Need suggestions for scales.....

[knife7knut]

Found this Ulster Barlow(etched on the bolsters)at an estate sale today for $3.Missing the scales and had some pitting but had never been sharpened.Cleaned off most of the rust;oiled her up and put an edge on the blades.Now I need to put on some scales and I need some ideas.I have some thick pieces of pearl that would work but I'm not sure now they would look or wear.This will be a carrier;not a safe queen.I was also thinking about some clear Lexan with some pictures under them but Lexan cracks readily when put under stress even though it will take a pretty strong impact.The Lexan I use is pieces cut from a damaged window that came from a hockey rink.
I have access to many different types of wood but think I want something different.
So let's hear some suggestions if you please.

[Cutty]

I think lexan with something reminiscent of a classic car underneath
I know that you do a lot of stuff with autos, bikes etc .etc.

Maybe you could trick it out somehow with some art work under the lexan


Sounds like something that you could do up really cool

[knives-are-quiet]

I saw one member on this site "I can not remember who" made scales out of an old corn cobb filled with resin.
Boy did they look really interesting , unusual and really beautiful.
I think it would look great on that old Barlow.
I tried searching for the post but can't find it.
Maybe someone else can find the post so you can see it or even the member themselves will chime in.

JW~

[dcgm4]

If you want the look of a mother-of-pearl without having to worry about it cracking or chipping you should check out ALVS. ALVS is shell laminated with acrylic. Here are a couple of websites that have more information about it.

http://www.masecraftsupply.com/servlet/ ... Categories

http://usaknifemaker.com/handle-materia ... 95-74.html

[knife7knut]

I saw one member on this site "I can not remember who" made scales out of an old corn cobb filled with resin.
Boy did they look really interesting , unusual and really beautiful.
I think it would look great on that old Barlow.
I tried searching for the post but can't find it.
Maybe someone else can find the post so you can see it or even the member themselves will chime in.

JW~

I remember seeing a How-to on this in one of my old knife magazines.Definitely a different look but it works better on fixed blade knives with larger handles.Thanks for the thought though.

I think it may come down to either the clear Lexan or perhaps some red oak.It has a really coarse grain and provides a good gripping surface.

[Salernoslim]

I like the red oak idea. A Barlow is a working mans knife so the red oak wouldn't make it too fancy but it would still have a nice refined look. I think it would be a good way to go

[knives-are-quiet]

[JW~[/quote]
I remember seeing a How-to on this in one of my old knife magazines.Definitely a different look but it works better on fixed blade knives with larger handles.Thanks for the thought though.

I can see what you are saying.
The corn rows would probably not fit too well on a small handled knife.
Red oak seems to be a little plain if you are looking for something different.
And some sort of plastic on a vintage knife ???????????
I would just go with the saw cut bone that is indicative of the vintage Barlow.
This type of material was used for years. It is tough . cheap and durable.

JW~

[royal0014]

k7k
Do some of your incredible art work directly on the liners, incorporating
the pins as part of the design. I think the Lexan (name brand for polycarbonate) would
hold up reasonably well, as long as you don't over-heat it while shaping it (hafting?).

Man, talk about a business card !!!

[tjmurphy]

I saw one member on this site "I can not remember who" made scales out of an old corn cobb filled with resin.
Boy did they look really interesting , unusual and really beautiful.
I think it would look great on that old Barlow.
I tried searching for the post but can't find it.
Maybe someone else can find the post so you can see it or even the member themselves will chime in.

JW~

That would have been Elvis. A really neat re-handle

[orvet]

Culpepper's CSB (carved stag bone) would look great on that.
It provides a good grip and would not be expensive for a piece that small.
They have some on sale that would do the job nicely for $10.

There are a lot of possibilities; I have some ebony or some small pieces of desert ironwood I could send you, if you are interested Ray.

[Capt. Farrel]

I´d go with jigged bone any day but stabilized wood and burlap micarta would look great too.

[bestgear]

My first an only abalone covers were recently added to an 1880's Excelsior by Elvis making this restoration one of my favorite knives. While not a barlow, this might give you an idea of what your knife would look like with abalone. Pictures don't due this justice; in the sunlight it's blinding.

[glennbad]

You could do something like I did to the one in this thread, it's different than the usual sawcut bone you see...

http://allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_f ... 14&t=41600

[knife7knut]

Thanks to all who posted their suggestions.As usual I was in a hurry to get it up and running so I scoured my shop and came up with some interesting wood.Not sure what it is;it was part of a cigar box from south America.A friend of mine gave me a bunch of old wooden cigar boxes awhile back and some of them used dividers inside made of wooden blocks.I'm assuming it is from South America. Looks a bit like zebrawood.The dark part of the grain is actually quite a bit softer than the lighter and doesn't polish up like the light part.
The piece wasn't quite wide enough so the fit is a little less than perfect but it's an old knife.I can always say that they shrunk.
So here it is for your comments.

[glennbad]

I think that looks just fine!

[Elvis]

I saw one member on this site "I can not remember who" made scales out of an old corn cobb filled with resin.
Boy did they look really interesting , unusual and really beautiful.
I think it would look great on that old Barlow.
I tried searching for the post but can't find it.
Maybe someone else can find the post so you can see it or even the member themselves will chime in.

JW~

That was me. I think I posted it under "Repair and Restoration", but the handles that are on the knife now look great.

[knives-are-quiet]

I saw one member on this site "I can not remember who" made scales out of an old corn cobb filled with resin.
Boy did they look really interesting , unusual and really beautiful.
I think it would look great on that old Barlow.
I tried searching for the post but can't find it.
Maybe someone else can find the post so you can see it or even the member themselves will chime in.

JW~

That was me. I think I posted it under "Repair and Restoration", but the handles that are on the knife now look great.

Found it Elvis,
And it was done on a folder.
And the scales do look unique.

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 37&t=37155

Although I do like the recycled cigar box scales on knife nut's Barlow which are also unique I think those cobb handles would have looked very good on his knife.

JW~