Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

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TomAiello
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#21

Post by TomAiello »

I found this 'how to' video for hidden pins on Youtube: https://youtu.be/47NG-8vkD5I

I've only done one hidden pin handle, and I wasn't happy with it. Maybe I need to revisit it.
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JoviAl
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#22

Post by JoviAl »

legOFwhat? wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:33 am
mokele wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 4:12 pm
I got some very nice slabs of micarta. Since you guys mentioned liners, are there any practical points using them? I am not planning to glue scales to the knife, will just unscrew them to clean blood and fat if it gets under while butchering
I love using liners just for contrast and appearance, sometimes just to make a mule match a folder.
Image
Here are some I've done in GITD.
Image
Wow, those GITD pins look brilliant. Really nice contrast!
- Al

Work: Jumpmaster 2

Home: DF2 K390 Wharncliffe/DF2 Salt H1 SE and K390 Police 4 LW SE/15V Shaman

Dream knives -
Chinook in Magnacut (any era)
Manix 2 XL Salt in Magnacut
A larger Rockjumper in Magnacut SE
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JoviAl
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#23

Post by JoviAl »

TomAiello wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:31 pm
I found this 'how to' video for hidden pins on Youtube: https://youtu.be/47NG-8vkD5I

I've only done one hidden pin handle, and I wasn't happy with it. Maybe I need to revisit it.
Thanks for sharing 👍🏻 I’m going to enjoy watching that on my lunch break.
- Al

Work: Jumpmaster 2

Home: DF2 K390 Wharncliffe/DF2 Salt H1 SE and K390 Police 4 LW SE/15V Shaman

Dream knives -
Chinook in Magnacut (any era)
Manix 2 XL Salt in Magnacut
A larger Rockjumper in Magnacut SE
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JoviAl
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#24

Post by JoviAl »

RustyIron wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:11 pm
JoviAl wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 8:18 am
That is a handsome looking handle. Did you use wooden dowels for pins or simply glue it?

but if you know a more cunning method I’m all ears.

I used locating dowels, as you might use for aligning machine parts, such as transmission cases on an automobile. A screw with the head cut off would work just fine, perhaps better. Get some stainless screws and chop them off so they're shorter than the thickness of the blade plus the intended thickness of your scales.

Since the scales are not yet finished to size, it's easy to drill them perfectly. Using the Mule blade to locate where you're going to drill the holes in the scales, drill the first one, but not very deep. The hole needs to be shallower than the finished thickness of the scale. Extra depth doesn't strengthen it substantially. You don't want to be finish sanding the outside of the scale, and break through to the hole that you drilled too deep. After the first hole is drilled, stick a dowel in it to hold the blade/scale together. Drill the second hole, then add another locating pin. Then drill the next hole. If I described it well, you'll see how easy it is. Then do the other scale.

Once your done drilling the locating holes, you can stick pins in the holes to hold the scales together, making it easier to finish the ricasso-sides symmetrically. Next step is gluing it all together. I've been using Loctite AA 326. I don't have a lot of experience with this product, but it intrigues me so I've been experimenting with it. My expectation is that the blade will rust into the ground before the epoxy fails.

Now you have a knife blade with big clunky scales that don't fit. I've found a hand rasp to be pretty good for taking off a lot of wood quickly. A disc sander is great for bringing the sides down to size. When the fit is getting closer, I use a rotary rasp or rotary file chucked up in my mill. A drill press would also work fine. Your high school shop teacher might blow his stack, but we're not in high school. Be careful not to jam your hand into a spinning tool. Try to hold the blade in a way that if you fail miserably, it doesn't fling around and hit you edge-first. It's also a good idea to tape up the edge while working on it. You can run the rotary file/grindstone right up to the metal. You'll feel it, so you won't be taking off any metal, but your wood will be finished exactly to fit the blade. After you get the shape where you want it, finish it up with hand tools.


JoviAl wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 8:18 am
I wonder if the wood you’ve got is Tembusu - it puts out a warm almost chocolatey/bbq sauce aroma when I cut it with a chainsaw and it is a mega hard tropical wood (local nickname is Ironwood).

The stuff I'm using is tabebuia. It's also described as an "ironwood." It's fun to work with.
Thanks for the detailed explanation 👍🏻 I have access to a pretty decent machine shop and wood shop at work along with my engine porting tools, so I reckon this might be the next project on the list. I’m making some brass pinned micarta scales with heavy sculpting at the moment, but work has ground to a halt as I’ve been recovering from a virus and sleeping most of my free time away 🤷🏼‍♂️ looking forward to giving this a try on one of the new mules that are due soon.

Tembusu and Tabebuia sound like they might be cut from the same cloth! Tembusu certainly doesn’t reward blunt tools (although it often causes them).

Have a great day
- Al

Work: Jumpmaster 2

Home: DF2 K390 Wharncliffe/DF2 Salt H1 SE and K390 Police 4 LW SE/15V Shaman

Dream knives -
Chinook in Magnacut (any era)
Manix 2 XL Salt in Magnacut
A larger Rockjumper in Magnacut SE
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legOFwhat?
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Location: Kentucky; Earth

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#25

Post by legOFwhat? »

JoviAl wrote:
legOFwhat? wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:33 am
mokele wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 4:12 pm
I got some very nice slabs of micarta. Since you guys mentioned liners, are there any practical points using them? I am not planning to glue scales to the knife, will just unscrew them to clean blood and fat if it gets under while butchering
I love using liners just for contrast and appearance, sometimes just to make a mule match a folder.

