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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: RGK on May 14, 2011, 05:33:00 PM

Title: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: RGK on May 14, 2011, 05:33:00 PM

I decided to try my hand at a homemade resin knife handle. This is commonly done with carbon fiber and fiberglass but I've also seen it done with denim so I thought I would give it a try. I've seen others do this with some pretty interesting results. I want a black handle and red handle so I’m making it out of an old pair of black dress pant that had a busted zipper and an old red T-shirt. I cut squares that were 4 ½ by 4 ½ so that I can get a matched set of handle scales.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin3.jpg)

This was messy work and I wore rubber gloves that quickly were covered in resin so not many pics were taken during the actual assembly of layers. I got the resin and hardener from Walmart.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin1.jpg)

I used a plastic bin to coat each square and a squeegee  to spread and saturate the cloth.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin7.jpg)

I would be clamping the stack between two wood slabs. I cut apart a large Ziploc bag and taped it to the blocks to keep them from sticking to the fabric squares.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin2.jpg)

16 layers thick. Notice how the Ziploc bag material is no longer smooth and tightly stretch over the block. This stuff gets really hot. I could not hold the mixing container due to the heat.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin4.jpg)

Then I clamped them together as tightly as I could. I also made a set of thinner pieces out of a red T-shirt. I will use them for spacers. They are only 2 layers thick.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin5.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin6.jpg)

I let them set for 24 hours even though the container said it would be cured in 2 ½ .

After prying the blocks apart.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin8.jpg)

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: RGK on May 14, 2011, 05:34:00 PM

After sawing off the excess.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin9.jpg)

All that pressure did a good job of making a very solid and heavy chunk of resin impregnated cloth.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin91.jpg)

Here are the scales and spacers I cut for the knife.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin92.jpg)

I took a piece of scrap and rounded and polished it to see what the surface would look like without applying any kind of finish. I polished it on a flannel buffing wheel with Tripoli compound. It even looks a little like carbon fiber.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin93.jpg)

Since this is just an experiment , I am using one of the Chicago Cutlery factory 2nds I have on hand. I’m not sure what about them makes them 2nds but they sell them at a good price. This is just a basic kitchen knife and perfect for this sort of practice.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin94.jpg)

I used brass pins and my regular slow cure epoxy to attach the handle parts. I used a belt sander and palm sander to shape. I went from 50 grit to 400 grit sandpaper and then 000 steel wool and finally the flannel buffing wheel. Here is the finished handle made from a pair of pants and an old T-shirt.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin97.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin96.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin95.jpg)

Interesting patterns can be made by using different colored cloth layers. I plan to make another using blue jeans and some other colored fabric that my wife wont miss.

This method has applications beyond knife making and could be employed for making such things as side plate grips for your bow or hand gun, guitar fingerboards and bridges or any number of things.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: charlie phillips on May 14, 2011, 08:53:00 PM

THAT LOOKS GOOD.


    TXCP

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: MTArrowLauncher on May 14, 2011, 09:15:00 PM

That's is really cool, very nice.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: DANA HOLMAN on May 14, 2011, 10:03:00 PM

Interesting material, very nice knife

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: Bobby Urban on May 14, 2011, 10:48:00 PM

That turned out really nice.  I have been tossing around the idea to make some home brew micarta but I just don't need another project right now - so I bought some from Jantz.  Your post makes me think I need to pick up a can of resin???

Never enough projects I guess

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: skullworks on May 14, 2011, 11:14:00 PM

Burlap is awesome!!! I know a guy that uses it. Great stuff as usual Ron...good to see you posting!

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: Ricky Wallace on May 15, 2011, 12:09:00 AM

Talk about recycling!!  I can think of several uses for this material!!   Thanks for posting!!   :clapper:

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: ScottA on May 15, 2011, 11:20:00 AM

outstanding ! thank you for posting. I am looking forward to trying this out myself.
Looks like it dries yellow-ish. Wonder how the tint would effect lighter colored materials? I am thinking about using old tan/kaki material.

great post !

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: kbaknife on May 15, 2011, 12:21:00 PM

I really like this look! It does look like CF.
Cool project.


 "It even looks a little like carbon fiber."

  (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/resin93.jpg)

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: GWV on May 15, 2011, 08:06:00 PM

That is amazing!

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: SveinD on May 16, 2011, 02:25:00 AM

Brilliant, I'm gonna try that!

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: EL Mejor on May 16, 2011, 10:02:00 AM

SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING,,,

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: amar911 on May 16, 2011, 10:21:00 AM

You are my favorite clothing recycler!!! Great idea and excellent execution.

Allan

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: dcmeckel on May 16, 2011, 02:12:00 PM

A knife maker friend of mine did that very thing,only he used denim like you said,and it too was awsome.Great job.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: Izzy on May 17, 2011, 12:17:00 PM

So cool!!! It gives me an idea for recycling an old ,plaid, lucky , hunting shirt.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: RGK on May 17, 2011, 10:12:00 PM

I thought I would give denim a try. And a few other colors of cloth as well as construction paper.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/denim1.jpg)

I used another Chicago Cutlery blade.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/denim2.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/denim4.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/denim3.jpg)

10 layers of green construction paper. This stuff has some potential and comes in a wide variety of colors (and is cheap)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/constructionpaper.jpg)

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: RGK on May 22, 2011, 08:04:00 PM

Now in Burlap and green T-shirt.

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/burlap1.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/burlap2.jpg)

 (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/212007154/knives/burlap3.jpg)

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: skullworks on May 23, 2011, 06:46:00 PM

Burlap is beautiful!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: Ricky Wallace on May 23, 2011, 08:42:00 PM

Ill bet you could make up some longer/thinner peices and make a jam up scabbard!  ya think?

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: JMR on May 23, 2011, 09:54:00 PM

Those handles look awesome! I gotta try it with burlap I loved it.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: Izzy on May 24, 2011, 11:14:00 AM

That burlap is absolutely awesome.

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: TheBigRedArcher on May 25, 2011, 11:21:00 PM

Man Ron, I was resisting until I saw the burlap. My wife is going to kill me... thanks

TBRA

Title: Re: Knife handle mafe from a pair of pants and old shirt
Post by: MercilessMing on May 30, 2011, 10:49:00 AM

The combination of color and texture from fabrics are just amazing.

I tried it once with canvas but using marine grade expoxy.  After it was cured I put it in oven and cook it at 220 degree for two hours and it turned out much harder.  I did not use it for knife handle but used it to make some reinforced-selfnock arrow shafts.