Encabar Neck Knife

neck knife scalesPage 1 of 31 Installing and shaping scales on a small neck knife Nick Wheeler   This tutorial shows how I install scales for a small 1/16” thick neck knife. A neck blank ready for a handle Blade with masking tape put over the edge (if someone doesn't do this, they are an IDIOT!) Blade with pinstock and scales http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 neck knife scales Page 2 of 31 The scales must be sanded flat. A cheap and easy way to do this is a piece of glass and 220X paper Put pencil lead on the scale to judge if you're actually taking everything down evenly http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 neck knife scales Page 3 of 31 Sanding the scales flat on the glass plate (pull it towards yourself with even pressure) don't push it away Check the flatness against something like a steel rule http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 neck knife scales Page 4 of 31 Blade shown with some various clamps that will work for the hole drilling process The tape is extending up onto the flats of the blade.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. this is being cut off flush http://www4.gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 . gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 .neck knife scales Page 5 of 31 What it should look like with the tape cut off flush so as not to interfere with scales This little $40 Harbor Freight drill press will work just dandy http://www4.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. htm 5/11/2011 .gvsu.neck knife scales Page 6 of 31 Put tape over the scales where the drill bit will penetrate to prevent bad tear-out Scale clamped to blade http://www4.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. neck knife scales Page 7 of 31 Drilling the scale with a 1/8" bit One hole is drilled. and then a pin is placed through that hole before moving on http://www4.htm 5/11/2011 .edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.gvsu. gvsu.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 .neck knife scales Page 8 of 31 Move the clamp to drill the second hole Put the pins into the scales before taking the clamps off http://www4. clamp and drill http://www4.gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 .neck knife scales Page 9 of 31 Trace the profile of the tang onto the scale Match up the second scale with where the first one is.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. so that the grain will match up when complete. including the top arch http://www4.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 .gvsu.neck knife scales Page 10 of 31 Drawing a line for the top of the scale (extend line onto scales as well) Tang outline drawn onto scale. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.htm 5/11/2011 . ready to file the top down to line Filing the top (front) of scale Top of scale filed to line http://www4.gvsu.neck knife scales Page 11 of 31 Scale rough cut to outline Scale placed in vise. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.neck knife scales Page 12 of 31 Put the scale on the blank and make sure it looks the way you want it to look Scribing the first scale's top profile onto the second scale Scales rough cut http://www4.gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 . neck knife scales Page 13 of 31 Pin the scales together Filing the second scale to match the first Scales filed down to the same profile http://www4.htm 5/11/2011 .edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.gvsu. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. and drill them SHALLOW! These increase surface area for epoxy http://www4.neck knife scales Page 14 of 31 Sanding the top of scales. Drill these holes INSIDE the outlines. I took them to 1200 and buffed The front of the scales after buffing Drill dimples on the inside of the scales.htm 5/11/2011 . Showing this can be done with a paint stir stick and abrasives. This should be taken up to whatever grit you want.gvsu. gvsu. scales.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.neck knife scales Page 15 of 31 Scale shown with dimples drilled into it Blade. ready to roll http://www4.htm 5/11/2011 . and pins. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.gvsu. ONLY cut the grooves in the center of the pin!!! Clean the blade. and scales with acetone http://www4. pins.htm 5/11/2011 . You can also use a file.neck knife scales Page 16 of 31 Cutting grooves in pins with dremel and cut-off. but make sure to clean it out with a paper towel and acetone first!!! (Cleaning is a must!) After putting the epoxy in the "cup" and mixing for about 2 minutes.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1... but obviously no one is going to go buy $70 worth of epoxy.. I use Brownells acraglas. Any slow set will work okay. mix it for another 2 over a lamp to improve mixing and curing. Yes. the bottom of a pop can. the ONLY time epoxy is mixed is right before it's applied.neck knife scales Page 17 of 31 Epoxy. FOUR minutes!!! Many people give a few stirs. The pop-can is an ideal mixing cup.gvsu..htm 5/11/2011 . so you have to stir it VERY THOROUGHLY!!! http://www4. and a mixing stick. htm 5/11/2011 .edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. You want them pretty tight.gvsu. then coat the inside of that scale with epoxy. http://www4.neck knife scales Page 18 of 31 Put epoxy on the ends of the pins and then insert them into the holes in one scale.. and match it up with the two pins. Put it on the tang.." Then put epoxy on the second scale. and push the pins through the holes about 1/8. but don't get to crazy with clamping pressure. All clamped up. The "dimples" will make sure you don't squeeze it all out. htm 5/11/2011 .edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.neck knife scales Page 19 of 31 The popsicle stick from epoxy mixing cut to a fine tip The angled tip stick with paper towel wrapped around it http://www4.gvsu. htm 5/11/2011 . First you should tape up the blade in some way to protect it and yourself http://www4... but every step is sequential. 