Outstanding!
Would you have any interest in starting your own thread talking about your tools, methods, lessons, etc? I understand if not but this is something I'm very interested in and would love to read your insights.
Show us your sticks (finished handle projects)...
- Thread starter cotedupy
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Outstanding!
Would you have any interest in starting your own thread talking about your tools, methods, lessons, etc? I understand if not but this is something I'm very interested in and would love to read your insights.
Dr. T
Member
I would be happy to do that. I am leaving tomorrow for a five week trip to Europe so it would not be until September sometime, if you can wait. I mostly make **** up with the guidance that I found on this forum, but I do have some experience which comes with trial and error. i.e. mistakes. Probably what I can advise most on is finishing cocobolo. It is different. I saw a post that someone submitted on cocobolo that was pretty close to what I do about 6 months ago or so. If you are making your own handles, I can give you Ron-ron, cocobolo, and Ironwood. I don't think the ironwood I have is very pretty, but you are welcome to it. You pay shipping. I think I have one more really nice piece of cocobolo, and the Ron-ron is good.
For your amusement, here is a photo on my patio in Costa Rica while sanding down one of the handles. Suction vise on a glass table.
For your amusement, here is a photo on my patio in Costa Rica while sanding down one of the handles. Suction vise on a glass table.
Very generous but I'm not anywhere near ready yet. I'll slowly start picking up tools and contemplating.
And I can very much wait for your thread until your return. Have a safe trip!
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WilliamDallas
Well-Known Member
Wow I never knew such a variety of beautiful handles even existed! Definitely some inspiration going on here.
Some curly Narra and Tanaka action.
tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
Stabilized tasmanian blackwood and bog oak with black g10 spacer for my modified Matsubara ginsan cleaver.
More of the cleaver info here
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/...since-we-had-a-cleaver-chat.49526/post-921970
More of the cleaver info here
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/...since-we-had-a-cleaver-chat.49526/post-921970
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I finally got around to doing some western style handles that I have been putting off.
For the Misono dragon 240, I used stabilized maple burl. This particular block had some spalting in it which tended to darken the color a tad. looks almost like granite with a glossy finish on it. As is my wont, I inlaid a piece of the handle wood into the highly figured walnut that I used to make the saya. By the way, that gorgeous blue patina on the blade is real, it isnt a reflection of the flowers.
I have been procrastinating on this Takamura R-2 for a while. This has one of those half tangs that presented some real creative challenges, as you have to cut a very thin slot in the block, then drill the holes for corby bolts with such tight tolerances that you leave no play, which would be visible in the butt end of the handle. Came out pretty well though. I used stabilized pyinma burl for both the handle and the saya, since it is a fairly light wood, i figured it would keep the knife from being annoyingly handle heavy.
Lastly, my little Kazan Hap40 150 petty, in stabilized curly maple, and a saya in similar curls.
For the Misono dragon 240, I used stabilized maple burl. This particular block had some spalting in it which tended to darken the color a tad. looks almost like granite with a glossy finish on it. As is my wont, I inlaid a piece of the handle wood into the highly figured walnut that I used to make the saya. By the way, that gorgeous blue patina on the blade is real, it isnt a reflection of the flowers.
I have been procrastinating on this Takamura R-2 for a while. This has one of those half tangs that presented some real creative challenges, as you have to cut a very thin slot in the block, then drill the holes for corby bolts with such tight tolerances that you leave no play, which would be visible in the butt end of the handle. Came out pretty well though. I used stabilized pyinma burl for both the handle and the saya, since it is a fairly light wood, i figured it would keep the knife from being annoyingly handle heavy.
Lastly, my little Kazan Hap40 150 petty, in stabilized curly maple, and a saya in similar curls.
tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
Your dragon with maple burl looks fantastic!
Thanks Tostadas! That particular chunk of burl wood had a lot going on! Your cleaver handle projects are gorgeous as well!
tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
The second of my two cleaver handles just installed today to sweeten up this Takeda.
