carving knife handles

[Darrin Davis]

My wife's father is really into hunting and has been wanting a Damascus Blade knife. I thought it would be really cool if I made him one using a damascus blank and zebra wood for the handle. The only problem is that I've never seen or done a knife before. I'm very certain with my skill level at metals and woods that I can do this. My question is where in the heck would I get information on making one? Any experts on this subject?

[Tim Anderson]

Try www.knifenetwork.com (http://www.knifenetwork.com). Good group of guys.

[Dave Bender]

I found the hints and tutorials on http://www.northcoastknives.com/ to be very helpful. Before making one for your father-in-law make a knife or two for yourself. Typical sequence for a blade through design is

1) make a pattern for your grips
2) prepare two handle blanks for your grip (say 3/8" thick)
3) rough cut blanks with a scroll saw
4) epoxy one blank on to tang.
5) when dry, use hole in tang as a guide for your drill.
6) drill hole(s) through blank
7) epoxy other blank to tang
8) when dry use the hole(s) in your first blank to drill out other blank
9) prepare brass or nickle rod to fit the holes in your grip
10) insert rod pieces into holes of grip and then peen them. This will lock in your grip to the blank through the holes in the tang.
11) using files, sandpaper, belt sanders (a little 1x42" works great) shape the grip to the blank (assuming the knife has an exposed tang).
12) finish sand
13) apply finish
14) buff and polish

It's pretty easy to make a great knife.

After that then you'll get into leather work so you can make a sheaf for you knife.