46 pics just to this point! Some of the pics may seem insignificant....edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.neck knife scales Page 20 of 31 Cleaning the epoxy from the front of scales and blade with angled stick and paper towel Front of scale all cleaned up and ready to be set aside for epoxy to cure. and then there's that whole "picture's worth a thousand words" thing. Finishing the handle Keep in mind I used fairly thick scales so I could get a contoured elegant feel to the knife.gvsu.. You could more easily make a very nice looking and very serviceable handle with 1/8" material on a blade this size. Wow. let's get started. because I can rotate the base of the vise. It works AWESOME.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.gvsu. Basically I just wanted to give you an idea of what is ideal for accessing the handle for work. all 360degrees.. so we'll have to come up with something different and cheap/easy.neck knife scales Page 21 of 31 Here is the rig I made to work on handles. http://www4. the head of the vise. and the fixture itself..htm 5/11/2011 . But you probably don't have this. Okay. I'm using a half-round to get up into the choil area as well.neck knife scales Page 22 of 31 First I put the handle in the vise (I replaced the steel jaws with micarta) you'll need to use some sort of padding. Here the scales have been filed down to the tang Flip it over and file the other side down to the tang. http://www4.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. If you file at an angle like I'm doing. you're less likely to chip out the handle material.htm 5/11/2011 .gvsu. Be liberal with the glue..edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. They are pretty tough little blades.htm 5/11/2011 .gvsu. and this is actually a really good way to work on these little guys. Filing away at the slabs. Here's a close-up of it glued down. as the thin blades flex while filing on them. but I don't know how much lateral stress they'd take before breaking. Even better than my normal fixture.neck knife scales Page 23 of 31 Okay. this works REALLY well. and then hot glued the knife to it by the handle. I simply put a 2X4 in the vise.. so anyway. http://www4. I tried several jerry-rigged things. and you can easily remove the glue. Simply put acetone or alcohol on the glue.htm 5/11/2011 .neck knife scales Page 24 of 31 Here's how you get it off. http://www4. Here I'm showing that everything but the choil area has been filed.gvsu. It will pop right off the board now.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. It's nearly impossible to get into that area with the board and glue set-up. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.neck knife scales Page 25 of 31 So I came up with a way to hold the blade that's similar to my fixture.gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 . http://www4. A board with a slot cut into it. Another view of it. and clamp down on it. but cheap/fast/easy. Put the blade into the slot. Light. I'm using a paint stir stick with 220x paper to fine tune the shaping of the scales. easy strokes at an angle will keep you from damaging anything.htm 5/11/2011 . This rig doesn't hold the blade super rigid. Filing the radius up at the choil area so it rolls right into the hand.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. http://www4.neck knife scales Page 26 of 31 Here I'm doing some rounding to the handle. so easy does it. Now back to the board/glue.gvsu. You can "make" some that will work just fine for a small project like this. cheap scissors to cut it into strips. and masking tape.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. Ideally. you'd use "shop roll cloth" to do so. I don't recommend you go drop $25-50/roll on 3-4 different grits.gvsu. You need some of that abrasive paper.htm 5/11/2011 . http://www4. but unless you already have some. Now you can make the handle even more flowing and smooth if you can stroke sand it.neck knife scales Page 27 of 31   A closer view. edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. This is done with a "shoe-shining" motion. and start the stroke sanding. http://www4.htm 5/11/2011 .neck knife scales Page 28 of 31 Then just put the tape on as a backing to the strips of abrasive paper.gvsu. Put the blade back in the second rig. http://www4.gvsu. Try to get most of your shaping done with files and backed abrasive paper. I haven't come up with a way for you to mimic this.neck knife scales Page 29 of 31 Another view of the same thing. If you do too much of the stroke sanding. I just hold the knife by the blade and lay the handle on my leg. you could cut a strip of the rubber sole to get a similar tool. then 600X. and then 1200X paper wrapped around this little gizmo. If you had an old shoe. the wood will wear away at a much faster rate than the steel tang. Here I'm doing the final finish sanding of the handle with a "rubber finger" made from a heavy industrial rubber. or stack a couple pieces of leather together as well.htm 5/11/2011 . I'm open to suggestions for a substitute. I start with 320X.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. The wood will not accept stain/finish readily if you sand it so fine. but you can actually get a buff for a drill press.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1. I doubt most of you have a buffer. You can get a nice finish if you stop at 320x. you'll have a nice finish.neck knife scales Page 30 of 31 At 1200X. but I took mine to the buffer at that point and did a REALLY LIGHT buff with white rouge. I should note. If you're going to use natural. NON-stabilized wood. Or you could use a myriad of wood finishing products to buff the handle. Here's a close-up shot of the Amboyna burl handle after I buffed it. you actually should NOT sand to such a fine grit. Here is the knife all finished up and ready to go to work! http://www4.htm 5/11/2011 .gvsu. neck knife scales Page 31 of 31 Other side Hope you guys have fun with this!!! -Nick©2005 Nick Wheeler Return to Articles Return to Hoodoo's Cache      http://www4.edu/triert/cache/articles/nw1/scales1.gvsu.htm 5/11/2011 .