Rust under scales

Steve Randall

Steve Randall

Well-Known Member
I have glued my scales in the past, so I thought I would try something different and make a knife with removable scales. I finished the knife but now I am concern with moisture getting under the scale and causing problems down the road. What do you all do ? thanks Steve
 
The first thing I would ask myself is WHY do I want the scales to be removable? If it's just to make the knife "different", then I would consider all of the issues that could possibly occur, and then weigh the "pro and cons" of doing so. As I've said many times, just about everything in knifemaking is a trade off in some way or another. If the cons out weight the pro in YOUR OPINION, then I wouldn't do it. If doing it is worth the possible issues that may occur, again IN YOUR OPINION, then it's viable.

One of our responsibilities as knifemakers is to ensure we create a specific knife the very best we can. That means if it's a using knife, we must take into consideration the use and care by the customer/client/end owner. Doing something just to be different, that may cause the end owner problems, is only creating problems down the road for yourself.

If the blade is carbon/alloy steel, I would not do it. If I were determined to build a "using" knife with removable scales, I would strongly consider using a stainless blade material......see what I mean about "trade offs"?
 
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There are several reasons some folks like removable handles. I put removable scales on a discontinued production knife for a client who wanted to be able to replace the originals if he ever decided to sell it. It was 1095 high-carbon steel but powder coated to prevent rust forming under the scales.

I've seen knives with removable scales for the purpose of storing a few survival items inside the handle.

At least you can always disassemble the handle and clean it/check for corrosion etc.

It's occured to me that a thin gasket of something like inner-tube rubber would be a good idea with any removable scales.
 
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Thanks for the reply! I always like to try different things and while I was making this knife with these screws I thought ,why not leave them removable then considered the rust issue. After considering the rusting issues I am going to glue it up but thought I'd check for other suggestions. Steve
 
I am going to glue these up. I do like the idea of removable scales to change out easily. This is a tactical style knife and sometimes people like to "customize" the scales to their preference. I never thought of powder coating, good idea. I work strictly with carbon steels so rust is always an issue. Steve
 
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