Shellac is the best sanding sealer, also it is great for gluing leather, that is what they used in the good old days, it also shines great, keep up the good work, great video from here in the UK.
I am a novice knife maker. I am working on a Bowie style knife and I am going to make my first leather wrapped handle by using your technique. I will be using a stiff leather belt that I had for years.. I hope it turns out half as good as yours. Wish me luck.🔪
I think your knife is beautiful. I also think that your choice of beeswax (an anti-fungal and anti-microbial sealant) is testimony to your expertise. If I have one complaint about your video, its that I would have loved it if you had given the finished knife a bit more screen time, so we could have admired your work.
Thank you for posting this !! I was so curious of how the stacked leather handles were made ( I have 2 knives that feature this sort of handle ). My awesome KaBar USMC and the Pakistan Persian Blood . Both great knives by the way ( the Persian Blood reminds me of the cheap Down Under Outback )... IMO ..... Anyway- Great Vid !!!!
Still far better than anything I could make, recently made my first hidden tang knife and your videos helped me out a lot. Someday i might get close to your work :)
Nothing ages or takes on a personality like leather.. I have a hunting knife of my father's that is way older than I, and you can almost sense the history of it when you pick it up. Stained naturally over the years by sweat and deer blood.
I'm into leather working for a while now and I love to finish up with beeswax. I specified the technique a bit further: My provider told me that Neatsfoot Oil is the best thing you can do to leather. So I first apply only the oil to nourish and than a paste made of beeswax solved in hot oil. This step already requires some heat. Finally I use purified besswax. The purification process is quite easy, there are some videos out there. Always control your hot wax, I once covered my hole kitchen with a quite constant layer of wax. No fun to clean up.
Can I send you a proper wrench to turn the nut on the end of the tang (instead of those awkward pliers)? Al the punched holes in your leather are sized to fit the widest part of your tapered tang, leaving too much of a gap between the leather and the tang, and a possible failure of the leather to remain tight. Otherwise, your finished knife is beautiful, and has a unique style.
Great video! just subscribed! I'm trying to restore an old knife, the leather is loose but intact. If I goop that epoxy all over and sand it down, do think it will work/hold? is there a special type of epoxy to use other than slow or fast? any reccomendations would be great! Thanks in advance.
you can use a fast setting epoxy. If you warm it with a heat gun it will become more liquid and flow into any cracks. The down side is it will set even faster, so work fast and accurate!. Another way to do it, if the material is porous, is to coat it with superglue. It will also run into any cracks or pores and seal it all up. Then sand down as normal. You have to use a very liquid glue, almost like water. I use Wood Magic. Thanks for watching.
Blue Star Industrial Arts a tapered tang has two advantages. One is the balance (if required) by reducing weight to the rear of the handle. The second is to help with the ease of fitting guards and spacers. If the steel is flat there can be a struggle to fit it all the way to the ricasso. By tapering it the materials slide on easier only getting tight towards the blade. A taper does not weaken the tang I'm any way.
Stewart, ever hear of anyone ever glueing up a stacked leather handle, let it dry overnight and then put it in a stabilizing pressure pot to permeate the raw leather with resin?
Chris Newbry to be honest I couldn't say as I have never used it before. but any wax that will penetrate the leather when heated should do. you could even use candle wax.
Stuart Smith. Thank you for the response. I made my linwax compound for my wood handles it adds a nice sheen to the wood. I think it would be amazing to accentuating the color of the leather. Thanks for the video as well I will definitely be trying on one of my up coming blades..
Traditional Finnish knives are made with a similar technique, except we use birch bark instead of leather. Like this: ruclips.net/video/BLnqr6IGVgs/видео.html
I can't tell you how much I appreciate these tutorials, Stuart. Thank you for taking the time to create them and share your experience.
Shellac is the best sanding sealer, also it is great for gluing leather, that is what they used in the good old days, it also shines great, keep up the good work, great video from here in the UK.
Thanks for the tip
Your videos are very informative and helpful.
