Mahogany and leather wa handle

No pics just yet... The resin is drying on a stacked leather & epoxy bolster to go on top of a simple mahogany handle for my first ever homemade kitchen knife. I probably should have stacked the leather and epoxied it onto the mahogany and then shaped it as one piece, but I had already drilled and test burned the tang into my mahogany and then cut it down at make room for this bolster (as an afterthought).

Thing is, I am going to have to get the bolster off to finish the handle(otherwise it will be gnarly on top), so I put masking tape underneath it while it sets. Do you think there's any chance of it coming off from the masking tape? I guess I can heat the tang and the glue from the tape will get soft and might come loose.

Will try to post pics tomorrow.

 

More later...

 

Assbackwards, but coming together. The bonds resin was probably not the right choice. This is epoxy, and when it dries I will take this all down, take the handle off and treat it like a more normal project (shape it, sand it, treat it, and then put it on).

I don't expect perfection. The blade isn't perfect either, but I do look forward to the first sharp knife shaped object.

 

The one thing I found, from the first knife I made, was that if I didn't expect perfection from day one, I'd never even get half way to reaching it. I know exactly what you meant (as far as it being a figure of speech) and I'm not faulting you at all! Just pointing out something that made a hugest difference for me. I expected perfection on my first knife, and will expect perfection on my 50th. Expect perfection every time. Expect perfection every step of the way. Expect perfection in planning, execution, and finishing. You will never achieve it...never ever achieve it...but you will do FAR better than if you didn't, and as long as you KEEP expecting it, you will come closer each and every time.

Hope that makes sense.

 

Looking forward to the results!

 

This has been fun but not easy, and this is really just a test fit.

The blade was shaped by stones and grinder almost like swordmaking (wasn't really intended that way). I will be more deliberate on future attempts, especially now that I know how much work this approach takes.

 

interesting. looking forward to seeing her finished. I've not seen a knife like this before. What is the intended purpose?

 

50th??? There is a new "Whats on my Bench" by Cris almost every day. I don't know how you do it, but surely you must be pushing 500?

 

Notes to self: smithing is easier than grinding, which in turn is easier than stones for shaping the blade. Choil/Ricasso is part of smithing (if possible). Handles are made completely before fitting bolsters, and epoxy is harder than bondo. Bondo stinks.

Grinding lengthwise to thin a blade is a bit difficult, and is better done perpendicular with a jig or free-hand where there is no risk of getting the blade stuck between the belt and tool rest.

Mahogany sweats oils when heated.

 

This is supposed to be a sashimi knife... Something of a cross between takobiki and yanagiba or bunka. Really, it's my first San Mai forged blade and handle and is kind of a bucket list thing. My main focus is razors (have completed three plus some experiments).