Cutting wooden scale

Here I go again the novice,got my handle off,custom shaped the full tang on my table sander,drilled holes larger using Dewalt drill,68hrt metal bits,dip tip of bits in cool oil often while drilling.

My only experience is a fish blade & Machete,when I traced out my handles(had culy Koa scales I cut on friends table saw)I used a Japanese hand saw to rough cut the outline,I used table sander to do the rest.Of coarse the hand saw cannot make turns to follow the tang outline.

I was wondering how some of you more experienced persons do this.Anyone use a coping saw?My buddy said get a scroll saw,but I am reading the cheap ones are junk+they are not compact.I'm retired now,not in production,not in a hurry,do not mind using hand tools.

from the pics I have seen there is a rough cut out. Then they are applied to the knife and finalized with sanding down to final shape. Of coarse this is just how I am reading pics of wips.

small wheel attachment, spindle sander or lots of elbow grease? :biggrin: With most wood projects, files/raps work well for roughing out shapes. If you have really good ones like the hand cut Nicholson cabinets/shoemakers rasps from Brazil in the 49 and 50 cuts, they actually clean up a lot quicker than say 36 or 40 grit belt sander marks. Everybody who messes with wood should have at least one of those bad boys. They are VERY pricey, but very nice.