A little CAK Handle Rebuild.

Bawanna

Bawanna

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Yangdu send me a CAK where the handle let go. The horn is in pretty decent shape, the laha just didn't adhere or something. It was riveted a normal but they didn't hold either.
Soooo, I'm making another attempt at a Chiruwa handle. I've tried before and missed pretty far.
So far we're looking much better this time.
Using some Leopard Wood to be a little different.



My supervisor.




Hard to get quality time with it this time of year. Too much outside stuff to get done.
Planned to spend the day with it today but daughter and son in law showed up with his tractor and dump truck so we were hauling sand into the round pen all day. Most of the day yesterday too. Kids really foul up my schedule sometimes, but the bring the grand kids and they are a blast so it's ok. I usually end up watching them while others work so I guess I shouldn't whine with my cheese.

I'll post another picture when I make some actual progress.
 
Believe me they watch Grandpa and Grandma much much closer than they do their mom and dad! Whatever you do is most interesting to them. I have no doubt that that handle will turn out right. Looks good already! Good Luck Mr.B! My grand daughters are already having an interest in flint knapping. They want to go rock and fossil hunting already. They dont have the attention span yet for flint knapping but they will pretty soon. Enjoy them every minute you can. Your so fortunate!
Shes such a cutie! Give her a piece of that Zebra wood and let her help:D
 
I just noticed the box off my helpers left elbow is full of elk antler. Sent off to Yangdu today.
Hoping it works for the kami's. It's painful to cut up a beautiful antler shed but has to be done to make a handle unless of course you want a very long strangely shaped handle.
 
Awesome! Love to all the grandparents as well, you guys provide us first-string parents so much needed support.
"Hey nana get over here and take this cranky baby!"
 
We've been blessed. Both our first string kids and grand kids are very rarely cranky. They have their moments but only if they need something. Grand daughter is a bit bossy to grandpa but I think that's mostly a gender thing.
She tells me when food is hot and I have to blow on it. Actually she's real bossy but she's wicked smart for a 2 year old.
Grandson is just starting to have character but he smiles all the time, I think we'll be ok with him too.
 
Spent most of today on the CAK. Got the handles acraglas'd on Friday. A ton of shaping and filing.
I'm taking a page out of Bookies book and not using power tools. Actually I seldom do except a band saw for first shaping and a drill.
It's coming a long but got a long ways to go.





Also while taking a little break from filing made my first tempt at metal inlay. There is a definite learning curve involved here. Mostly when you use a torch, stuff gets HOT!
When you pour, your gotta let it set for a little bit, if you move the target the stuff will pour right back out.
You as Bookie mentioned need to create a mechanical lock, if you just drill a hole and fill it, the inlay will just pop out unless you got some angle or way of trapping the metal into the wood.
I'm not too impressed with my little ladle, a think a regular pour spout would work better than the hole. It's like it don't pour and then when it does it pours a lot.
Also don't over fill anymore than you have to. The stuff is dang hard and takes a lot of filing to get back down to what you want.
I'm not overly impressed with my first work but I at least grasped the concept, learned some stuff and I'm ready to try again when the opportunity presents itself.
Photo evidence. Don't laugh or I'll call the doctor and get a doll made.





Back to filing and filing and filing.
 
Excellent! I cant wait to try it. Do you just melt it from the block or do you whack a piece off then melt it? Did you pour the front pin or is there a solid pin inside that?
 
I just melted it from the block like Bookie showed in his post. I melted into my little ladle, then poured it from there.
I did pour those front circles. First attempt when I went to file them flush, they just fell out, nothing to anchor them. So I drilled a series of small holes at an angle in the hole for the nickleite to flow into creating a mechanical lock. Like Bookie drilling through and chamfering his nose piece.

Also on first attempt I tried to flip the knife over and quickly pour the other side, but too quick, it just poured right back out onto the table and a little bit on my lap. ..... I almost stood up, it was like a miracle for a few seconds.

It does flow pretty nice once you get it hot enough, just have to kind of figure it out.
I'm anxious to try something else.
 
Also on first attempt I tried to flip the knife over and quickly pour the other side, but too quick, it just poured right back out onto the table and a little bit on my lap. ..... I almost stood up, it was like a miracle for a few seconds.
.... I was drinking coffee at the fire station when I read that, good thing my phone has a waterproof case!!! ;)
 
Bawanna, you dun good. You have figured out some of the little nuances of pouring an inlay. For the first attempt, I grade you with an A. Keep it up and you'll be a Poured Metal Inlay Guru in no time. That leopard wood handle is different as you said and is becoming quite attractive looking. Let me know a couple of days ahead of time so I can email Mrs. Martino and shark that puppy!
 
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Copy that 33. I got the butt caps on and all solid. Just lots more filing and shaping to get it right.

I'm confident pending no unforeseen disaster that I will be successful this time. Nothing but respect for them kami's that make these handles every day. They ain't easy but your my brother.
 
Yangdu asked me to post some pics of the nearly completed CAK handle replacement. I tried to send them to her and failed miserably. I've been doing that a lot lately it seems. But I'm pretty happy with this handle.




I replaced the pins (they are aluminum and not reuseable) with copper tubing. I thought it pretty cool to look through the handle and also have the option of tying it to a stick perhaps. For some reason I think of Ndog when I think that??????
The leopard wood looks great in this application and it's hard and dense enough I think it will hold up a very long time.
Plus my very first success at looking at least similar to how the kami's make them. Again I got a ton of respect for them guys making these every day super fast.
 
Send it to me for a test run! ;)
I really like the wood/copper/brass combo, they really compliment each other.
Fantastic job Bawanna!!!
 
Awesome job Bawanna!!!!!!
 
Thank you guys, my week is complete. A seal of approval from Yangdu is a feather in my cap.
I'll finish it up this weekend I hope and send it home.
 
Just home again. Very handsome grip you've made, Bawanna. It actually looks half-way comfortable! I like it!
 
AMAZING BAWANNA! BEAUTIFUL! You sir are a craftsman.

With the legendary CAK blade of HI's always awesome quality along with your awesome re-handle this is truly a one of a kind piece of Khukuri art.

This is so good I think it should be a special item for an auction or raffle to help support Yangdu, the Kami's, and everyone else at H.I.

I hope this is not the last we see of your work because it is truly amazing, If you were to make this a regular thing, re-handling blem Chiruwa handles with exotic woods I would so opt in any auction or raffle for a chance of these truly one of a kind art pieces. Again Great Work!


p.s. What size wood planks would you need for a standard CAK handle?
 
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