jeancarta handle for mora blade blank

mlanghornes

mlanghornes

Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
798
ok, so here's my thought:
I'm planning on ordering a mora blade blank, probably a laminated carbon one. I want to make the handle out of "jeancarta" (denim layered with epoxy). Since you layer the jeancarta with epoxy in between each layer, I'm wondering if I could lay the knife tang straight on to half of the layers while the epoxy is wet, continue to layer the material over the tang, then clamp and let dry as usual, so the handle is formed directly to the blade. I would shape it after that. Thoughts? Similar experiences?
 
So, if I envision this correctly, rather than layering the handle material by putting the tang through the material, you want to do it by sandwiching the tang between sheets of the material sort of like you would do a full tang knife?

But you would do this while the handle micarta material was still wet?

How would you clamp the micarta material?

Andy
 
Correct, I would layer it between the sheets while it was wet. Though because the Mora blade has a rather narrow tang, it wouldn't look like a full tang knife with handle scales.

I was thinking of clamping the material between wax paper-lined boards using several C-clamps.

I've also thought about rolling the resin-soaked denim around the tang while wet (since that would be faster than layering material), then pressing it flat between boards so it comes out with an oval cross-section.
 
Huh. Well, Mora blanks aren't terribly expensive, so if your experiment fails, you won't be out much, if anything.

One thing you'll need to do is figure out a way to keep the epoxy from being squeezed out onto the blade, as that will be a mess to clean up later. Also, how do you plan to shape the front of the handle where it meets the blade?

Andy
 
true, they are pretty cheap. I was probably going to tape of the blade with masking tape or somesuch thing, then, after it is all dry, sanding it to shape. That's going to be the tricky, time-intensive part.

The reason I'm going to all this trouble is that I don't have a drill press to drill straight through a section of homemade micarta, and I'm pretty sure you can't burn the tang in, like you could with a wood handle. Anyway, that's the plan.
 
That sounds awesome.

I would like to see your process and finished product. Keep us posted.

I have done a lot of work with resin/ fiberglass and have always wanted to try and make a micarta or jeancarta handle. I think that your wrap idea is the best because it will be more simple to create.
 
yeah, I have a dremel, which will be my primary shaping tool.

I will keep everyone posted with pics, once I get my blade blank in.
 
how about making 2 slabs and sandwich the tang in between?
where the slabs come together use the dremel to shape a slot for the tang to fit
and then just epoxy it together??
maybe add a pin if you want? (check the temper of the tang you might need to anneal the tang to use a pin, or pein the end if all the way through)
it will still look like a solid handle but save you alot of headache in cleanup and shaping....
just a thought
edward
 
What about taking strips of the material soaked in resin, and wrapping them around the handle, so you could sorta shape the handle with that.
 
I've thought about a wrap, but I'm leaning more towards making two slabs and pinning/epoxy them together, since screwing up a slab means I needs more fabric and resin, but screwing up a wrap means I need a new blade blank.

I also bought two pieces of canvas, light brown and dark brown, to layer so there's more contrast once it is shaped. I'm going to try and find time to do it this weekend.
 
nc527 said:
What about taking strips of the material soaked in resin, and wrapping them around the handle, so you could sorta shape the handle with that.
Click to expand...

One of the key's to these composites is pressure. The amount of pressure you would be putting the knife handle under would be enough to seriously warp or damage it. That and the material wouldn't compress evenly, leaving you with some weak spots and some very hard spots.

Better to make it and then cut / shape it.
 
that was the only problem I could think of to, unless you could somehow press it the same way you press kydex.
 
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