Each of us sooner or later has a knife without a handle. You can throw it away, or arrange a budget lesson for yourself for several weekends and weekday evenings ... and that's what can happen!
Once I was presented with a decorative knife made by Chinese craftsmen. This ugliness did not last long, but instead of an urn, I decided to make a simple carving knife and sent the remaining blade to torture: I sharpened it, hardened it, let it go, polished it, drilled holes for fasteners ... the story is not about the blade, so "let's move on."
At the dacha, pieces of a sawn pear (or an apple tree - I don’t remember already) were selected, a fallen birch was peeled off in the nearest forest ...
The pieces of wood were boiled according to the recipes of the craftsmen in a saline solution with coniferous sawdust and willow branches, and then dried. These recipes can be easily found on the Internet, so I will not dwell on the details.
The first step was carved bolster. The answer in it is drilled with a conventional metal drill to the size of the shank, taking into account that it does not slip, does not turn and is put on tightly. A little epoxy for strength and voila!
It was decided to glue the birch bark immediately on the shank - so that it sits tightly.
The outer edge was cut with scissors, the inner edge with the nose of a knife. The birch bark lay for several months in a dry room, but remained elastic, so to speak, so I did not subject it to any additional processing.
A few tips:
1) do not try to make the outer edge of the birch bark blanks as close as possible to the shape of the handle - when grinding, then everything will go away without problems, but you will not miss the size;
2) it is important to place birch bark blanks in different directions with fibers so that the handle holds the load in all directions;
3) the more accurately the inner hole is cut, the better - over time it will not give backlash and will not scroll.
On the hastily a simple clamp was built from improvised materials (the budget for consumables is ridiculous), the blade is wrapped with masking tape to avoid contamination (sticky side outward so that the glue does not remain on the blade.
Birch bark blanks can be soaked for half an hour in hot water and just send it under the press, but I decided not to wet it, but missed everything with waterproof PVA (when turning PVA with birch bark they give such a charming smell!) And sent it to the clamp.
A butt hole was also made in the butt blank. Roughly, the workpiece was planted on epoxy, after which the formation of the handle began. The process is simple: we take a drill (it is important that the speed can be set relatively low), a rubber nozzle with Velcro, emery wheels of different grain sizes and do what was intended!
The butt plate sat very firmly, but since the holes had already been drilled, I had to rivet it with copper wire as planned in advance (I took a hammer and hammered it - the edges flattened themselves, and I removed the protruding one with emery).
The last stage is polishing with felt.
Birch bark is a durable material, but it is desirable to process the tree with something additional. It is better to do this in advance, but I did not know this.
In different forums, I describe the process of waxing a handle with birch bark in different ways - do not trust anyone: the birch bark darkens from the wax (the photo shows a small spot near the back), and if you wrap it with tape, then when unwinding, you can damage the birch bark adhering to it.
I decided to act in the most simple and budgetary way ( linseed oil dries / polarizes for a long time, you need to look for teak oil or special impregnations, and they are probably not cheap) - I bought a piece of wax from beekeepers on the market, put it in a jar, melted it in a water bath and kept it, heating the workpiece in it, until it stops air out, then polished (directly with wax residue) with a soft cloth.
Now you can remove the tape from the blade and sharpen.
On each fruit tree there is a place where a gardener annually cuts a worthless shoot, as a result of which a bump-growth forms on a branch / trunk. This outgrowth is called suvel - an ideal piece of wood for needlework, because in the context it gives an amazing pattern.
I got a bolster in wavy fibers, and the back cover is all in circles of knots. There was one large and black knot on the blank of the butt in the center, but I decided to leave it, and he, an infection, went to the side when grinding ...
I photographed with a file, so the quality of polishing and the drawing of wood is unlikely to be appreciated ...
Because of the shape of the knife and personal beliefs, I decided to make the scabbard not mounted, and besides, with a holster-type plow. It took four evenings.
The process is simple: I glued the front part, the back and the edge into the center and under the press with waterproof PVA from three layers of birch bark.
Usually birch bark scabbards are made with the “wrong side” out, but my birch bark was very beautiful, so I didn’t turn it over - I went through a thin layer of PVA for safety and that’s it.
From a piece of plastic corner left during the installation of windows, I made a blank according to the size of the blade, inserted it between the blanks and glued them together. After drying, I smoothed and sanded the edges. 
The last day - I drilled holes and stitched with a blunt needle in advance.
Important: do not drill "for beer" - it can turn out as crooked as mine.
