Main Discussion Area > HowTo's and Build-a-longs
Cholla Cactus Knfe Handle Build - A - Long
El Destructo:
OK....so tonight I took the Handle Blank and used my Oscillating Drum Sander to shape the Hilt end....the Maple is very Hard and has a tendency to burn if you aren't careful with it....I got it shaped with the Cholla...then I took it to my Belt Sander and rounded the end of it....After this I fitted the Blade to the Handle...once I got a good fit....I then taper the last 1-11/2 inch of the Handle to transition it smoothly to the Blade...
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El Destructo:
I then take a Dental Pick and clean out all of the Garbage that is in the Fibers of the Cholla so that all of the Matrix can be seen....this makes the Basket Weave Pattern really show better when done....Once the Dry Run with the Blade looks good....I soak my Gut Hafting in warm water now....and it is on to the Pine Resin Glue....I fill the inside hole in the Cholla up with Pitch...then shove the Blade down into the Pitch deeply to set it in good....then I heat the Pitch Stick up again and run a narrow bead all the way around the Handle to seal in the Blade as good as possible...when it starts to tack up...I then wet my Finger and push the Pitch in as far as I can to make the fit even tighter....let this Dry...then trim any excess of ...if there is any.....now I take the Gut and start at the Blade and wrap backwards toward the Handle ...pulling tightly as I go....when I get it back about an inch I tie it off by making a halfhitch knot and tuck the end of the Gut under the last of the wraps...once this is hidden...it is time to seal it all with Hide Glue....and thats where I will stop for tonight....
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El Destructo:
Tomorrow I will sand the Handle...clean up the Matrix a bit more....and stain and seal it
Staver:
Lookin Good! 8) 8) Joe H
cowboy:
Yer givin me idea's Mike - lookin good :).
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