Please Review Kitchen Mule Plans

[Bolster]

I'd like to make a Mule that lives in the kitchen. I "borrowed" a handle I like from another kitchen knife for this design. Can I please get your critical reaction to this design; it's still in the sketch-up stage and can be modified. Thinking black paper micarta and stainless or nickel silver pins at this point. Not sure about that forward pin, it may have to go. Corbys also an option, but they're larger and may appear too close to the top of the handle. Other things that occur as you think it through. Thanks!



(P.S.: Doesn't this look a bit like Xplorer's Heron design? Love the look of that knife.)

[RustyIron]

Cool idea. I know it's just a sketch and I might not be "seeing" your full intent, but how will you fill the voids where there is no blade beneath the edge of the scales?

[AlexRus]

Cool idea. I know it's just a sketch and I might not be "seeing" your full intent, but how will you fill the voids where there is no blade beneath the edge of the scales?

Maybe fill it with epoxy? Just my guess

[AlexRus]

Interesting project, I'm curious to see how it all will turn out

[TomAiello]

If it was mine, I would probably make the handle thinner near the blade. I might put in another thin spot further out as well, to create a palm swell between them.

It should be fairly easy to create a backspacer from the handle material to fill the 'no metal' part at the end, and just have a sort of partial tang knife.

Nice project! I love it!

[Bolster]

Cool idea. I know it's just a sketch and I might not be "seeing" your full intent, but how will you fill the voids where there is no blade beneath the edge of the scales?

Current plan is to router in recesses into the scales to accept the tang. (Tom's idea of a backspacer is something that I should consider though.) Here are proposed tang cuts. I would like to have the end of the tang visible at the back of the handle as 'proof' it's a full tang knife.

Using a black epoxy for glue-up would probably be smart. Anybody know source for black epoxy?

[AlexRus]

Cool idea. I know it's just a sketch and I might not be "seeing" your full intent, but how will you fill the voids where there is no blade beneath the edge of the scales?

Current plan is to router in recesses into the scales to accept the tang. (Tom's idea of a backspacer is something that I should consider though.) Here are proposed tang cuts. I would like to have the end of the tang visible at the back of the handle as 'proof' it's a full tang knife.

Using a black epoxy for glue-up would probably be smart. Anybody know source for black epoxy?

Epoxy Dye Black 3/4oz Liquid Formulated for Epoxy
https://usaknifemaker.com/epoxy-dye-bla ... epoxy.html

https://knifemaking.com/search?q=Black%20epoxy*

[Bolster]

Found a photo of Kelly's "Heron," which came to mind after sketching the Kitchen Mule. Gratuitously posted here as inspiration, such a beautiful knife:

[TomAiello]

Using a black epoxy for glue-up would probably be smart. Anybody know source for black epoxy?

I have several colors of epoxy dye, but I rarely use them. I only feel like I need to color the epoxy when I've used it to fix one of my errors (filling a void I left somewhere, for example).

[Xplorer]

You can definitely do this design as a partial tang knife if you want to. You can use a single piece of micarta, G10, antler or other strong material and fit the partial tang into a slot in the handle and rely on at least 2 pins to secure it. The tang can be inserted into a slot/hole in the end of the handle material or it can be dropped into a slot from the top I suppose. You could also make a back spacer out of the same material and build the handle in layers. Each option has challenges.

When I want epoxy to be black or any other color I grind CF or the appropriate G10 color with a file and catch the "grindings" in some wax paper. Then after combining the epoxy and hardener just mix in enough to get the black (or whatever color) opaque enough.

I like that you're considering such an ambitious build! :D

:) Thank you for the kind words :)

[sal]

Found a photo of Kelly's "Heron," which came to mind after sketching the Kitchen Mule. Gratuitously posted here as inspiration, such a beautiful knife:

A really beautiful knife.

sal

[Hambone]

Like this idea a lot! Thanks for sharing.

[Xplorer]

A really beautiful knife.

sal

Wow, thank you Sal! :) I'm flattered to hear you think it looks nice. :)

[standy99]

Cool idea. I know it's just a sketch and I might not be "seeing" your full intent, but how will you fill the voids where there is no blade beneath the edge of the scales?

Plenty of tang that’s cut off to weld back on

[AlexRus]

Watching the progress of Bolster's project :)

[Bolster]

Watching the progress of Bolster's project :)

...slowly! Haven't ordered materials yet. I usually "think" about a project a week before starting; this time even asked for design advice first. That's because I'm impulsive, but have learned what impulsiveness leads to...

[kennethsime]

Really cool idea, Bolster - excited to see how this turns out.

Two thoughts:

• If you really wanted to duplicate the Heron, you could extend the scales above the tang as well. After all, you don't usually see a Chef's knife with a thumb ramp. This would require a bit more routing.
• The more neutral the handle, the better. I don't think a chef's knife needs a palm swell, as you're not gripping it with a hammer or saber grip - you're really mostly pinching the blade.

[AlexRus]

Watching the progress of Bolster's project :)

...slowly!...

Slowly but steadily :)

[Bolster]

Really cool idea, Bolster - excited to see how this turns out.

Two thoughts:

• If you really wanted to duplicate the Heron, you could extend the scales above the tang as well. After all, you don't usually see a Chef's knife with a thumb ramp. This would require a bit more routing.
• The more neutral the handle, the better. I don't think a chef's knife needs a palm swell, as you're not gripping it with a hammer or saber grip - you're really mostly pinching the blade.

Oh, good point, the thumb ramp will be unusual. Hmm. Let me think on that. Agree with your thinking on the neutral handle. Thanks for the think.

[Gtscotty]

I like it, after you cut off whatever tang portions you don't want, it wouldn't be hard to fashion or print spacers, or design and print a handle that envelopes whatever is left of the tang and it's shaped however you want.