Stabilized maple burls w/ g10 spacer.
Stabilized maple burls w/ g10 spacer.
Gorgeous dude!
My first handle build. More work than I thought it was going to be, but came out much better than I thought it would.
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Thank you. Quite a fun process. My wife got jealous and now has me making her a "fancy" handleGood for you dude! Nice job.
Wabisabi-Ken
Well-Known Member
Thought I may as well jump in on this thread!
Left one is the first attempt at handle making, middle second and right is my third. Quite happy with the progress, getting better each time. Drilling by hand and using an upside down belt sander is far from ideal but hey the results are worth it
I gave a water based matte polyurethane coating a go since I didn't want a super shiny plasticky looking finish. I've seen people say it's not great because it can deteriorate over time with water or something like that but I don't drench my handles anyway. Quick wipe off and done. Wish I had space for a drill press though, life would be much easier!
Left one is the first attempt at handle making, middle second and right is my third. Quite happy with the progress, getting better each time. Drilling by hand and using an upside down belt sander is far from ideal but hey the results are worth it
Here's my first handle/re-handle: It's a piece of pallet scrap (two tone oak, IMO) with a black walnut spacer. It's an attempt at the heart without the divot on top style, or however that's referred to. I learned a ton in making this (I've already got my second handle mounted and getting tung oil applied) and I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's on an ~145mm nakiri, and it's mounted to the blade using beeswax. I'd love to hear feedback on what people think, and pointers on areas that can be improved upon; thanks.
Caleb Cox
Senior Member
Looks great! Might be a little nicer in the hand for a pinch grip if you shaped the top a bit, or just round corners off until they don't feel like pressure points.
tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
Looks really good! Since it's custom to you, you can just sand down to adjust any individual areas to fine tune the fit. From a purely aesthetic perspective, I like to introduce some taper of the height/width from the back to the front. My front dimensions are roughly 2mm smaller in each direction compared to the back.
Looks super comfy for a nakiri! I love the half octagons for that application. Install is much tighter than I got my first many installs too. I’m a big fan of hot melt glue over beeswax though
I'll regularly be using hot melt, but since we keep bees, and this was for my wife, who's also the main beekeeper, I used beeswax.
Disregard my earlier statement. Use your own beeswax. That’s badass.
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Handle #2 complete: hunk of dead maple stump processed from my back property, I could just stare at the figuring on this for far too long. Shape looks a little strange but feels really good in hand on this knife, I'm excited to get better than a low grit belt finish done on the blade this weekend.
Wabisabi-Ken
Well-Known Member
knocked these out today, just worried about how soft/light the wood is.. really wish I had the gear to stabilise wood. Maybe I'll do more looking into any quick n dirty methods. Love the look though! Just need to do finishing touches
Stunning wood. Love them!
I wouldn't worry too much about stabilizing as long as you can get balance. Just finish with a drying oil like Tung &c. and you'll get some waterproofing-ing.
Wabisabi-Ken
Well-Known Member
Tung & c? Im not too familiar with oils, so far I've heard a lot about try oil. But I'm keen on trying oils out, I just don't want anything that will colour the wood. I like how light the colour is on whiter woods so for previous handles I've been using a water based polyurethane. It does the job but I'm not sold on its durability!
Tung Oil. It's a drying oil, so sets and finishes in a way that mineral oil for instance doesn't. Also - Tung doesn't affect the colour. Something like Boiled Linseed Oil is also drying, but it makes wood darker.
Something called 'Hardwax Oil' is also worth looking out for. I use it a lot on softer woods especially.
I second what @cotedupy says, I don't particularly care for stabilized woods and I use tung oil to finish all of my handles, both made by me and others. I've got one I just finished rough shaping on that, I'll have pics of in about a week, that will show how a softer lighter wood (like those you've made there) looks pre and post tung.
