Author Topic: Help with cholla knife handle (finished)  (Read 8989 times)

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Offline Pat B

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Help with cholla knife handle (finished)
« on: February 22, 2013, 11:31:28 am »
I'm making a few small knives from some blades Keenan cut out for me. I wanted to haft these two blades to cholla handles but I'm not sure how or what is the best way to do so. Any suggestions?
Here is what I'll be working with...
« Last Edit: March 02, 2013, 11:38:32 am by Pat B »
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bowtarist

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2013, 12:13:08 pm »
I've never worked w/ "jolla" before, but those are some cool looking blades.  On the flitknapping page, guys post regularlly w/ that type of handle.  Epoxy filled, sinew wrapped and add a bone, horn, or osage butt cap and those babes will be awesome.  Can't wait to see the finished product!  Man, are those this years leaves already?  Look how green it is; I usually love winter, but can't wait for spring this year it's all icy here today. dpg
(:::.)    Osage music played daily. :)

Offline Pat B

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2013, 02:37:00 pm »
Thanks, I'll post on the Knapping thread.
  The leaves are evergreen. Not spring here yet.  ;)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2013, 02:41:18 pm »
Pat,

           I would start by beveling the edge down tward the blade, choose your wrapping sinew..ect.  The top piece of Cholla I have used antler burr as a end cap, or a wood that is to to your liking. Wish I still had pics of the one I did some yrs back, but don't any more.
Debating is an intellectual exchange of differing views...with no winners.

Offline YosemiteBen

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2013, 04:58:49 pm »
Bubby's son did one I think. Wrapped the handle in saran wrap and then mixed the epoxy and poured it in then sanded the outside. I saw another post besides that one somewhere in here.

Offline bubby

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2013, 06:36:55 pm »
pat, taper the cholla to the blade till you like the look's and feel, if you have some stretch wrap wrap it tight but so you can still get the blade in, take some 2 part epoxy and fill it up, you can add some food color to the epoxy to get the color you want, then set it upright in a bucket of sand and set the blade, you can also wrap with saran wrap and tape it on if you don't have stretch wrap, then when it's all setup unwrap it and you will have to do some detail sanding to clean it up, comes out really nice, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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Offline bubby

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2013, 06:40:19 pm »
here's a link to one that ended up as a do a long http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,35762.15.html
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Pat B

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Re: Help with Jolla knife handle
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2013, 12:39:16 am »
Thanks Bubby. That is what I was looking for. I guess I should thank George.  ;)
 I was planning on shapeing the cholla where it joins the blade for a smooth transition and adding an end cap. I just cut this piece of cholla in half so I'd have a handle for each blade. I need to do some fitting of the blade to the handle too.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2013, 12:07:41 am by Pat B »
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Pat B

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2013, 12:41:52 am »
Man, I hate photobucket!!!  >:(
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2013, 03:20:37 am »
Pat, I was browsing through the build-a-long pages and found this Cholla How-To from El Destructo

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,13252.0.html

I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Pat B

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2013, 06:24:05 pm »
I should have guessed. I got the cholla from Mike.  ;)  I'd haft a stone blade the way Mike does but for a metal blade I think epoxy is the way I'll go. Thanks fot the input everyone.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline lowell

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2013, 09:20:25 pm »
Pat....enjoying this thread!!!   Thanks!! 8)

 I have had some cholla in my gun closet since we took a trip to Arizona last April.  Now I am starting to make a knife also. 

  I have it shaped and have an end cap on it but have to come up with a blade yet.  Hoping it ends up to be a neck knife!!
My son says I shoot a stick with a stick!!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2013, 11:37:50 am »
Here is where we are today. Unfortunately Photobucket deleted the original pics so I will post the before and after here.
Before...

  I used 2 mothods for hafting the blades to the cholla handles. I used JBWeld for both.
 On one I use the JB Weld like pine pitch and just put some down inside the handle and set the blade in that. I like the results of this method better because it looks more rustic and more fitting for the cholla handle but more tedious because I had to hold the knife until the JBWeld set enough so the JBWeld wouldn't run out.
  The second one I wrapped saran wrap around the handle, poured the JBWeld in the handle until it wouldn't hold any more then set the blade in that. I then stood it in a small tub of sand so it stayed upright until the JBWeld was cured. After removing the saran wrap I sanded the handle  to clean up the excess JBWeld for a more finished looking handle.
  Before I did any hafting I tapered the front end of the cholla so it made an easier transition to the blade and added an osage end cap to both and covered another opening in one handle with a small piece of unknown wood.





  Anyway, here are the two knives with handles attached and a Tru-Oil finish.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Adam

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle (finished)
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2013, 11:43:38 am »
Those turned out great Pat!

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Help with cholla knife handle (finished)
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2013, 05:26:39 pm »
Nice job on those Pat.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left