Tip: the ends of the threads are easy to hide inside if you wrap one around the other, and then stick it into the hole from which it (the first tail of the thread) came out and tighten. Then cut off on both sides and that's it (although you can still drop glue into the hole).
Since almost everything was made from what was in the garage (I bought only a nut and wax), the budget for the craft came out ridiculous.
And most importantly: if you decide to make a knife yourself, be sure to read the legislation on this topic!
Do not judge strictly - this is my first knife and sheath. ;-)
The most important part of a knife is the handle. And not only its shape, but also the material from which it is made. A frequently used material for the manufacture of handles in Russia is birch bark - affordable, reliable and practical. The birch bark handle allows you to use the knives in the field and in cold and hot weather due to the low thermal conductivity of birch bark and its velvety.
Birch bark is one of the most common materials for the production of knife handles in Russia.
The high water-repellent properties of birch bark make it possible to make knife handles without additional impregnation. The reason for this is a large number of the tar contained in it, among other things, endowing it with some disinfectant properties, so that the birch bark does not rot. Perhaps the tar also inhibits the development of unwanted microorganisms on the surface of the handle. But the manufacture of a type-setting birch bark handle requires care with each layer and in each operation.
Bark must be thoroughly cleaned before use.
First of all, it is necessary to carefully clean each piece of birch bark from the white layer with front side and a cork layer from the inside. To do this, you can use a metal brush or a sharp knife to scrape off unnecessary layers. When tying the handle, remember that each next piece of birch bark should be perpendicular to the previous one. The birch bark is lowered into a bath of water with a small addition of PVA glue for a while to give elasticity. 
A birch bark briquette glued in this way will retain its environmental properties.
Small briquettes are assembled, about 10 - 15 millimeters thick, from which a full-sized handle is then assembled for PVA glue. And again, gluing birch bark with other glue or impregnation with drying oil or varnish “kills” all the thermal insulation properties of birch bark. Yes, and the birch bark itself becomes fragile, begins to crumble. Pleasant birch bark handle to the touch. Exceptional material - soft and warm, And very beautiful.
Try it yourself).
How to prepare birch bark for a knife handle. Birch bark preparation. Birch bark for a knife handle. Birch bark can not be harvested at any time, but only during the period of sap flow. The timing of birch bark harvesting is slightly different in different geographical areas, on average it is mid-May-mid-July. The sooner spring comes, the ahead of time blanks. People who are engaged in birch bark have a sure sign: as dandelions began to fluff and rose hips bloomed, it's time to harvest the material. At this time, birch leaves are already gaining strength, and you can’t get birch sap. Later, the birch bark grows to the bast and it becomes impossible to separate it. Harvesting is carried out in the forests, where planned cutting down of trees is planned. Everything must first be coordinated with representatives of the forestry enterprises. For blanks, you need to choose a sunny day without precipitation. So, the harvesting begins with an inspection of the birch. Choose trees with a more or less smooth trunk, with a minimum number of knots and no scab.
The birch bark of fallen and slightly rotted birches is very decorative. Birch bark can be removed from them at any time without problems.
Make a vertical incision of the bark with a knife-jamb to the depth of the birch bark layer (1-2 mm) to the bast (this is the lower layer of the birch bark) and two horizontal notches above and below the incision:
Then you need to pry off the edge of the birch bark layer and begin to carefully remove it.
If the dates are chosen correctly, the birch bark literally separates itself from the tree
In places where the birch bark grows to the bast with knots, they are carefully cut with a knife. Birches with a lot of knots, warts should be avoided
Birch bark brought from the forest must be dried. To do this, it is laid out under a canopy in 1 layer with the wrong side (white side) down. I dry birch bark in the attic
After the birch bark is completely dry, the layers are folded into packs so that the birch bark is “face” to “face” and the pack is pressed with sticks and ropes
The ideal birch bark practically does not exist. Therefore, it is necessary to remove all irregularities and roughness from the outer (white) side of the birch bark with a knife.
Birch bark for winter . For a do-it-yourself birch bark knife handle. I birch the mode in small squares from old birches. It is thicker, each tree has its own birch bark color. At home, from birch bark on both sides, we clean off excess dirt and residues under the birch bark layer. Cut into rectangles across and along the black veins. We drill or cut through the center I use the template. Then we put it on the centering pin, alternating light dark birch bark, and alternating rectangles with the direction of the veins. Be sure to lubricate the clamp plate with oil, otherwise then tear off the birch bark.
The central pin must be taken without a thread, otherwise you will have to drive all this along the thread to remove it.
