The handle of a knife consists of 2 wooden halves, which are known as scales. These are attached to the metal tang (or bolster) of fixed-blade knives and the metal liner of folding knives.
Ideally, the diameter of the handle should be slightly larger than your palm width to allow you to grip it comfortably. This is especially true if you plan to use your knife outside and wear gloves.
Materials
There are several materials that can be used for knife scales. Some are better than others.
A few of the most popular include stainless steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber. These materials are durable and offer a variety of textures for improved grip.
These handles are popular with both custom and production knives alike. They’re also very customizable, making them a great option for anyone looking to personalize their knife.
Another popular material is G10. It’s made with layers of carbon cloth that’s soaked in resin.
It’s a very sturdy material that’s commonly found on high-end production knives. It’s available in a wide variety of colors and can be left with a more rough texture for improved grip, even when wet.
Wood is the most common material for knife handles, but it’s not without its drawbacks. It’s very sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, which makes it difficult to get a tight fit when making knife handles.
Preparation
Before you start cutting knife scales, you need to prepare them properly. First, make sure that you are using the correct blade material and handle materials. This will ensure that you don’t cut yourself or the knives while you work.
You also need to choose the right epoxy resin for your knife. This is important because it will keep the scales in place and prevent them from sliding off the blade when you use it.
If your knife has rivets instead of pins, you’ll need to drill a hole that is countersunk to the appropriate depth. This is easy to do with the help of a caliper that measures rivet heads.
Once you have the appropriate holes drilled, it’s time to assemble the knife. This may take a while to do because you have to line up the knife’s pins and make sure that they are in the right spots. If you don’t do this, you’ll have a difficult time assembling the knife and could even damage the tang or scales.
Cutting
Cutting is an unhealthy coping mechanism people use to relieve emotional pain. It can be a sign of mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. It may also be a reaction to trauma, such as a recent breakup or sexual assault.
During the cutting process, individuals will often feel relief from the physical act, but they may regret it hours later or in the future. The act of cutting is usually done alone and is a very personal choice that can be hard for family members to watch.
Before you start cutting the knife scales, you should sharpen them to a smooth edge. This will take some time, but it’s essential to make the knife as sharp as possible to ensure safety and functionality.
Assembling
In folding knives, scales fit against raised metal bolsters and are attached to the blade. To make them, cut a piece of wood for each side of the knife to be made and joint and plan it down to about 1/4″ thick.
Once you’ve got the scale blanks, trace a tang shape on one of them and cut it out. Next, trace the tang shape onto the other scale and drill pin holes in both.
When you’re done, sand the ends of each pin with 80-grit sandpaper to help them enter the material more smoothly.
The next step is to assemble the handle and blade. The knife handle and tang need to be lined up and the pins drilled into place, then epoxy will be applied. This will secure the scales to the tang and give them a permanent hold.