Who want to make new handle

Yangdu

Himalayan Imports Owner ~ himimp@aol.com
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15 inch 14 ounce BAS by Krishna Kami. Kanchhi couldn't repair the huge crack on wood handle so she removed the handle. Nice leather sheath company by Karda and Chakma.
$65. *SOLD*
Thank you, good luck on new handle!
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Email to himimp@aol.com to order
First come first served
 
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Eric, another nice snag! I think we are going to need to see your masterwork on the new handle please!
I am still a total newb at crafts like this. One day I hope to be able to make anything as good as Bookie and nDog. Or sheaths like Pugs. Or handles like Bawanna and Kami Sherpa. This will be a first for me. I've never made a real khukuri handle before. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.
 
They are very challenging, I honestly don't know how they do it over there so perfectly like they do. I struggle with the rat tail, they are tough. You can do it, if I can anybody can.

I'll look and see if I have a buttcap to peen over on the end. I'm not optimistic but I've taken quite a few handles off, maybe I got one.

Good luck and as mentioned we'll need photos.
 
I've been pondering what to do for the buttcap. Please do let me know if you find one. I will definitely take pictures. Thanks Joe.
 
I seem to recall Bookie doing a few handles and made the buttcaps our of brass or copper. Use another Khukri to get a similar shape or think outside the sawdust and do whatever, maybe round but belled?
I'll go look right now.
 
Ive got plenty of brass and copper if you need some Eric. Let me know and ill send it your way. Great snag. Ive made a few handles too but they are not as hard as you might think. Make it square at first and trace the outline on each side from another favorite khuk.
something like that:
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Drill it out first thing to fit the tang tho. Pay special attention to where the tang hole is all the time so you dont carve through too deep and intrude into it. End up with something like this:

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You got lucky and still have the bolster. I havent made one of them yet. The one for my pizza cutter was round so a hole saw and a slice of pipe worked for it.

Then shave off all the corners to follow. I found the hardest part was leaving the ring height without busting a piece off during the process. Leave it thick until the end then thin it out and shape it near the very end. To shape the butt cap lay a flat piece of metal on a soft piece of two by four or something and beat on it with the round end of a ball peen hammer until you got the dish shape you want. Make sure to round the but end of the wood the same shape as the but cap so you will have something solid to peen against. Same as the bolster end of the wood.
Good luck Eric! Work in progress pics would be great to see! Enjoy!
 
Thanks nDog. I have a few other projects I need to get to first but I will definitely take some pictures and post them. All the advice is much appreciated.
 
Last handle I made I kind of traced the shape but spun it on a lathe until I got to the bell part where I just rounded the corners off. A lot faster and more symmetrical than whittling by hand.
I think mostly I got lucky as it turned out pretty good.
 
I hear ya Bawanna! Id do the same if I had a lathe. Oh I do have a lathe....It just aint set up for wood yet. Not sure how it would work. I can only get it up to 2000rpm? Im gonna make me a tool rest and try it someday anyway.
 
I decided to do a stacked leather handle instead of a traditional handle. I did use Himalayan Imports materials though!

I used some leather pieces from knifes that I made new sheaths for or had Pugs make sheaths for. I also had a small bit of satisal wood from a Nabin Rai balance knife handle that I broke. I still have that khuk and it is one of my favorites, but that is for another post. I kept the wood for such a time as this. Also had a chape that I removed from another sheath for some reason. So, besides the epoxy it is all OEM parts.


Sorry about the light reflection in the pictures.

I figured I would use the Satisal wood to make a plane area against the bolster to make the leather stack flat, another piece to use as a pommel, and a piece in the middle for the gripping finger ring.


I used gorilla glue in the bolster because I wanted it to expand and fill it up.


Now I can plan the size and cut a million tang holes.


Fitting the pommel


I used this piece of a chape for the buttcap to peen the tang to. I was going to use that little washer too but I decided against it.


Prep for epoxy


Here she is. All together and peened. I stayed up way too late doing this. Doesn't look like much but still makes me happy to see it as one solid block instead of a 100 little pieces.


I will post again after I get another chance to shape the handle a bit.
 
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Eric I have a hunting knife made by Western (my first youth hunting knife), with a leather stacked handle. I got it when I was about 11, 1966. It still looks great and should be a lifetime lasting handle. You’re getting closer! Looking good brother!
 
Looking great Eric! I always wanted to try that! The combo with the wood is an excellent idea. I had an Estwing framing hammer with a stacked leather handle. Man I loved that thing. Very comfortable for those extended use times. I think they still make them but they are hard to find. Id love to replace it. I lost it in a house fire which would have been ok but I really lost it so I couldnt rebuild it.
 
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