We tighten the clamp to the maximum but delicately, otherwise the hairpin will burst
We boil for 20-30 minutes longer, but then the birch bark will begin to darken. We take out the whole thing and pull it together on a hot one. repeat the process 2-3 times
Then I dry the dry land of day 4. Those tar oils that have been released during cooking and pressing will glue the birch bark better than any adhesives, do not break it only in layers of birch bark, and even then with difficulty. Then I unwind the clamp, take out the central pin on the thin section, process the edges of the workpiece.
The layers are pressed so that even if there are irregularities on the birch bark along the dark veins, after pressing in this way they will disappear. Therefore, you can take birch bark from very old birches.
I put such a workpiece on a non-through installation, it still works, it doesn’t even think it will delaminate. In terms of strength, it is not inferior to pieces of wood.
Without a reliable comfortable handle, even the most beautiful blade will be of little use in conditions real life. And even if it is thrice sharp and strong, no more benefit will come from it than from a goat's milk. From this obvious statement, it is not difficult to conclude that the formula for a good knife consists of two simple components: a high-quality blade plus an ergonomic handle. When choosing handle material knife, first of all, you need to decide where and how the knife will be used. Depending on the range of work performed by the knife, the expediency of using one or another material also changes. For instance, birch bark handles they show themselves perfectly in the hands of fishermen, but having fallen into the service of hunting lovers, they immediately lose ground and give way wooden handles.
All possible handle materials can be divided into three large groups:
- Organic materials (plant origin and animal origin);
- Inorganic materials;
- Man-made materials.
Organic materials of plant origin include various breeds wood, birch bark and cap. When evaluating all the positive and negative qualities of the above materials, it should be borne in mind that the quality of processing and compliance with the rules for operating the knife play an important role. In other words, before finally and irrevocably disappointed in a particular material, it is worth critically evaluating the good quality of the manufacture of a particular knife and soberly analyze whether the tool was used in inappropriate conditions.
Wooden handles
In the realities of unstoppable scientific and technological progress, such properties of wood as strength and wear resistance can no longer remain decisive when choosing materials for the manufacture of handles. Since there is a sufficient number of alternative materials of artificial origin that can not only compete, but also outstrip wood in a number of qualities related to wear resistance, durability and reliability. However, wood wins over most artificial analogues with its incomparable beauty of texture. Sometimes, to obtain a particularly rich shade, the finished handles undergo an acid etching procedure.
In addition, wood is a ubiquitous material, and therefore publicly available. Of course, we are not talking about various exotic species, and skyrocketing prices for handles from such specimens of flora. In addition, it should be borne in mind that some of the foreign breeds do not tolerate climatic conditions our lane. The possibility of problems with a wooden handle made of exotic wood should be identified in advance.
In addition to accessibility and pleasant appearance wooden handles are relatively light weight.
The non-mirror polished wooden handle sits securely in the hand and has a good grip on the palm. Such a knife will not slip in your hand, which is definitely a plus in the piggy bank wood handles.
Depending on the porosity and degree of moisture of a particular rock, the hygroscopic properties of the material change. More plain language wood has the ability to absorb moisture. This can be seen as both a plus and a minus at the same time. On the one side wooden handle can absorb excess sweat. On the other hand, there is a threat of swelling of the material and deformation of the handle. This also includes shrinkage, which also leads to changes in the size of the knife handle. And with improper care, all of the above can lead to warpage and cracks. Most often, in order to reduce the hygroscopicity of the handle, they are treated with enamels, varnishes and oil paints.
Wood differs from other materials in that it is anisotropic. Simply put, impacts applied along and across the grain of the wood will give different results. Wood along the fibers is more vulnerable to mechanical stress. That is why wooden handles are further strengthened metal parts enhancing the strength of the product.
The next item is the thermal conductivity of the tree. Wood has poor thermal conductivity, which is why it is used for thermal insulation of rooms. In the case of a knife handle, this only works in positive side. not without reason wooden handles called "warm". The warmth of the hand is transferred wooden surface handles, and remains on its surface for a long time. With this knife you can work without problems in the cold season.
Depending on the humidity of the wood, its electrical conductivity also changes. It is not difficult to guess that the rawer the wood, the more dangerous it is to work with things exposed to current.
In the middle latitudes, many types of wood are traditionally used, including both soft conifers and hardwoods: pine, cypress, cedar, juniper, larch, fir, spruce, ash, oak, elm, chestnut, maple, birch, walnut, etc. .d. In addition, a number of fruit trees: apple, plum, pear, apricot. Fruit tree wood handles are beautiful and weighty. Similar handles made of oak or birch will be much lighter. We should also mention maple, which is highly valued for its unique bird's eye texture pattern. Manufacturers of knives did not ignore the bushes, among which the most vividly represented: heather, lilac, boxwood and hawthorn.