I am a novice knife maker.
I am working on a Bowie style knife and I am going to make my first leather wrapped handle by using your technique.
I will be using a stiff leather belt that I had for years..
I hope it turns out half as good as yours.
Wish me luck.🔪
Thank you so much for sharing your secrets on knife building.
love that handle shape. matches the blade great and looks very comfortable!
Outstanding work! I love stacked leather handles, and this one looks superb. Lovely sculpted shape too.
Thanks a lot
Damn, that really came together in the end. You know your craft. Thanks for the video.
I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS.
Hobbyist knife maker here. Never done a leather stacked handle. You've changed that. It's part of my next knife!!!!!
Beautiful craftsmanship.
I think your knife is beautiful. I also think that your choice of beeswax (an anti-fungal and anti-microbial sealant) is testimony to your expertise.
If I have one complaint about your video, its that I would have loved it if you had given the finished knife a bit more screen time, so we could have admired your work.
Beautiful. I would love to own one of your knives.
ST John,s Gost, Just like Bo Randel !WOW
Excellent video thanks
I've always used neatsfoot oil on leather because I have horse saddles.
Thank you for posting this !!
I was so curious of how the stacked leather handles were made ( I have 2 knives that feature this sort of handle ).
My awesome KaBar USMC and the Pakistan Persian Blood .
Both great knives by the way ( the Persian Blood reminds me of the cheap Down Under Outback )... IMO .....
Anyway- Great Vid !!!!
Can't go wrong with a Kabar. That was my first knife that wasn't a cheap piece of wall art lol.
very cool Stu
VERY nice work sir! Cant wait to try my first one.
Nice Stuart! I saw the Q20 on your video's thumbnail and knew you could only be from one place on the globe...
Leather doesen't make for the most beautiful handle in my opinion but sure is one of the most comfortable. Great video like always.
Yeah this particular leather was a little pale. may dye the next one to get a richer colour .
Still far better than anything I could make, recently made my first hidden tang knife and your videos helped me out a lot. Someday i might get close to your work :)
Thanks for the kind words. I try.
Nothing ages or takes on a personality like leather.. I have a hunting knife of my father's that is way older than I, and you can almost sense the history of it when you pick it up. Stained naturally over the years by sweat and deer blood.
Amazing job, all top notch!
I`m impressed and at the same time depressed but great video all the same.
Love your wrench.
Very nice job. Thanks for sharing.
very nice and well done !
Try Golfsmith for epoxy used to epoxy the heads on irons. Sets nicely over nite. Very reasonably priced.
JoeB
Thank you for sharing ... what a work of art, wow
Great video. And many thanks for beeswax suggestion, I didn't even know how it is used on leather handles.
I'm into leather working for a while now and I love to finish up with beeswax. I specified the technique a bit further: My provider told me that Neatsfoot Oil is the best thing you can do to leather. So I first apply only the oil to nourish and than a paste made of beeswax solved in hot oil. This step already requires some heat. Finally I use purified besswax. The purification process is quite easy, there are some videos out there. Always control your hot wax, I once covered my hole kitchen with a quite constant layer of wax. No fun to clean up.
That's f#@$ beautiful. Very helpful techniques
Nice job, I'm thinking that some small thin pieces of alum between the leather would look nice .
Nice to see someone use a slightly wider tang for once, most of the videos i've seen, have shown a tang way too skinny IMO.
you are correct sir. I stay away from skinnies
Mink oil also works for a leather finish
Thank you for this.
Can I send you a proper wrench to turn the nut on the end of the tang (instead of those awkward pliers)? Al the punched holes in your leather are sized to fit the widest part of your tapered tang, leaving too much of a gap between the leather and the tang, and a possible failure of the leather to remain tight. Otherwise, your finished knife is beautiful, and has a unique style.
Superbe, Merci pour le partage 😉
Awesome video thank you!
nice rune tats. dig the shirt 2.
hehe, i thought that shirt was going to get caught in the sander!
Impressionante!
