Materials for Mule Team Scales - What's easy to work with?

[gac]

I was thinking of ordering a sheet of carbon fiber to make a set of scales for my 52100 Mule. Is this an easy material to work with? I reckon I can just cut the shapes and sand the material down the same way as wood.

For those of you that have made scales before: do you have a recommended material to work with?

[vampyrewolf]

I'm waiting for my S90V to get here (cleared customs on the 18th)... I've got clear black acrylic (possibly plexi but I'm not sure WHERE I got this chunk) that I'm using. Have some white plexi as well that I'm going to make a computer chassis with, but might put a 2 tone handle on depending on thickness when I start playing.

I just have to find some threaded tube in either a 440 or 632 thread.

Making my own sheath for horizontal across the small of my back, but I'll focus on the handles before I hunt down leather.


The only real issue working with CF and G-10 is the dust. You will want to get a mask that filters both particulate and dust. You DO NOT want to get a lung full of CF dust. It's not such an issue getting it all over your clothing and skin (no worse than fibreglass or metal dust).

[Spyderwings]

Yes, as VW said, you must WEAR A RESPIRATOR while working with anything like G-10 or CF. Your lungs will really hate you if you don't.

[Buran]

I worked in the Fiberglass industry for about 15 years and I can tell you if all your doing is cutting, sanding and polishing CF or Micarta then yes it's very easy to work with. Again though take the others advice and wear a respirator.

[Quickbeam]

I'd say that wood scales and brass fittings would probably be easiest to start off with.

Brass is much easier to cut and file than stainless steel. Most woods are easier to saw and shape than micarta, g10 or CF. You still need to be careful about wood dust, especially some varieties, but generally its a lot safer than micarta, G10 and CF dust.

Here's a link to a tutorial I did....

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35469

Nick

[gac]

Here's a link to a tutorial I did....

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35469

Trust me, dude. I've seen the post many, many times. That's why I am going to get some handle material. I suppose I'll just get some wood blanks and then figure out what hardware to use.

[Quickbeam]

The first knives I made were done with quite cheap materials - black liners, maple, 6mm brass pins, 6 mm brass lanyard tube. Once I got the hang of it and was able to get the scales on without any gaps, I moved on to the more expensive woods.

[gac]

I saw the brass rod was sticking out of the wood after glueing the scales onto the blade. Is the brass rod easy to cut or file down to the level of the wood? It looks like it would be tricky to get the brass cut down without sanding away the wood too.

I was thinking of trying to find some decent looking fasteners at a hardware store at try them out. But, if the brass pins are easy to make maybe I can try that out. Heck, I could just epoxy the whole thing without any fasteners at all.

[Quickbeam]

Just file down the brass until its level with the wood, you'll probably want to take some of the wood off too unless scales are very thin.

Nick

[Doc Pyres]

Nick, your work is truly excellent. Gac and vampyrewolf, looking forward to seeing your results. You guys are making me think even I should give this a try.