Craving Knife Handle Upgrade

  Two of my 'go to' wood carving knives are actually just blades wrapped in painters tape. I bought the blades a few years ago when I began wood carving at the Seniors Centre intending to put wooden handles on them....some day.  

  Today seemed like a good day.  We are having the biggest snow storm of the winter and at my age that means it is a play inside day. 

    First thing I did was use a rasp to grind the tape off the spine. Someplace, some time ago I bought a horrible, ultra aggressive rasp for cheap. I truly do not know what  the intended use is for this heavy duty, super coarse rasp, I use for the really ugly and un-natural tasks.

  I have made handles before for knives.  These knives are my glue gouging, paint scrapping, staple prying knives.  They are actually good blades but are so  thick and robust they can take the punishment with out being ruined.

  After peeling the tape handles off I glued wood scales (wooden slats) on to the blades with Gorilla glue.  In this case I dampened the scales to make sure that the glue reacted most efficiently.  I am confident enough in the glue that I did not drill the blades and rivet the scales on, this time.

    When working on edge tools always tape the blade to protect you while you work.  Always.  To protect the tool I face the vise's jaws with card stock (cereal box) as well.  I shaped the handles with chisels, knives and rasps.  The card stock means that if (when) the chisels slips it doesn't run against steel jaws.  There are few things more frustrating than damaging a edge tool while working.

Top View

Front View

  Since this is a carving knife I didn't make any effort to make a showy handle.  I made a handle that fits my right hand very nicely and will enable me to work with it for extended periods of time. The handle is slightly out of round so that it will not easily roll of my work table.

   I included this picture so show my work table after making two tool handles. Only one of which I finished today, jeez. There are knives, rasps, needle files, pencils, chisels, vises, rags and finishing wax.  It seems like a real rigmarole just to finish off a couple of knives, doesn't it?

  But....the knife feels really nice in hand now...

cheers ianw