Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
- WilliamMunny
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Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
I finally found the time and tried to make a set of wood scales for my Bradley 2. It was done without a CNC machine. I primarily used a drill press and a band saw to cut the wood block to thickness.
The factory scales were only about .11” thick, this was achieved via bandsaw but I think next time I will try a table saw for a smoother cut. Next I traced the shape of the scale on the wood and shaped it on my drill press fitted with a sanding wheel. I tried a router with guide once but it caught the grain of the wood and blew it apart. From there I used double sided tape to connect the original scale to the wood one. It allowed me to sand the wood scales very close to the original and drill the screw holes. For the holes you need “numbered bits” 1-60, to have all the needed sizes. I used mill bits I got from Amazon for short money to recess the screw heads with a flat bottom. I also used them to drill out the recess for the lock bar. The stick was used as a guide to keep a straight line. From there I did some test fitting and a lot of sanding. I went use the following grits and no finish 100, 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 then a buffing wheel attach to my drill. The final product came out very nice but not perfect. It was very hard to get the correct scale thickness and centering the screw counter sink holes on the screw holes. The scales were stabilized but I don’t think they would stand up as well as the original ones. The knife is centered well and seems to function perfectly.
The project was hard, a lot harder than the mule handles I have made. The mule handles are fun, just add up money wise to keep buying mules to put handles on when I generally don’t carry a fixed blade. I continue to have a whole lot of respect for Sal and Spyderco in how accurate you need to be to make these knives.
Please feel free to ask questions I can go into a whole lot more detail.
The factory scales were only about .11” thick, this was achieved via bandsaw but I think next time I will try a table saw for a smoother cut. Next I traced the shape of the scale on the wood and shaped it on my drill press fitted with a sanding wheel. I tried a router with guide once but it caught the grain of the wood and blew it apart. From there I used double sided tape to connect the original scale to the wood one. It allowed me to sand the wood scales very close to the original and drill the screw holes. For the holes you need “numbered bits” 1-60, to have all the needed sizes. I used mill bits I got from Amazon for short money to recess the screw heads with a flat bottom. I also used them to drill out the recess for the lock bar. The stick was used as a guide to keep a straight line. From there I did some test fitting and a lot of sanding. I went use the following grits and no finish 100, 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 then a buffing wheel attach to my drill. The final product came out very nice but not perfect. It was very hard to get the correct scale thickness and centering the screw counter sink holes on the screw holes. The scales were stabilized but I don’t think they would stand up as well as the original ones. The knife is centered well and seems to function perfectly.
The project was hard, a lot harder than the mule handles I have made. The mule handles are fun, just add up money wise to keep buying mules to put handles on when I generally don’t carry a fixed blade. I continue to have a whole lot of respect for Sal and Spyderco in how accurate you need to be to make these knives.
Please feel free to ask questions I can go into a whole lot more detail.
Endura AUS-8, Manix 2 S30V, Alcyone BD1N, PM2 Micarta Cruwear, Native 5 Maxamet (2nd), Para 3 Maxamet (2nd), Magnacut Mule, Z-Wear Mule, BBB 15V Manix 2, REC PM3 10V Satin, Dragonfly Salt 2, GB2 M4.
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Nice work! Very pretty.
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Beautiful work sir
- 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
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
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
keep your knife sharp and your focus sharper.
