Stacked Leather Handles

[opaul]

I've made a couple of these knives and can share in my experience. Compressed leather makes the best type leather to use for making stacked leather handles. Compressed leather is the best, whether you compress it inhouse or buy it alreaday compressed. I did a few knife handles where I soaked the leather washers ( size depends on the knife you are making) in water and then used shop clamps to compress and then dry. Buying the leather already compressed is the way to go in my opinion.
Leather washers have to be sanded with a slow speed and a sharp belt. It doesn't hurt the leather to dip it in water or use your finger to apply water to the leather as you are sanding it. Uncompressed leather tends to be fuzzy and doesn't sand well. Whereas compressed leather is the opposite.
I like to use a slack belt and also scalloped belts for the finished shaping and shaping, especially where the handle is contoured, and then its hand sanding to whatever grit you decide works for you. Finish can be wax but this tends to dull quickly or you can use boiled linseed oil or gunstock tru-oil. Really not much different than finishing wood stocks.
I like using sole leather in 11oz. It seems to the the right thickness and looks and finishes well. I purchased my most recent leather soles from Rocadleather. They come in precut sheets used for making sandles and shoe repair.
I hope this helps. Like I said it works for me, you may like another method.

 

[Sean Jones]

Is that Rocado Leather? I did a look up on rocadleather and it leads me to Rocado leather which is in Italy and shows only Cordovan leather and Horsefront?

 

[opaul]

Is that Rocado Leather? I did a look up on rocadleather and it leads me to Rocado leather which is in Italy and shows only Cordovan leather and Horsefront?

Let me check.

 

[opaul]

That’s it. Funny. I didn’t realize it was coming from Italy. Here is the shipping sheet. I wondered why it took a little longer to be delivered .
Good sales line - Handle leather imported from Italy!

 

[opaul]

The order contained four sheets- enough for many knives.

 

[Sean Jones]

Thanks for the information opaul. I have a few ideas for leather handles also.

 

[Mister Coffee]

Question: Is there any dyeing or coloring in this kind of handle-making?

 

[opaul]

Question: Is there any dyeing or coloring in this kind of handle-making?

I do not use any. The tru-oil darkens it a bit. But I’m sure it would take dyes easily. I personally like the oiled leather look.

 

[Mister Coffee]

I do not use any. The tru-oil darkens it a bit. But I’m sure it would take dyes easily. I personally like the oiled leather look.

That's what I figured.

Do you think that not coloring is the most common practice? I recall that, when I was a kid, every "sheath knife" had a stacked leather handle, and they all looked the same — like natural leather.

 

[opaul]

That's what I figured.

Do you think that not coloring is the most common practice? I recall that, when I was a kid, every "sheath knife" had a stacked leather handle, and they all looked the same — like natural leather.

I do think that is the norm. I believe the early military KBars were oil finished as well. But I have seen handles that appear black. Military buffs would know.

 

[jmforge]

Remember that if you put on pretty any dye that is yellow/tan/red/brown, it will eventually end up looking brown if you put enough on. I found that Brityish tan or light brown are the easiest to work with on leather and maple. Also if you want jet black, put down a coat of navy blue first then the black.

 

[Taz575]

I have been doing them with just a little compression as I am gluing them and then when I get close to the final shape/dimension, I soak them in very thin CA glue. This hardens them up and they take a nice shine! But you may lose the feel of the leather since the CA is soaked into it. I guess I need to go back to compressing them before glue up, or compressing them more when I rubber cement them together.

 

[Gliden07]

This info couldn't have come at a better time!! Just getting ready to make a K-Bar style knife for a customer! LOL!!

 

[opaul]

I have been doing them with just a little compression as I am gluing them and then when I get close to the final shape/dimension, I soak them in very thin CA glue. This hardens them up and they take a nice shine! But you may lose the feel of the leather since the CA is soaked into it. I guess I need to go back to compressing them before glue up, or compressing them more when I rubber cement them together.

I tried the CA but didn’t like it. The compressed leather is the best alternative IMHO and it’s always good to have some of that leather around - makes a nice sheath welt.

 

[Taz575]

Yeah, the CA glue works, but it's not as nice as compression!

 

[Edwardshandmadeknives]

I have had my best luck on stacked leather by soaking the pieces in water overnight, then stacking the wet pieces up and compressing them tightly and letting it dry. Then I restack, with hide glue and compress it onto the tang and shape it, etc. Seems to give a harder handle. I don’t like the way it looks dyed, I just leave mine natural, and give it a good soak in linseed oil and let it sit for around a week or so before finish sanding. Over time it will turn that real dark brown/black. I think the oil makes a more flexible finish that compliments the leather. They are some of my favorite handles for outdoor knives, warm, kind of soft, and “classic” looking.

 

[opaul]

I have had my best luck on stacked leather by soaking the pieces in water overnight, then stacking the wet pieces up and compressing them tightly and letting it dry. Then I restack, with hide glue and compress it onto the tang and shape it, etc. Seems to give a harder handle. I don’t like the way it looks dyed, I just leave mine natural, and give it a good soak in linseed oil and let it sit for around a week or so before finish sanding. Over time it will turn that real dark brown/black. I think the oil makes a more flexible finish that compliments the leather. They are some of my favorite handles for outdoor knives, warm, kind of soft, and “classic” looking.

Yep that works. Before I started using sole leather, I cut the washers and drilled a hole in each piece. Then soaked them in water. I used 5/16” threaded rod (whatever works) and a couple of large fender washers, mounted the washers on the threaded rod and tighten them down to compress and let dry in place. I found it’s better to have several threaded rods to do this. Always install sacrificial leather washers at each end.

 

[Edwardshandmadeknives]

Yep that works. Before I started using sole leather, I cut the washers and drilled a hole in each piece. Then soaked them in water. I used 5/16” threaded rod (whatever works) and a couple of large fender washers, mounted the washers on the threaded rod and tighten them down to compress and let dry in place. I found it’s better to have several threaded rods to do this. Always install sacrificial leather washers at each end

Here I’ve been clamping them between two boards in a vise. Never thought of just using threaded rod and some washers! That’s a great idea. I’m going to try that on my next one.