# Rehandle materials



## mdoublestack (May 10, 2013)

Doing my first rehandle on a sabatier, however, I first wanted to put feelers out there... I know where to get scales, but Where do you guys source pins, liners, glue, etc? I'm sure I could find some stuff with a search, but I'd like to use who you fine gents use. Thanks


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## cclin (May 10, 2013)

here K&G


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## xuz (May 10, 2013)

Where are you getting your scales from?

Someone mentioned chicago cutlery a few days back, so I went to my basement to hunt down my old CC chef's knife. Handles were destroyed from moisture, so I stripped the handle.





I was thinking about getting a Micarta scales from ebay/amazon and grinding it down, but I would like to hear what you are going for. I have no experience with rehandling, but it's a beater knife so I'm willing to experiment.


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## mdoublestack (May 10, 2013)

Thanks cclin.
i had some stabilized walnut laying around for awhile. But ebay does have some good micarta and stabilized wood options


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## kalaeb (May 10, 2013)

I have always used Jantz and North Coast Knives. Don't know why I never thought of K&G, I will check them out next time. The only drawback to Jantz is the flat shipping rates. $9.95 regardless, so you have to have a reasonable sized order to make it worth it. 

3 corby rivets still get the 9.95 shipping....:nunchucks:


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## Dave Martell (May 10, 2013)

There's also USA Knifemaker too


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## ThEoRy (May 10, 2013)

Jantz supply.


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## knyfeknerd (May 11, 2013)

Micarta might not be the best option for your 1st rehandle. It gums up my belts. Get some budget wood scales to start.


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## chinacats (May 11, 2013)

xuz said:


> Where are you getting your scales from?
> 
> Someone mentioned chicago cutlery a few days back, so I went to my basement to hunt down my old CC chef's knife. Handles were destroyed from moisture, so I stripped the handle.
> 
> ...



Mark at Burl Source has scales precut and will cut any block into scales as well. Myron at Dream Burls may though I have yet to inquire.


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## xuz (May 11, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> Micarta might not be the best option for your 1st rehandle. It gums up my belts. Get some budget wood scales to start.





chinacats said:


> Mark at Burl Source has scales precut and will cut any block into scales as well. Myron at Dream Burls may though I have yet to inquire.



You enablizers have enablized me.
Just got a pair of blackwood scales from Mark. Thanks for the suggestion gents!


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## knyfeknerd (May 11, 2013)

Blackwood can feel a little bit on the waxy/oily side, but finishes quite nicely. I've never needed to finish mine with Tung oil or Tru oil either.
Let us know how your project goes. Best of luck.


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## Keith Sinclair (May 24, 2013)

Make sure you wear a mask when sanding your handle


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## Burl Source (May 24, 2013)

keithsaltydog said:


> Make sure you wear a mask when sanding your handle


.
A mask will save you from the dreaded black wood boogers.


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## knyfeknerd (May 26, 2013)

Burl Source said:


> .
> A mask will save you from the dreaded black wood boogers.


LOL!
But they taste so good!


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## xuz (May 30, 2013)

I knew nothing about African Blackwood (or rehandling in general), so I did some research and found that folks in Africa make these intricate statues with hand chisels and knives out of the blackwood. So I decided I'll try to make the handle using only hand tools. So with the exception of using hand drill for drilling pin holes, I set about doing my first re-handle with only hand tools.
I ended up actually only using a few tools.
2 Slabs of African blackwood from burl source, 1 Mora Clipper, 1 DMT extra-coarse, some sand papers, 5min Epoxy, brass and copper pins from Jantz, yellow spacers, tung oil, and finishing wax.

Some lessons learned:
1) These blackwood (rosewood?) are really hard. Trying to use Mora to shave off pieces of wood (especially against the grain) was a struggle. I spent about 20-30 min each day, and was shaving 1mm shavings off for many many days. I had to sharpen the knife everyday, sometimes 2 times a day.
2) The blackwood powders wreak havoc on the eyes. I ended up doing most of the heavy sanding by wetting the DMT/handle slabs so that dust doesn't pick up in the air.
3) "Fit and finish" is more difficult than I had imagined. Getting that pinhole exactly right so that there isn't a gap between wood and the pins, planing the spacers/handle/tang so that there are no ugly gaps between them, etc. take skills to do properly.

Anyways, it ain't no looker, but it's one of the most comfortable handle I have used. Everyday I'd pick it up, squeeze hard with a hammer grip, then find where the focal pressure builds. Then I'll use my knife to shave off a little pieces at a time until the localized pressure points smoothed out. Turns out that if I do that, the left and right side symmetry gets broken, but it just felt more natural in the hand.










Now I have a lot of appreciation for the beauty and functionality when I see new knives coming out from HHH or Devin. 
I sit down, look at all the little details and think, how did he do that?!

Anyways thank you for all your help.


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## Dream Burls (May 30, 2013)

chinacats said:


> Mark at Burl Source has scales precut and will cut any block into scales as well. Myron at Dream Burls may though I have yet to inquire.



I don't do scales, yet, but I'm looking into expanding into that.


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## Burl Source (May 31, 2013)

I think it turned out really good.
For a 1st handle it turned out great.


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## scott.livesey (Jun 3, 2013)

if you have basic wood working tools, your scale material may be in your backyard or wood pile. find a piece of maple or oak in your fire wood pile, split it, rip it and see what is there. I have done that and have found spalted maple, curly maple, and oak burl. check the curb before yard waste pickup day and I have found dogwood, pear, ash, gum, heart of pine. you end up with a handle that is one of a kind.
for pins, 18-8 or 316 stainless dowel pins work well, get these from Mcmaster/Carr or MSC Direct. you can get name brand finishes and epoxies from the big box stores, just hate giving them any business.
scott


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## JMJones (Jun 11, 2013)

welding supply stores have carbon and stainless steel pin stock that they sell as tig welding rod. If I ran out and needed some pin stock but didn't have time to wait for shipping from a knife supply shop, they are a great local option. Home depot/lowes/tractor supply also have mild steel rod and possibly aluminum.


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