Chef Forum banner

wa rehandle project

2K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  millionsknives 
#1 · (Edited)
#3 · (Edited)
Thanks! This was our first project like this.

for anyone interested in trying such a project: The wood is impregnated with a stabilizing resin already. Not strictly necessary for a hardwood, but it should help with not warping/cracking. Thats more of a problem for western handle scales pulling away from the tang then on wa handles. Fit the wood into the horn with a mortise and tenon joint, then epoxied. To make it shiny, we took it up through 1500 grit sandpaper, then a finished with linseed and beeswax. The blade is burn fit in so I have the option of moving it to another knife eventually. I might use hide glue, which is reversible too, using moisture and heat.

It just feels more solid and heavier than the burnt chestnut D shaped handle I replaced. Burnt chestnut varies in quality I guess, because the octagonal ones from JKI , I like a lot.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I didn't originally.  Then I started picking up tools when I started those forgecraft fixer upper projects.  I now have a 4x36" belt sander and a drill press.  Soon a band saw.  Then a forge! just kidding... maybe

I'll say you get what you pay for with harbor freight.  I spent almost an hour getting the belt to track.

I do like working with hand tools as much as possible, especially on western handles.  Sanders make a ton of heat.  At some point the epoxy stops working, so you have to stop and cool it down a lot. 

That's why I like the simplicity of wa handles.  It's not a bunch of metal and spacers and wood and pins all held together by epoxy; it's just one solid block of wood mostly. And it won't warp on you and pull away from the tang like western scales either.
 
#12 ·
Yeh and the HF sanders are also prone to throwing bearings.  I thought maybe without a sander you would rough plane the handle, rough file the horn and then put everything together and finish sand with a block.  Bit of a pita though.

Came out looking great.  How many hours it take?

Rick
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top