All About Pocket Knives

I am a self-taught knife repairman, as such there may be easier, faster and better ways to do things (regarding knife repair) than the way I do them, but this is my method.
The other day one of the members of AAPK called me and wanted to know to fit the handle material to the bolsters. I tried to explain my techniques & methods on the phone, and I think he got the basics, but I think the pics here will help him and others understand my method of fitting handles to the knife.


Pic 1
This is a board I made that has a nice flat side (to use a protractor on it accurately).
On that side I glued a thin piece of wood to raise up the edge about 3/8”.
The other tool is a protractor made by General, cost about $12 at your local tool or hardware store. Pic 2
This is the board ready to use and covered with paper, much like an old time drafting board. (I learned mechanical drawing long before CAD programs) Pic 3
Next you need a good sharp pencil, soft enough to leave an easily visible line and a very strong clamp, (I use an Irwin bar clamp).
Clamp the mark side liner to the board and trace around the liner/bolsters assembly being sure to marl the holes as well. Pic 4
Being super careful not to move the liner, slide the clamp to the side ( I use a 2nd clamp to anchor the liner when moving the 1st clamp). Using a straight edge flush against the bolster mark the bolster line on the paper. Pic 5
Using a 2nd clamp, clamp down the opposite end of the liner and mark the bolster line on the opposite side. Pic 6
When you remove the clamp and liner your drawing should look like this. Pic 7
Using a straight edge mark the bolster lines across the tracing of the liner. Step 8 - No picture
Using a disc sander I get a good straight edge on one end of the handle material. The handle material I have chosen for this project is stag that originally came from the Henckels factory. Henckels’ stopped making pocket knives about 1960.

Pic 9
Being very careful to get the end of the stag lined up on the line of the drawing I clamped down the stag to the board. Pic 10
Using the protractor & a soft pencil I draw the cut line across the stag, in line with the end line of the drawing. This is where the lip along the edge comes in handy to rest the end of the protractor and keep it solid over the stag. Pic 11
I cut the excess stag off on my band saw and straightened out the end of the stag with the Disc sander. Here I am showing the handle cut to length on the drawing. Pic 12
This pic shows the end of the stag after it is cut straight. It is difficult to see in the pic, but I undercut the bottom edge of the stag, leaving the top edge slightly longer. This is accomplished by dropping the table of the disc sander down about 5 degrees from perpendicular (90 degrees) and sanding both ends of the stag at that angle. I used that angle when I straightened the first end (pic #8) and the second end (pic #11). This slight under cut of the bottom helps make allowances for and angle or wear there may be in the bolsters and also for human error when I cut the stag.

The process of getting the second cut to the proper length is a slow task of sanding off a tiny bit and fitting the stag to the bolster. I usually have to repeat the sanding and fitting process several times before I get a good fit.

Pic 13
When you have cut the handles to the proper length they should fit the liner snugly without causing the liner to bow. If there is any bowing on the liner it will effect the operation of the knife when it is reassembled! Now you can repeat the entire process for the pile side of the knife.

Gluing Handles to Liners

Pic 14
Using my Foredom and a 24 grit sanding drum I rough up the outside of the liners where they glue to the handles. Pic 15
Using 99% Isopropyl alcohol (denatured alcohol will work as well) I wipe off the back side of the handles and BOTH sides of the liners. The backs of the handles have been sanded down flat on a belt sander with a 36 grit belt, (the coarsest one I had handy). It is very important to wipe down the handles, especially when using bone. Bone has fat and oil in it and when it has been dyed it has even more. Wiping if off with alcohol is critical in getting good adhesion with the glue.
Why Alcohol? – Good question. Alcohol leaves no residue. Even lacquer thinner has oils in it and will leave a film when used as a cleaner. Alcohol will cut oil and it will also pick up water and help remove moisture as well. Pic 16
On the back side of the liners I apply a strip of electrical tape, (it seems to be easier to remove than other tapes and leaves little or no residue). The tape prevents the glue from oozing through the holes in the liner and gluing the clamps to the liner. It also makes clean up MUCH easier. Pic 17
Here is the glue and a ribbon of the epoxy and a ribbon of the hardener before mixing. Pic 18
After applying a thin coat of glue to the liner and a to the ends of the handle I clamp the handles securely with spring clamps. Pic 19
After the glue has cured over night there is a slight bit of glue that has oozed through the rocker holes. Pic 20
The glue is easily removed with a scrap of bone or stag. Bone is not hard enough to scratch the brass so it makes a good glue removal tool. Note: it is easier to remove the glue if you catch it before it has fully cured, about 2 to 3 hours. But if it has cured you can scrape it off with a piece of bone. Pic 21
This is the end result after a trip to the belt sander to knock down the extra thickness of the stag near the bolsters. Now I am ready to haft the stag down to the thickness of the bolsters where the bolster and stag meet and then assemble the knife.

Pretty easy isn't it?
If someone has an easier or faster way that is as accurate, please share it with us
The great part about these forums is that we can learn from one another!

Very good tutorial Dale. Very easy to understand.
Ken

Thanks for putting this together Dale.

Dale - Thank you for the very good tutorial. Do you buff the scales once your finished, if so do you use a buffing compound, wax or something else?