Checkering ......................easy to say hard to learn and do it right .I will try sandblasting ............I have many shoe boxes full with knives to try ........
I made a karambit with that stuff for a handle. Worked pretty well. The rubber part of it was a little more difficult to finish, but not that hard.
Real knifemakers wrap their handles in dirty old shoelaces and call it, rustic My clients really appreciate the hemp wrap, soaked in marine epoxy. After a light sanding, it has the feel of bead-blasted micarta and actually gets tackier when wet. Even the wood handled knives I make get a recessed section of wrap at the palm.
It's grippy in the hand but I haven't tried getting it super wet and greasy or whatever, so I really can't say it's the bee's knees or anything. I plan to make a hatchet handle with it. I'm wondering how much shock it will absorb.
Yes, I have tried Ultrex SureTouch. It has a good grip for wet-use knives. I use it on fillet knives. I put it on some kitchen knives, but didn't like the feel. USA Knifemakers has it in a variety of sizes and patterns. I rarely take photos of my general use knives, but will probably take more once the new shop is fully running. I will look around and see if I have a fillet blade with Ultrex still around. Problem is, all my shoeboxes full of knives get sold Andy, I have one of JT's hawk blanks in a box with a sheet of Ultrex SureTouch for the handle. It will be one of the first fun projects when I get up and running.
Rick I really like that last knife. Not to derail the thread but do you have a thread explaining your process about how you do those handles? And I really like the texture on the sheath in the left lower picture.
Natlek try this take a checkering file and file lines across the top and bottom radius of the handle in say 4 places along the handle, going around the radiused corners .. it will provide better grip instead of just smooth sanded. another thing that will work is a Japanese ito style wrap soaked with epoxy.. great grip /no slip good luck /have some fun with it..
It s look easy but it is not easy........... I try on two knife on which I don t like wood .................I do everything wrong , from wrapping cord /I refused to accept the fact that I needed glasses / and used to thick epoxy ..........
Wait , I m not done.................. Please leave coffee on table before you read this.................. This are segments with diamonds from big saw for granite , i have 200 liters barrel full of them. I know someone who change them on saws for local granite industry .............So if you know some way how to get this diamonds from segments................that would be some no slip handle
Thats easy, just put them in your kitchen food procesor and watch them crumble to dust ) Wrapped handle looks good to me!