Me ensinou muito. Obrigado por compartilhar sua técnica!
Beautiful!
You can do that with birch bark too. Thats how pukkos are made
Great video Stuart. I particularly like the "unprofessional" ;) video that shows a highly professional process and product! Where in SA are you based?
Joburg area. Thanks for watching
beautiful!
We Americans call it cling wrap as well. It's a brand name.
like the work, but would expect that a knifemaker would own a wrench (spanner) for tightening the nut.
Lol, I probably do have one somewhere. Just used to it this way.
awesome
Great video! just subscribed! I'm trying to restore an old knife, the leather is loose but intact. If I goop that epoxy all over and sand it down, do think it will work/hold? is there a special type of epoxy to use other than slow or fast? any reccomendations would be great! Thanks in advance.
you can use a fast setting epoxy. If you warm it with a heat gun it will become more liquid and flow into any cracks. The down side is it will set even faster, so work fast and accurate!. Another way to do it, if the material is porous, is to coat it with superglue. It will also run into any cracks or pores and seal it all up. Then sand down as normal. You have to use a very liquid glue, almost like water. I use Wood Magic. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Stuart! Very helpful, can't wait to try it!
I made a dager and one of the pieces of leather on it is loose what should I do someone please help me
fantastic boet
Hermoso trabajo,,👏
Great video, Thanks Stuart. Out of interest any idea where you will get slow setting epoxy from in SA?
Pratleys makes a 30min epoxy. Not sure where to find it tho. I know you can buy it from the Factory outlet direct.
Never glue or use resin on a stacked leather handle. You wet the leather and apply pressure to seat and compress the layers then allow to dry.
why does the tang need to be tapered? Seems like a lot easier if straight.
Blue Star Industrial Arts a tapered tang has two advantages. One is the balance (if required) by reducing weight to the rear of the handle. The second is to help with the ease of fitting guards and spacers. If the steel is flat there can be a struggle to fit it all the way to the ricasso. By tapering it the materials slide on easier only getting tight towards the blade. A taper does not weaken the tang I'm any way.
Nice blade tho man.
Gees buddy look at your table makes you seem sloppy clean it up a lil. I would not be able to work with a table like that.
nice one thx...i learned a lot...
nice video but please balance your audio one second i can hardly hear you, the next i'm deafened
Stewart, ever hear of anyone ever glueing up a stacked leather handle, let it dry overnight and then put it in a stabilizing pressure pot to permeate the raw leather with resin?
Yes. Stable as heck. Works really well
Smith Hand Forged Knives cool, I was thinking of trying it, now I will! Cheers Stewart🍻👍
how to you keep from messing up the guard with the belt grinder when shaping the handle
xXwes997Xx soft hands and steady grip
Hello, what has been applied to the cable with a hair dryer?
Bees bax
Great Video. From where do you get your leather?
Thanks. I get it from a local supplier here in SA
What was the weight of the leather you used?
Not sure but it was 4mm thick
Lest be real here who doesn't call it cling wrap?
Is it wax at the end ???
bees wax, yes
@@StuartSmithHandForgedKNives so wax spreads on surface only or in deep ?
Instead of just bees wax to seal the leather. You think linwax would be an ok substitute? Stuart Smith
Chris Newbry to be honest I couldn't say as I have never used it before. but any wax that will penetrate the leather when heated should do. you could even use candle wax.
Stuart Smith. Thank you for the response. I made my linwax compound for my wood handles it adds a nice sheen to the wood. I think it would be amazing to accentuating the color of the leather. Thanks for the video as well I will definitely be trying on one of my up coming blades..
How much to do that to a knife I can mail you?
sure. Samuraistu@forgedknives.co.za
Traditional Finnish knives are made with a similar technique, except we use birch bark instead of leather. Like this: ruclips.net/video/BLnqr6IGVgs/видео.html
B
*This is a really good tutorial on how NOT to do this*
this guy is not professional :)
if only i'd known before.
@@StuartSmithHandForgedKNives ,There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy