# Re-handling a forgecraft knife



## PappaG (Sep 25, 2017)

So I have purchased two forgecraft knives off of ebay for $15 each for the purposes of practicing sharpening.

I would like to eventually re do the handles with Japanese style handles. I've done a little googling and found the end products of when people re-handle forgecraft knives and apparently its quite a challenging process. 

However I need some baby-steps on how to go about doing this. Can you point me in the right direction?
How does one go about taking the handle off? Putting the new one on? Where can I buy a cheap handle. This is baby steps for me. I promise to post my progress if I do this!

I just need some baby steps to decide if I'm even up to the task. It looks like fun though...


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## Yet-Another-Dave (Sep 25, 2017)

Pictures of your knives would help....

All the Forgecraft photos I've seen have been full tang with a Western (Yo) handle. You could of course attach a handle in the western way, but then give it a more Wa shape. (You'll be limited by the tang though.)

To install a Wa (Japanese) handle you would need to reshape the tang of you knife. Depending on how hard the tang is (and how good your files are) you might be able to file it. I'd assume you need to grind it to shape though. Starts to get complicated unless you're already somewhat of a metal worker. Cheapest (not best!) starting set up is probably a Harbor Freight (assuming you're in the US) 1" x 30" belt sander with some metal grinding belts. If you have a Dremel tool, or equivalent, cut-off disks and grinding wheels might work. (You'd need seriously steady hands to use a Dremel, I think.)

Good luck, have fun, and keep us posted!


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## Yet-Another-Dave (Sep 25, 2017)

Another question / thought: What tools & skills do you already have?

Full metal shop changes the tang shaping discussion. Woodshop and/or experience with woodworking changes the handle discussion. Etc.

This is a case where machines can significantly speed things up, but you really could do everything with very simple handtools if you are willing to go slow and take care. (In theory, I guess, you could even grind the tang on your coarsest sharpening stone.) If you do want to take a machine based approach, are there any maker spaces or adult ed shop classes in your area? That'd get you a local equipment & support system without the tooling expense.


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## dwalker (Sep 25, 2017)

Wa handles are doable with a grinder. The tang on these are hard for about 1/3 of the way. I wouldn't want to tackle reshaping with a file. You would probably need a diamond file to make any progress at all. These can be up to 61RCH. 
Here is a FC chef's knife that had a pretty significant chip in the edge. I was turning it into a suji, but abandoned it when I realized there was a crack. Lots of hours to this point, good learning experience though.


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## PappaG (Sep 25, 2017)

Hmmm. well I have a garage full of basic thank you much for all the ideas. I also have the 1/30 harbor frieght grinder and a dremel.
Feeling a little above my head, but I'm not giving up yet...


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## dwalker (Sep 25, 2017)

PappaG said:


> Hmmm. well I have a garage full of basic thank you much for all the ideas. I also have the 1/30 harbor frieght grinder and a dremel.
> Feeling a little above my head, but I'm not giving up yet...


You can do it. the steel is hard and you need tools that can remove hard steel. You just have to keep from overheating the steel .


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## scott.livesey (Sep 26, 2017)

take a look at how handle is attached. some knives like this use rivets that can be cut or punched thru. easiest is a 4 1/2" angle grinder with cutting wheel, the wheel will cut wood just as easy as steel, just smokes a bit. cut one side of the rivets or pins off then drive the other side out with a punch. use an old chisel to remove rest of old handle. be sure to put the knife in a vise before cutting. once old handle is off, use 1x30 to clean all rust and glue off tang.


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## 29palms (Sep 27, 2017)

Forgecraft tangs are pretty soft till you get an inch or so from the choil then they steel gets hard. If you grind just keep the blade cool with water. The heat treat on these is quite hi. I personally love the profile of the 8" and 10" chef knives. Good luck with your project.


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## daveb (Sep 27, 2017)

I think the Forgies do very well rehandled with a rounded western. Going to true Wa gets too hard.


