Hi Y'all,
This is my first go with Cholla.
The blade is a hidden tang Damascus Bowie I got in trade years ago and just hadn't found the right handle for till recently.
Found a five foot length of Cholla at a yard sale for a dollar... it was ugly, but cleaned up real nice.
I used an Osage dowel to pin the tang in place, CA glued to the tang and Cholla.
Used an Osage limb union for the finger guard, epoxied to the cholla and tang.
Taped up all the holes then shot 2 1/2 ton epoxy in to fill and lock the handle all together.
Then cleaned the dried epoxy out of the holes and set in Green Kingman Turquoise with CA glue.
Set a nugget on each side of the ricasso and in the pommel.
The Blade is 6 1/2" and the handle is 6" for a total of 12.5".
The balance came out just a hair on the blade side of center, perfect for me.
Finished with two coats of CA Glue, ten coats of Tru-Oil and rubbed out with Linseed Oil and Rottenstone.
Now I just need to build the scabbard.
Thanks for looking.
-gus