Mar 10, 2011
- Messages
- 7,893
OK, so I never had a Puukko before and picked up this Lapin on the exchange to give one a try...
Well, the handle had the flared bit at the butt, and for my large meathooks, this configuration was a bit cramped and uncomfortable. After a bit of contemplation I sanded the flared part off into a nice "fat mountain trout shape" but was dismayed by the hole in the end of the wood that was left from assembly. This was an epoxy plug type of construction with hidden tang. I contemplated adding a wood or stag crown cap to the butt of the knife and call it done....but that was not to be. One thing led to another and the wood was split off the tang and the epoxy meticulously removed. ( the effort required gave me a newfound appreciation for epoxy plug hidden tang construction BTW )
As you can see, the corners of the tang where the cuts exist are not exactly clean, this is a quick production knife, and this is no issue in that fashion, as a thin metal guard is simply crimped into place once the handle is adhered, but for my purposes, this would not do...
so my first order of business was to clean up these cuts, clean up the tang lines and add a few extra grab cuts to the tang.
Now the part I was really dreading, getting a hole into the stag tine to accommodate the tang. First I sliced off the very tip with a bandsaw(and made a fire steel with that piece
), and then I clamped the tip in my vice and eyeballed my drill line. I then used the rotary cutter to hog out the hole and widen it. Funny thing, working with antler is a pain, it keeps melting onto the cutters and drill bits and sticks there, then gets hot and SMELLS! So, the pin vice with the sail needle tip was indispensable for constantly cleaning the drill bit and rotary cutter.
And here we are at the test fit, with the brass and African Blackwood spacer material in the rough.
store code shown, this tine was found in a pet supply store
as a dog chew, I think maybe I might have a better use for it
and if all goes well, I can use the original sheath and not have to ruin any nice cowhide with my rudimentary leather skills or lack there of...
well, if you made it this far, please wish me luck, and thank you for looking
Duane
Well, the handle had the flared bit at the butt, and for my large meathooks, this configuration was a bit cramped and uncomfortable. After a bit of contemplation I sanded the flared part off into a nice "fat mountain trout shape" but was dismayed by the hole in the end of the wood that was left from assembly. This was an epoxy plug type of construction with hidden tang. I contemplated adding a wood or stag crown cap to the butt of the knife and call it done....but that was not to be. One thing led to another and the wood was split off the tang and the epoxy meticulously removed. ( the effort required gave me a newfound appreciation for epoxy plug hidden tang construction BTW )
As you can see, the corners of the tang where the cuts exist are not exactly clean, this is a quick production knife, and this is no issue in that fashion, as a thin metal guard is simply crimped into place once the handle is adhered, but for my purposes, this would not do...
so my first order of business was to clean up these cuts, clean up the tang lines and add a few extra grab cuts to the tang.
Now the part I was really dreading, getting a hole into the stag tine to accommodate the tang. First I sliced off the very tip with a bandsaw(and made a fire steel with that piece
), and then I clamped the tip in my vice and eyeballed my drill line. I then used the rotary cutter to hog out the hole and widen it. Funny thing, working with antler is a pain, it keeps melting onto the cutters and drill bits and sticks there, then gets hot and SMELLS! So, the pin vice with the sail needle tip was indispensable for constantly cleaning the drill bit and rotary cutter.
And here we are at the test fit, with the brass and African Blackwood spacer material in the rough.
store code shown, this tine was found in a pet supply store
as a dog chew, I think maybe I might have a better use for it 
and if all goes well, I can use the original sheath and not have to ruin any nice cowhide with my rudimentary leather skills or lack there of...
well, if you made it this far, please wish me luck, and thank you for looking
Duane
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