It makes no sense to consider separately the whole variety of breeds, so consider only a few of the most famous.
Oak- the usual, traditional material for our country. There are two hundred varieties of oak. From classic oak with a brown texture with a grey-green tint to red oak with crimson wood. Oak wood is durable and wear-resistant. It is quite easy to process, dries without any problems, easy to sand, calmly covered with varnishes and paints. Oak wood is durable, it is difficult to split it, but it is easy to plan. Oak, unlike many other species, does not lend itself well to warping.
Nut- is considered a valuable breed with an inimitable beauty texture with an expressive pattern of fibers. Walnut wood is strong, hard and weighs a lot. The walnut staunchly resists decay and steadily reacts to almost all the vicissitudes of the external environment. Walnut wood somewhat resembles oak in color, but differs in the absence of a greenish tint, which is so inherent in almost all varieties of oak. Over time, the walnut tends to darken, it is believed that over the years it becomes a more noble color. In addition to decorative properties, walnut is famous for its durability and ease of processing. moisture walnut handle not afraid, but with fire everything is somewhat worse. Although it directly depends on the quality of processing of the product.
wenge- an exotic African tree that grows mainly in the tropics. Wenge wood is heavy, hard and withstands pressure testing well. Among other things, the wenge handle is practically not susceptible to fungus and insects. The mature tree is known for its golden brown color and black veins. The texture of the wood is large and has a memorable even pattern. The pores of wenge wood are full of minerals and oils, so the wood is difficult to polish. To solve this problem, waxing technology is used, which replaces varnishing or polishing. The color of wenge wood may depend on the place in which the tree has grown. Wenge handle capable of withstanding enormous loads. Bright patterns, contrasts of golden wood with black flashes of veins will not leave indifferent even the most fastidious aesthete.
Bubinga- another tree growing in Equatorial Africa. The main color scheme of wood combines many shades from red-brown to purple. Against the general color background, dark stripes stand out, folding into a bewitching pattern. The wood is quite hard and durable, it can be polished without problems. Bubinga handles are likely to be heavy, but you can be sure of its solidity and solidity.
Burl handle
In the manufacture of handles, not only traditional types of wood are used, but also caps. A cap is called growths in the form of a ball, formed on trees due to a combination of certain circumstances. Usually, sharp changes in the development of a tree lead to the appearance of a burl, they can be both natural and anthropogenic in nature. Knife craftsmen, carpenters and other artisans have long valued burl for its strength and enchanting beauty. Cap stands on the same level with precious woods, which are actively used for decorative purposes. The burl texture pattern is the most complex interweaving of annual layers and cores of dormant buds. Each cap is unique and unrepeatable; phantasmagoric images and visions are born in the unpredictable interlacing of fibers. Burl handle- a real work of art.
Most caps can be divided into two groups:
- abnormal wood. A wide variety of outgrowths can be included in this category. Their texture will be brighter than that of ordinary wood, but not as expressive as that of a kidney burl.
- An outgrowth from dormant buds. This type of burl is distinguished by a huge number of tubercles into which the kidneys have turned. They create truly magnificent ornaments and are highly valued by craftsmen.
The main difficulty is finding the right cap size. Therefore, you can often find decorative overlays on the handles, and small details. Nevertheless, there are lucky ones who have a knife with burl handle.
Birch handle
And finally, talking about wooden handles, it is worth mentioning the birch bark. Which is an integral part of our culture. We all know very well what birch bark looks like, white, grayish or pinkish-brown bark of the most symbolic tree of our vast country. Birch bark has been used in Russia since time immemorial. It could be found everywhere: in construction, in the form of the material of letters, household utensils and various handicrafts. Tar was extracted from birch bark, which had a wide range of applications.
Light knife with birch bark handle can stay afloat, so these products are highly valued by fish. The slightly corrugated surface of the handle will not allow the hand to slip. Among the many advantages of birch bark is the fact that birch bark does not conduct electricity well.
But typesetting birch bark handles They also have some disadvantages, including flammability and a tendency to soiling. Partially the problem of contamination can be solved by treating the handle with linseed oil.
Making a birch bark handle requires patience and a careful approach. The process is carried out manually and requires a lot of effort. But each product is environmentally friendly and unique in its own way.
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