Here are some pictures of the second handle prototype. I'm fairly
enthusiastic about this version. What you see in the pictures is a set
of oversize handles with some of the features that the guys suggested on
the forum. By oversize, I mean that the handles have not been trimmed to
the exact profile of the handle tang (or in the case of the forward
part, the tang has not been trimmed to the handle profile). When this is
done, the change to the tang will be irreversible, so I wanted to get
some feedback before putting the tang to the grinder.
The changes are:
The bottom of the handle is formed into a 2+2 finger grip in an attempt
to hold the hand in place, making forward motion less likely. Even
without the tang being trimmed, this modification (in combination with
the others) seems to work very well.
The palm swell has been moved back about 1/2". The dimensions on the
swell and the forward trough are the same as before based on some flex
testing I did with some scrap material. The rear trough measures .700"
across the handle. This actually had more of an effect than I would have
expected. The grip is much more natural and secure.
The big change comes at the front of the grip. I created a "forward
swell" measuring .950" across the handle. In addition, I angled the
swell at the natural angle of the hand when it grips the knife. I hope
this feature will be well received, because I think it is the single
most effective change in improving the security of the grip.
I also radiused the top front of the grip to make the front less blunt.
You'll notice that the grip has no pins or thong hole. It is held in
place by carpet tape. I will add pins and a thong tube if this design is
well received. I will also be doing an experiment when I put the pins
in. I have had trouble getting nuts for the bolted and glued handles. I
also had the rather thin section at the bottom of the counterbore break
when I took the first handles off. I obtained some black Micarta pin
material (1/4" dia.) from Koval. I will try this as pins on the
prototype. It's more expensive than brass, but it should blend in well
on the black handles. It should also look quite "muted" on the other
handle colors. For those of you with white handles, let me know if you
want something a little more elegant. The big advantages are that it
will provide the best possible bond to the handle scales. It can also be
"pre-finished" before epoxying the handles in place.
