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Micarta Handle (Pro Photo Added)

Started by Lin Rhea, April 11, 2011, 01:59:00 PM

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Lin Rhea

I thought you might be interested in how I arrange the Micarta slabs to make a handle. It might seem a little backwards, but this works for me. Most Micarta is found in slab form and sometimes I want to end up with a block.

So I cut my 3/8 inch slabs up into pieces, in this case, 3 pieces 2 X 5. I sand the layers to be mated and glue and clamp them taking care to make them as even as I can. I use a good quality super glue. Here's a picture of the end showing the layers.

 

I then slant the end toward the blade to make it work with my handle drop and scribe an outline of the tang on the outside of the block.

 

 

 

As you see, I milled out the slot, half into one side and half into the other. Then I cut the pencil line with my band saw to split the block. I then reverse their positions since I have a flat smooth surface to glue back to make the completed block with the mortise in place. All of the slab pieces need to be oriented the same from the parent slab. This system works due to the fact that the material does not need to be book matched, however, since I am working from the center out, as it were, It still looks the same from side to side.

 

 

The photos were not the best, but they might give the idea of where I was going.
"We dont rent pigs." Augustus McCrae
ABS Master Bladesmith
TGMM Family of the Bow
Dwyer Dauntless longbow 50 @ 28
Ben Pearson recurve 50 @ 28
Tall Tines Recurve 47@28
McCullough Griffin longbow 43@28

DANA HOLMAN

Dang Lin, the handle is sweet, and the knife is double sweet.
dana
"When Satan is knocking at your door,
Simply say,

"Jesus, could you get that for me?"

SveinD

QuoteOriginally posted by DANA HOLMAN:
Dang Lin, the handle is sweet, and the knife is double sweet.
dana
x2

I love the shape of your pig-sticker blades!
Centaur 58" Glass XTL 40@28

~Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand~ Kurt Vonnegut

MTArrowLauncher

That's a beauty for sure, great job. Thanks for the run down on your methods

Fin
>>>---TGMM Family of the Bow--->

J Reeves

Wow, super sweet! Lin thanks so much for taken the time to do things like this for us! I really do get a lot out of seeing how and what you do in your shop. Thanks Jim Reeves
Technique and Knowledge is the largest factor in being able to build a good knife. Lin Rhea

J Reeves

One Question Lin do you use bolts or pins ?
Technique and Knowledge is the largest factor in being able to build a good knife. Lin Rhea

mater

You sure make a nice knife. Ive liked all of your work.

GWV


charlie phillips


skullworks

'cuz deer huntin' ain't catch & release!

Lin Rhea

Thanks guys.

J Reeves, I use a two part bolt that requires a step drill. This provides inward pressure on the material which is something that always is better in my view. They screw together in the middle. The inner part is 3/16 and steps up to 1/4 which is the size of the area you see.
"We dont rent pigs." Augustus McCrae
ABS Master Bladesmith
TGMM Family of the Bow
Dwyer Dauntless longbow 50 @ 28
Ben Pearson recurve 50 @ 28
Tall Tines Recurve 47@28
McCullough Griffin longbow 43@28

Lamey

Lin that is real nice!   And different than ive ever seen anyone do a mortise tang... as you say kind of "reversed".   Sure solves the problem of finding thick enough micarta for mortise tangs.  Ive had to "split" some of hte 1-1/4" blocks to do mortise tangs.  I may try your way in the future.

StoneAK

"He never promised that the cross would not be heavy and the hill wouldn't be hard to climb"
"I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul"

10 Year Active Army Disabled Vet.

tippit

Lin,  Any tips on how you grind in your clip and keep it so even?
TGMM Family of the Bow
VP of Consumption MK,LLC

amar911

Lin,

I really like Micarta when it is done right -- and you do it right! I would never have thought of the method you showed here. That is brilliant.

Allan
TGMM Family of the Bow

Wampus

Canmanstan usually has lots of thicker blocks on his fleabay store.

Doug Campbell

Nice Lin, learn something new every day...

If I'm not mistaken the bolts/pins are called Corby bolts...
Life is wonderful in Montana!!
"BEING CHALLENGED IN LIFE IS INEVITABLE. BEING DEFEATED IS OPTIONAL."
ABS Journeyman Knifesmith

Jack Guard

Man, that grip looks very comfortable.  

Thanks for sharing.
TGMM Family of the Bow
Proud Member of the Twister Twelve

OconeeDan

Very nice knife, thanks for that tutorial Lin.
Dan

kbaknife

They just think different in Arkansaw, don't they?
When the last deer disappears into the morning mist,
When the last elk vanishes from the hills,
When the last buffalo falls on the plains,
I will hunt mice for I am a hunter and I must have my freedom.
Chief Joseph

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