Hand Shaping Knife Scales

[Steve Friedman]

I know it's on February, but I am always looking for new things to do while on summer vacation.  It needs to be small, all hand tool, and the tools needed must take very little room in the car.  Usually it's been spoons and bowls, but this year I'm thinking knife scales.

I will do the drilling at home, but plan to epoxy and shape the scales on vacation.  My plan was to bring a couple of carving knives, rasps, files, sandpaper, some clamps, a spokeshave or 2, and some sharpening stuff.  

I know that I can do this easily with wooden scales, but want to make some fillet knives for fishermen and want to use stabilized wood, Micarta, G-10, or maybe even bone.  

Here's my question - do I need anything special to shape those?  I assume files would work, but that could be very slow.  I probably wouldn't want to abuse my Auriou rasps on that stuff, but would spokeshaves or carving knives slice through?  

Thanks as always.

Steve

[cputnam]

I can't help much because I'd go fishing.

[Steve Friedman]

I can't help much because I'd go fishing.  

But don't you need something sharp with which to fillet the fish?

I should add that they are for salt water folks, which is an additional reasons not to use wood for the scales.

I may end up having to buy some pieces and see how they respond.

Steve

[Bruce Haugen]

The answer, at least imho, is no, you don't need anything beyond what you've listed. I've made scales from wood, micarta, jigged bone and Corian. Most knife makers would speed things along with a strip sander, but it's definitely not necessary. You can even make your own micarta. I've seen some made with old blue jeans that looked fantastic.

[Steve Friedman]

The answer, at least imho, is no, you don't need anything beyond what you've listed. I've made scales from wood, micarta, jigged bone and Corian. Most knife makers would speed things along with a strip sander, but it's definitely not necessary.  You can even make your own micarta. I've seen some made with old blue jeans that looked fantastic.

Thanks Bruce.  Good to know.  I would use a belt sander at home as well, but was thinking it would be the perfect thing to do by hand while on the beach, in the woods, or even on the front porch.

I've seen the DIY micarta stuff and would likely buy it.  I've never used bone, but that actually sounds interesting.

Steve

[RickW]

I've found that a coarse-cut file is the best thing I've used for shaping knife handles. It cuts fast, and doesn't get dull immediately if you accidentally hit the steel with it.
I have a 10" half-round person cut file that I use, along with several other finer files.
Rick W

[Steve Friedman]

I've found that a coarse-cut file is the best thing I've used for shaping knife handles. It cuts fast, and doesn't get dull immediately if you accidentally hit the steel with it.
I have a 10" half-round person cut file that I use, along with several other finer files.
Rick W

Thanks Rick.

The concern I have with just using files is speed.  I will likely have quite a bit of material to remove and won't have a bandsaw to rough shape the scales.  My thought was to use something more aggressive before moving to files.  I thought about knives or maybe even spokeshaves to get the bulk of the material off and then doing the final shaping with files.

Steve

[RickW]

For rough shaping you could certainly use a knife (how's that for irony) or a coping saw.
For holding the knife for shaping, I use a board slightly narrower than the knife blade. I clamp it in the vise, or to a bench, and clamp the blade to it with padding in between the board, the clamp, and the blade.
I've found that a B------d-cut file does remove wood quite rapidly, especially if it's sharp.
You might get one and try it.You might be surprised at how well it works.
Rick W
PS In my original post,the editing software changed the word"B------d" to "person".

[CLETUS]

I'd epoxy and rough in the handles on the bandsaw or belt sander before going on vacation.

You can do all of the finish work while wasting the day in your rocking chair.


I'd rather do vacation stuff while on vacation.

[Steve Friedman]

PS In my original post,the editing software changed the word"B------d" to "person".

That's hilarious.  I do have a couple of sizes of person files and have tested them out.  (I'm testing to see what the software does with that word).

The illegitimate file works, but it's much slower than than rasps.

I have been playing with some clamping like what you describe.  Trying to find the sweet spot where the blade doesn't move, but the clamp doesn't mar the blade.

Thanks.

Steve

EDIT:  It did change the word to "person."  I didn't realize it was a bad word.   The software liked illegitimate.