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Tips on making handles for Puukko style blades?

So, i recently got into knives, and knife making, my mother being a Finn, had told me about Puukko knives, a traditional Finnish knife, and i fell in love with them. seeing some of the knives on here i figure a lot of you guys are pretty dang good, and wondered if you could shoot a few pointers on making the handles. i dont make the blades, because i have no furnace or a place to forge, although i would love to do that in the future for sure. but as for now, i just buy blades and handle materials from a website online i found is pretty good, and they ship really fast, Thompsons Scandinavian Knife Supply, and then i put them all together. the extent of my tools are a vise, files, needle files, cordless drill, hack saw, sandpaper, epoxy glue, and a rotary tool. im still young, and broke, so i cant afford all the bandsaws, and a belt sander, although i would like to have the luxury of using them, but i enjoy using my hands. so i was just wondering if there are any neat tricks to getting a great handle, or is it just time and caution? thanks guys

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clay Strong on September 28, 2013 at 2:54

Knife makers all start out in a modest way. Simple tools and little equipment usually. Answering your question about tips to handle making could be volumes. Of course you've already seen the wide variety of blade blanks available. You found a good supplier in Thompsons. The style of tang is going to determine your options. Full tang, rat-tail tang, hidden tang. Your shop tools, adhesives, and abrasives should be the best that you can afford. Look to your local hardware store for less expensive options. Concentrate on achieving the best fit possible. All other things can be forgiven. And always make what you like and hopefully will collect.

Permalink Reply by Kees ( KC ) Mension on April 14, 2015 at 9:10