DIY knife handles (or bow grips/side plates or other applications)

[Sharp Things]

This is how I make a resin knife handle. This is commonly done with carbon fiber and fiberglass but I've also seen it done with denim and other materials. I've seen others do this with some pretty interesting results. You can fabricate a variety of handles or grips using this method.

For this kitchen knife 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.

This was messy work so rubber gloves are a must .

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

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.

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.

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.

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

After prying the blocks apart.

 

[Sharp Things]

After sawing off the excess.

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

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

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.

Since this is just an experiment , I am using one of the many Chicago Cutlery factory 2nds I have on hand. This is just a basic kitchen knife and perfect for this sort of explanation.

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.

 

[Sharp Things]

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.

Here is another using a few other colors of cloth as well as construction paper.

I used another Chicago Cutlery blade.

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

Now using an old Burlap bag and green T-shirt.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Cool, nice job. FYI slower kicking epoxy doesn't heat up as much.

 

[Macegl]

That is awesome.

 

[PantherCity]

I like the burlap one the best

 

[zeroforhire]

I'm sure this is a dumb question, but why does it get hot? Chemical reaction?

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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I'm sure this is a dumb question, but why does it get hot? Chemical reaction?

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Yes. The reaction is exo thermic and at least with epoxy which I am more familar the hotter the environment the faster it reacts so a large volume of epoxy (mixing container) that starts generating heat will start causing itself to react faster thus generating even more heat and it can get away from you. Thus you want to pick the right speed epoxy for the environmental conditions, usage, and application speed.

Also poly resin can dissolve some materials so you need to watch out for that (something to be aware of when selection core materials you are laminating fiberglass over).

 

[Jskaanland]

Awesome project! I might try my hand at this with some left over epoxy and fiberglass from my longboard building days.

 

[mfllood3800]

Yes. The reaction is exo thermic and at least with epoxy which I am more familar the hotter the environment the faster it reacts so a large volume of epoxy (mixing container) that starts generating heat will start causing itself to react faster thus generating even more heat and it can get away from you. Thus you want to pick the right speed epoxy for the environmental conditions, usage, and application speed.

Also poly resin can dissolve some materials so you need to watch out for that (something to be aware of when selection core materials you are laminating fiberglass over).

Exactly.. And I have had to get something glued with epoxy, and only had extra time epoxy on hand. But I only needed a 5 minute type, so I mixed the extra time epoxy, and heated it up with a heat gun while stirring for a little less than 4 minutes. That speeding the setting time up really fast.

There also finishing resins that are better for sanding and act as a final layer as much as a structural part of the composite.

By the way Pods8 the pouches you made me are working great. I also find them to be very versatile in their location