Cheap knives don't have to look cheap

[mpounders]

Carver from nowhere has a post in this forum showing a process for using a dowel to mount a gouge in a turned wooden handle and I decided to use a similar process for making handles for my "disposable" Xcell blades. It cost about $7 for the handle at the hobby shop and I really didn't want to buy more handles just because I hate to change blades when I am working on a carving. I have found the blades stay sharp when stropped regularly and I only use them for detail work, so they seem to be strong enough for that purpose. I'm pretty sure I could break one if I tried to use it for roughing out or prying out large chips.

I traced the handle of my favorite knife on a 3/4" thick blank and then drilled a hole angled to fit the shaft properly. I used a dowel that was the size of the shaft of the blade and bandsawed a slot in it for the blade. Shape the handle so it is comfortable in your hand, and then use epoxy glue to coat the dowel, insert the blade and dowel into the handle, and make sure the blade is properly vertical. I used lacewood, zebrawood, and cocobolo. They look prettier than the pictures show. Total cost, using scrap wood, and blades that are about $1.50: maybe $2?

[Ron T]

That's a nice idea since I've been making my own knives and always seem to have problems mounting the blades.

[Wildbirdcarver]

Really like this idea of putting the dowel on the inside of a piece of hardwood. I too have had a difficult time getting the blade fixed in the handle. I like to use Warren blades as they are stronger. I'm a power carver, but I like knives...I guess to just look at! Go fiqure! Thanks for this idea. Dick

[Dicky]

I have been using this method for the last 10 yrs. and never had a failure. It is most important to drill a tiny hole into the drilled mortice for the dowel. This allows excess epoxy to escape and stops the dowel from trying to "pop" out of the handle.

[Dicky]

Another little footnote, if you are using exotic or costly wood for the handles and have access to a lathe, turn the dowels from the same wood as the handle. They virtually disappear. If I knew how to post thumbnails I could show some examples in mahogany and walnut.

[jiju1943]

Originally Posted by mpounders

Carver from nowhere has a post in this forum showing a process for using a dowel to mount a gouge in a turned wooden handle and I decided to use a similar process for making handles for my "disposable" Xcell blades. It cost about $7 for the handle at the hobby shop and I really didn't want to buy more handles just because I hate to change blades when I am working on a carving. I have found the blades stay sharp when stropped regularly and I only use them for detail work, so they seem to be strong enough for that purpose. I'm pretty sure I could break one if I tried to use it for roughing out or prying out large chips.

I traced the handle of my favorite knife on a 3/4" thick blank and then drilled a hole angled to fit the shaft properly. I used a dowel that was the size of the shaft of the blade and bandsawed a slot in it for the blade. Shape the handle so it is comfortable in your hand, and then use epoxy glue to coat the dowel, insert the blade and dowel into the handle, and make sure the blade is properly vertical. I used lacewood, zebrawood, and cocobolo. They look prettier than the pictures show. Total cost, using scrap wood, and blades that are about $1.50: maybe $2?

Thanks for this great idea, I make my own knives and this is going to make my job much easier.

Jim

[Dan S]

Thank you for the ideas. I'm going to have a go at it. I tried to attach a photo of a knife I made recently. The blade was ground out of a really old jointer blade. I have to say that this knife takes and holds a better edge than any other knife I own. It passed scary sharp and moved to freakishly sharp. If I'd known it would be this good I'd have made a prettier handle.

Take care,
Dan

[Big John]

Originally Posted by mpounders

Carver from nowhere has a post in this forum showing a process for using a dowel to mount a gouge in a turned wooden handle and I decided to use a similar process for making handles for my "disposable" Xcell blades. It cost about $7 for the handle at the hobby shop and I really didn't want to buy more handles just because I hate to change blades when I am working on a carving. I have found the blades stay sharp when stropped regularly and I only use them for detail work, so they seem to be strong enough for that purpose. I'm pretty sure I could break one if I tried to use it for roughing out or prying out large chips.

I traced the handle of my favorite knife on a 3/4" thick blank and then drilled a hole angled to fit the shaft properly. I used a dowel that was the size of the shaft of the blade and bandsawed a slot in it for the blade. Shape the handle so it is comfortable in your hand, and then use epoxy glue to coat the dowel, insert the blade and dowel into the handle, and make sure the blade is properly vertical. I used lacewood, zebrawood, and cocobolo. They look prettier than the pictures show. Total cost, using scrap wood, and blades that are about $1.50: maybe $2?

Great idea. The blades are fairly strong. I sometimes use that type of blade to carve peach pits and have only broken 1 over time.