Working with Stag and Titanium

T

TheOTBalisong

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Jun 28, 2012
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Alright, so I was thinking of ordering some stag, but had never worked with the material before, and was wondering what the proper way to work it is?
I had the same thoughts about Titanium, but never had any experience with titanium, at all.
Where do knife makers get their Titanium from, and what's the proper way to grind it down?
Also note that I'm only working with hand tools.

Thanks in advanced.
 
Can't help you with titanium.
Stag should be worked from the rear of the slab, leaving as much surface bark as possible in a given application. Stag can be easily filed, sanded, and polished.
 
Titanium is best ground slowly and with decent pressure, you do not want to see sparks. As far as your question on working it with hand tools, I have had decent luck so far.

I have been cutting up to .100" Ti with a hacksaw and good blades. It only takes a few minutes to cut something like a lockbar.

I just hand chamfered 18 Credit Card Knives with a 1.25" (huge) chamfer bit. My hands were worn out but it worked well. I also finished a bunch of random slots, etc with a diamond nail file and some cheap files. It wears files out quickly but is not too problematic to work.

I use silicon carbide paper but I do not know what is best for hand finishing, the silicon carbide seems to work well.

Good luck! Hand finishing can be quite effective.
 
I'll add a little to Bill's info that has helped me. On the stag when you have sanded off what you think is enough (from the backside of the scale), do a little more. Many times when I've done what I though was enough when I'm all said and done with the knife I end up with more white then bark. Doing what I think is right and then doing some more has helped this deal a lot. I get a lot more bark now on the handle.
 
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