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## PappaG (Sep 29, 2017)

Dumb question - what do you mean by "rounded western". vs. regular western? Any special significance? 
I'll start posting pics by this weekend. I'll probably spend my initial time on the sharpening forum addressing thinning etc. 
then I'll come back here to explore handle options. I've been watching a lot of re-handling videos on youtube. this looks like fun if I can pull it off.


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## daveb (Sep 29, 2017)

Delbert Ealy offers some good examples of this. Each scale is semi-rounded and attached to the tang. The tang is then part of the handle like a regular western. I'll try and post a pic later.


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## PappaG (Sep 29, 2017)

Ok. Now I get it. Any recommendations on what handle blank I should use for the first one?

Can I make handle blanks out of the extra wood flooring I have?


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## scott.livesey (Sep 30, 2017)

PappaG said:


> Ok. Now I get it. Any recommendations on what handle blank I should use for the first one?
> Can I make handle blanks out of the extra wood flooring I have?


sure as long as the flooring is solid wood. don't worry too much about handle names. I would start at 1 1/4" high and 3/4 to 1 inch thick 5" long, then shape the handle to where it fits and feels the best. take your time as it is easy to remove wood but impossible to add it back.


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## Bensbites (Oct 8, 2017)

I have converted a couple artifex westerns from CKTG to Wa handles. I found a 4 inch angle grinder generates too much heat and blues the metal around the cut. A dremel with a cut off blade will give a clean cut.


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## PappaG (Oct 9, 2017)

I'm bad with photobucket, but will get a picture up soon. 
I have successfully removed the handle of both a slicer and boning forgecraft. I had fun and learned a lot using my 1x30 Harbor freight grinder to thin and clean the blade up, without letting the blade overheat.

For a wa handle, I now see the obvious challenge of grinding the tang down. I'm not sure my 1x30 is up to the task. I would need a really good belt, no? Is a dremel strong enough to do this?


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## scott.livesey (Oct 10, 2017)

to clean up and grind down the tang, i would use an angle grinder


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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 13, 2017)

The Hickory handles fix up. Sand to bare wood polish up the pins. Even out any irregularities spine & scales. Gaps you can epoxy & clamp. I found cleaned up & couple coats of finish the Hickory wood has a nice look.


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## PappaG (Oct 14, 2017)

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Trying to post my latest with photobucket


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## PappaG (Oct 14, 2017)

So give me some honest opinions. It was a lot of work to grind the tang down with an angle grinder. thanks for the tips.

I'm torn. I'm not sure the larger 8' slicer goes with a wa handle.
I have not glued it down yet.


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## PappaG (Oct 14, 2017)

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Here is the boning knife. Handle is a little big, but somehow I think it works better.

Thoughts?

Next up i'm going to either try and make my own hidden tang handle or do scales for the first time.


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## daveb (Oct 14, 2017)

Like the Wa boning knife. My favorite profile for a robust boner.

I've a slicer and I just can't find anything it's well suited for. Thinned and rehandled it still sucks as a slicer. I would not put any work into another.


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## PappaG (Oct 14, 2017)

Ha - No choice - I bought a few just to practice on. I'm with ya though. Not sure what to use it for.


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## Bensbites (Oct 18, 2017)

PappaG said:


> So give me some honest opinions. It was a lot of work to grind the tang down with an angle grinder. thanks for the tips.
> 
> I'm torn. I'm not sure the larger 8' slicer goes with a wa handle.
> I have not glued it down yet.




The couple Yo artifex I cut down were stuid easy. You may want to file/sand the finish after.


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## The Anti-Chrysler (Jan 3, 2018)

keithsaltydog said:


> The Hickory handles fix up. Sand to bare wood polish up the pins. Even out any irregularities spine & scales. Gaps you can epoxy & clamp. I found cleaned up & couple coats of finish the Hickory wood has a nice look.



What do you use on the hickory handles? BLO or Tung oil?


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