Looking for a little input/reasurance

The paper cut-out template will work the same as the plexiglass, not really a big difference, I wouldn't think.
I know the traditional 'bookmatching' technique is to essentially flip both pieces so that the "shared" sides both show on the outside of the handles, but personally, I prefer them to the inside so that the grain of the wood seems to flow across the tang. I know that's just a personal opinion, but it's the one I have... lol
 
Wiredude said:
The paper cut-out template will work the same as the plexiglass, not really a big difference, I wouldn't think.
I know the traditional 'bookmatching' technique is to essentially flip both pieces so that the "shared" sides both show on the outside of the handles, but personally, I prefer them to the inside so that the grain of the wood seems to flow across the tang. I know that's just a personal opinion, but it's the one I have... lol
Click to expand...

I agree with you completely....though it does seem we are in the minority. To my eye, I find the bookmatched scales incredibly disrupting to the flow of the whole piece.

Full tang or hidden tang, to my mind the handle should flow as one solid piece with the steel tang just inserted into the middle of it, not disrupting the natural patterns.
 
J. Doyle said:
I agree with you completely....though it does seem we are in the minority. To my eye, I find the bookmatched scales incredibly disrupting to the flow of the whole piece.

Full tang or hidden tang, to my mind the handle should flow as one solid piece with the steel tang just inserted into the middle of it, not disrupting the natural patterns.
Click to expand...
There is the quandry, at the current tool and skill level I have two options either a hidden/stick tang like the first 40 have been or full tang as I have been doing for the last ten or so.
I am the maker of the knife it is my final decision of whether it is a good tool with some astetics or a artful mind that sees that the curves of the blade and tang match up to the flow of the handle scales.
I am seeking advice of how to go about it from the many on here so I can utilize the facts of how many different makers do things and see where little bits match up completely.
I would love to take the time and make a pocket for the tang to sit inside the scales and yet have the scales hide the tang.
Alas I did not allow myself enough time to do so since this is to be done before Christmas eve.
 
J. Doyle said:
I agree with you completely....though it does seem we are in the minority. To my eye, I find the bookmatched scales incredibly disrupting to the flow of the whole piece.

Full tang or hidden tang, to my mind the handle should flow as one solid piece with the steel tang just inserted into the middle of it, not disrupting the natural patterns.
Click to expand...

me 3. I thought I was the only weirdo who did this. Book matched can look really cool if there's an interesting knot/swirl that I want to see on both sides, but on a piece of wood with great flowing lines of figure I want the lines to flow left-to-right across the handle as if the tang were not there (FULL TANG). Book matched also makes sense to me for those odd times where one side of the scale has nice figure and the other side of it looks like a 2x4. In that case I want the scales to look like they came from the same block of wood, so book matching them makes sense.
 
J. Doyle said:
I agree with you completely....though it does seem we are in the minority. To my eye, I find the bookmatched scales incredibly disrupting to the flow of the whole piece.

Full tang or hidden tang, to my mind the handle should flow as one solid piece with the steel tang just inserted into the middle of it, not disrupting the natural patterns.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I was just debating this after my last knife. They were book matched when I put them on. After shaping the scales looked nothing alike.
 
That makes perfect sense that when you take a block of wood and turn it inside out it no longer looks the same post shaping.
But if you split the block and use it with the best character up at the edge of the tang the it should look the same as it is shaped. Since the shaping takes the same amount off both sides.
 
I do this from time to time and find that i often overthink it. I use the old ordering from a restaurant approach, Whatever catches your eye when you first look at - that is what you want to draw out. I've wasted and thrown away my fair share of handles thinking i had something spectacular when in fact i had blah. I too agree with John, i don't "bookmatch" but let the wood and handle flow. Almost as if you've made a full tang out of a hidden tang block.
 
True, the problem I had was remedied and found a nice block and when I split it the inner wood was full of colors, character and sooo much depth.
 
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