Chris’ KITH Bowie WIP

OK, I have made an executive decision regarding the design of my Bowie. I am going to ditch the D-guard because there is not really much of a demand for them in today's world and there are other, more marketable skills I could learn. Therefore, I have decided to do a framed handle instead. I have never done a framed handle and I think it would be more valuable to learn that than a D-Guard. It will not be a coffin style handle because I am not a great fan of those so I think I will just do a sculpted handle with maybe a cool pommel. For those of you who have made a framed handle should the internal frame only be steel or is wood an acceptable choice? Contrasting wood on the frame and scales may look really cool. I will post pics as I progress this weekend...Hopefully.
 
You could do a frame handle d-guard.

I personally can't think of a wood that I would want to use as a frame, but some of that would depend on how you're building it.

There are a few ways to go about it and I guarantee you there are a LOT of things to think about......and you'll discover many of them mid-process.

No one just 'slaps a frame handle together quick' and has it come out being right......despite how it may appear on Forged In Fire. Good luck!
 
You could do a frame handle d-guard.

I personally can't think of a wood that I would want to use as a frame, but some of that would depend on how you're building it.

There are a few ways to go about it and I guarantee you there are a LOT of things to think about......and you'll discover many of them mid-process.

No one just 'slaps a frame handle together quick' and has it come out being right......despite how it may appear on Forged In Fire. Good luck!
Thanks John, I was thinking that once the frame is epoxied and pinned in place and the scales are pinned and epoxied it really is not any different than a hidden tang in a block of wood. Am I missing something? Do not get me wrong, if it is not an accepted practice to use all wood in a framed handle that is reason enough for me not to do it, I just want to understand why.
 
Now that I think about it I can kill two birds with one bullet here. I have been wanting to try file work on a knife, so if I file work the spine of the metal frame and mess it up (extreme possibility) all I have to do is another frame and I do not ruin a knife. Steel it is..
 
Steel is a good choice. No matter the frame material or construction method, I personally think some sort of mechanical fastener is a must, in addition to epoxy.
 
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