Here are some I've done in GITD.
Wow, those GITD pins look brilliant. Really nice contrast!
Thank you, btw, those are actually cf tubes filled with GITD powder mixed with epoxy. https://usaknifemaker.com/glow-powder-1oz-green.html
RustyIron wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:18 pm
legOFwhat? wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:33 am
I love using liners just for contrast and appearance, sometimes just to make a mule match a folder.

Those are pretty.

Thank you Rusty!
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
MNOSD #0049
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JoviAl
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#26

Post by JoviAl »

legOFwhat? wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:42 am
JoviAl wrote:
legOFwhat? wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:33 am
mokele wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 4:12 pm
I got some very nice slabs of micarta. Since you guys mentioned liners, are there any practical points using them? I am not planning to glue scales to the knife, will just unscrew them to clean blood and fat if it gets under while butchering
I love using liners just for contrast and appearance, sometimes just to make a mule match a folder.

Here are some I've done in GITD.
Wow, those GITD pins look brilliant. Really nice contrast!
Thank you, btw, those are actually cf tubes filled with GITD powder mixed with epoxy. https://usaknifemaker.com/glow-powder-1oz-green.html
RustyIron wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 3:18 pm
legOFwhat? wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:33 am
I love using liners just for contrast and appearance, sometimes just to make a mule match a folder.
What a great website - how have I not come across it before?! I hope they ship to Singapore as I’d love to do some GITD epoxy mix inlays. Those filled CF tubes look very cool indeed,
- Al

Work: Jumpmaster 2

Home: DF2 K390 Wharncliffe/DF2 Salt H1 SE and K390 Police 4 LW SE/15V Shaman

Dream knives -
Chinook in Magnacut (any era)
Manix 2 XL Salt in Magnacut
A larger Rockjumper in Magnacut SE
User avatar
legOFwhat?
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Posts: 3107
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2018 5:58 am
Location: Kentucky; Earth

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#27

Post by legOFwhat? »

JoviAl wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:10 am
What a great website - how have I not come across it before?! I hope they ship to Singapore as I’d love to do some GITD epoxy mix inlays. Those filled CF tubes look very cool indeed,
One of my favorite places for handle material. Jantz is another.
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
MNOSD #0049
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JoviAl
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Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2022 9:36 pm
Location: Singapore

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#28

Post by JoviAl »

legOFwhat? wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:28 am
JoviAl wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:10 am
What a great website - how have I not come across it before?! I hope they ship to Singapore as I’d love to do some GITD epoxy mix inlays. Those filled CF tubes look very cool indeed,
One of my favorite places for handle material. Jantz is another.
I’ve not been on there either. This has been an educational evening!
- Al

Work: Jumpmaster 2

Home: DF2 K390 Wharncliffe/DF2 Salt H1 SE and K390 Police 4 LW SE/15V Shaman

Dream knives -
Chinook in Magnacut (any era)
Manix 2 XL Salt in Magnacut
A larger Rockjumper in Magnacut SE
TomAiello
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Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#29

Post by TomAiello »

Another place I get materials is https://www.makermaterialsupply.com
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sal
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#30

Post by sal »

Just a thought. When we first made folders, we made them of stainless handles with no pins showing. There are custom makers, artists really, that use the pins/screws a part of the art aspect of the custom knife. And in reality, you guys are custom makers. We make the motor. You supply the rest, from simple aftermarket scales to making our own, and I must say, very beautiful handles and sheaths. I'm pleased to be able to supply the Mules to you.

sal
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standy99
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Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#31

Post by standy99 »

TomAiello wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 1:53 pm
Another place I get materials is https://www.makermaterialsupply.com
Not forgetting Pops

https://popsknife.supplies/collections/g10
Im a vegetarian as technically cows are made of grass and water.
TomAiello
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Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#32

Post by TomAiello »

standy99 wrote:
Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:31 am
TomAiello wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 1:53 pm
Another place I get materials is https://www.makermaterialsupply.com
Not forgetting Pops

https://popsknife.supplies/collections/g10
I wonder if someone should write up a 'places to buy supplies' post and gather these all up in one thread in this forum?
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standy99
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Location: Between Broome and Cairns somewhere

Re: Homemade Mule Scale Recommendations

#33

Post by standy99 »

TomAiello wrote:
Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:44 pm
standy99 wrote:
Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:31 am
TomAiello wrote:
Thu Mar 02, 2023 1:53 pm
Another place I get materials is https://www.makermaterialsupply.com
Not forgetting Pops

https://popsknife.supplies/collections/g10
I wonder if someone should write up a 'places to buy supplies' post and gather these all up in one thread in this forum?
Think it’s good to get new members to interact and ask in a thread then just having a resource sometimes.
We are always happy to comment and it keeps our little Mule forum alive.
Im a vegetarian as technically cows are made of grass and water.
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