Skin and Bones - - and Metal

[James MacMillan]

Great post! Could you post more details on shaping the leather?

I'm not really sure what else to say, but will give it a shot.

The first knives I made in this manner were huge hunting blades, after the manner of a traditional Bowie knife. Then I branched into skinning and smaller blades, and the process is pretty much the same.

You need a threaded tang as getting a lot of pressure on the leather is critical. A sturdy guard or quillian is also a requirement. When you have the leather washers or pieces stacked on the tang, allow about four or five extra pieces becasue you are going to really compress the leather. The pommel also needs to be sturdy to give something to press down on the leather.

Better compression is obtained if you tighten, let rest, tighten again and let rest again and then tighten the last time. Good metal in the blade and nut is also needed so that you don't strip out the threads. I've never stripped out an Atlanta Cutlery Blade, but I have on some others.

All the leather work is done dry! Make sure that you don't oil or in any way wet the leather, as it will distress and then as it dries it will lose shape.

No special tools are needed to work the leather, except sand paper, and elbow grease. A vice and wood rasp comes in handy if you don't have access to a power sander. I like belt sanders as it makes the job faster. A band saw could also be used if available to rough shape the leather.

When the leather is compressed it is like wood as far as shaping and carving, but intricate carving doesn't work (at least for me) as you are going to buff the leather to a high shine. Again a buffing wheel is nice to have, but not actually a requirement.

Get the handle as smooth as possible before you begin to buff it, as it makes the buffing easier. In Viet Nam we made knives from old leaf springs, and totally by hand, so only hand tools are really required.

There is no danger of the leather drying out and shrinking, as the leather is super compressed.

Work slowly, because once you take the leather off, it is impossible to put it back on.

If you don't have a threaded tang, you can make a jig to compress the leather in a vice and compress the leather that way, and then put a pin through the pommel, but don't use a brass pin, as the brass isn't stong enough for this method (in my opinion.)

What else can I tell you?

[ardchoille]

As I was looking at that second picture, I could already envision a beautiful sgian, I never thought about leather for the handle. Great job there!

[Yaish]

Awesome work Jay. I'm reminded of the leather washer Kabar handles. I never thought to try and shape them that way, I always figured on cutting them to size first.

How's the quality on those blades? Do they take a keen edge? It sounds like some more projects I'll have to try.

[ChattanCat]

Jay,
You didn't tell me you have many hidden talents. Sgian Dubhs and nitting nancy flashes.

Great to see the products!

[Standard]

Wow, great job. Thanks to your detailed directions I think I might give one of these a try.

[Arizona Scot]

Wow Jay those look really nice, good work.

[Ancienne Alliance]

Very impressive !

[James MacMillan]

Awesome work Jay. I'm reminded of the leather washer Kabar handles. I never thought to try and shape them that way, I always figured on cutting them to size first.

How's the quality on those blades? Do they take a keen edge? It sounds like some more projects I'll have to try.

In my youth, all the old woodsmen seemed to carry a version of a knife with a handle like this. The Kabar is such, but it isn't as compressed, and will dry out if the leather is not renewed with hand oil and sweat.

If you cut the leather to size first, you still have to do some sanding as the leather bulges out as it is compressed and gives a ribbed appearance - not bad in it self, but I like the smoother appearance. -And since I had access to a belt sander it made fast work on the rough shaping.

The sgian dubh blades from Atlanta Cutlery are only listed as "High Carbon" and doesn't list the Rockwell, but I tend to use my sgian as I used to use a common pocket knife, just for small tasks. I doubt that the blade would stand up to dressing out a deer, but I have used one for a squirrel and rabbit, and they held up well. I keep all my blades sharp, and while using them I strop them on a belt or even the side of a shoe. Works for me.

[Sionnachdubh]

I will always perfer the sgian ochles, all the same these are some fine looking blades.

[Glamrockdj]

What a great idea for a handle, superb idea, the talent on this board is second to none!!