3D printed wa knife handles

[Bensbites]

I have started down the path of 3D printing. I am about to try printing a wa handle for my Dao santoku, is anyone else doing this? It is way easier than cutting and glueing wood. It does lack the soul of a nice burl or curly wood.

Eventually I think it would be cool to 3D print wood impregnated handle with a copper/silver impregnated spacer, and a carbon fiber impregnated ferrule.

What do you guys think?

 

[Matus]

How are you going to print buffalo horn or Ironwood?

 

[milkbaby]

You talkin about them rustic Daovua knives from Vietnam? Should just have the tang shoved into a shed antler handle or perhaps fallen tree branch for the most consistent aesthetic IMHO.

3D printing would be cool for custom designs like what people do with lasers etching designs on the steel.

 

[inferno]

Maybe go for "snakeskin" carbon fiber design?

 

[-toa-]

I think 3d printed handles makes sense in some cases. for example custom handles, cheaper handles, or handles where you want to prototype a bunch of different style and be able to reproduce the same shape etc. For working with natural materials (gorgeous wood i´m looking at you) cnc work would make sense. I´m sure we´ll see some really nice 3d printed materials at some point, perhaps sooner than later.

 

[Talim]

I've always wanted to 3d print a saya but I don't have a large enough print bed.

 

[Bensbites]

I've always wanted to 3d print a saya but I don't have a large enough print bed.

I have an ender3 I think it is 220x220. Let me know if you want me to give it a try.

 

[applepieforbreakfast]

Did you upload your .stl anywhere?

I'm trying to make a 3D model of an octagonal wa handle in DS Mechanical, but it's an uphill battle.

 

[josemartinlopez]

watching this thread!

 

[tostadas]

I think @nakiriknaifuwaifu also did something like this. I'm too lazy to search though.

 

[Nagakin]

I think @nakiriknaifuwaifu also did something like this. I'm too lazy to search though.

yeah, he had some really good looking ones earlier this year.