current collection:
C36MCW2, C258YL, C253GBBK, C258GFBL, C101GBBK2, C11GYW, C11FWNB20CV, C101GBN15V2, C101GODFDE2, C60GGY, C149G, C189, C101GBN2, MT35, C211TI, C242CF, C217GSSF, C101BN2, C85G2, C91BBK, C142G, C122GBBK, LBK, LYL3HB, C193, C28YL2, C11ZPGYD, C41YL5, C252G, C130G, PLKIT1
spyderco steels:
H2, CPM 20CV, CPM 15V, CTS 204P, CPM CRUWEAR, CPM S30V, N690Co, M390, CPM MagnaCut, LC200N, CTS XHP, H1, 8Cr13MoV, GIN-1, CTS BD1, VG-10, VG-10/Damascus, 440C
current collection:
C36MCW2, C258YL, C253GBBK, C258GFBL, C101GBBK2, C11GYW, C11FWNB20CV, C101GBN15V2, C101GODFDE2, C60GGY, C149G, C189, C101GBN2, MT35, C211TI, C242CF, C217GSSF, C101BN2, C85G2, C91BBK, C142G, C122GBBK, LBK, LYL3HB, C193, C28YL2, C11ZPGYD, C41YL5, C252G, C130G, PLKIT1
spyderco steels:
H2, CPM 20CV, CPM 15V, CTS 204P, CPM CRUWEAR, CPM S30V, N690Co, M390, CPM MagnaCut, LC200N, CTS XHP, H1, 8Cr13MoV, GIN-1, CTS BD1, VG-10, VG-10/Damascus, 440C
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Those look awesome.
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Nice work, William. The scales look great!
- Nick
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
outstanding. thanks for sharing, very useful as a guide beyond being nice to look at.
edit: where would one look to find similar quality burl? other than knife supply sites i guess, or is that the simplest place
edit: where would one look to find similar quality burl? other than knife supply sites i guess, or is that the simplest place
- kennethsime
- Member
- Posts: 4787
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:28 pm
- Location: California
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Great work. Are the liners still exposed, or did you cover them up?
I’d love some contoured Micarta that defeats the proud liners.
I’d love some contoured Micarta that defeats the proud liners.
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.
Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
- WilliamMunny
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- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:20 pm
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
I got that specific burl from Woodcraft.com, its Red Coolibah that was about 2"x2"x6". I then sent it to K&G Finishing Supplies to have them stabilize it. I just don't do enough stabilizing to justify the $200+ worth of equipment to do it myself.
I also source wood from on my travels. Last year I picked up a good size block of Gaboon Ebony when I was in Ghana. Not cheap at $100 per board foot here in the US, but it was a bit cheaper at the source and has a great story behind it. Its considerably denser than oak, just need to find a good knife to use it on.
Probably the easiest way to just look on Ebay for "stabilized burl". They have a ton of really good-looking blocks and scales to choose from that are already stabilized for $20-$50. I personally have my eye on one, but I don't have another knife that needs scales yet, hahaha. You do lose the cool story behind the wood but to be honest a lot of them look better and it's so easy to go that route.
Endura AUS-8, Manix 2 S30V, Alcyone BD1N, PM2 Micarta Cruwear, Native 5 Maxamet (2nd), Para 3 Maxamet (2nd), Magnacut Mule, Z-Wear Mule, BBB 15V Manix 2, REC PM3 10V Satin, Dragonfly Salt 2, GB2 M4.
- WilliamMunny
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- Posts: 1187
- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:20 pm
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
I kept the lines exposed because I like the look and contrast to the wood.kennethsime wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2024 11:39 pmGreat work. Are the liners still exposed, or did you cover them up?
I’d love some contoured Micarta that defeats the proud liners.
It would be fairly easy to make them cover the liners. Just instead of tracing the scales trace the liners onto the new material you are using for the handle. Just make sure you don't over sand the edges when you get to that part or make them 1/32" big all around before you start sanding.
Endura AUS-8, Manix 2 S30V, Alcyone BD1N, PM2 Micarta Cruwear, Native 5 Maxamet (2nd), Para 3 Maxamet (2nd), Magnacut Mule, Z-Wear Mule, BBB 15V Manix 2, REC PM3 10V Satin, Dragonfly Salt 2, GB2 M4.
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Nicely done! Beautiful work.
Do right always. It will give you satisfaction in life.
--Wovoka
--Wovoka
- Manixguy@1994
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Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Great job , love the wood . MG2
MNOSD 0002 / Do more than is required of you . Patton
Nothing makes earth so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.
Henry David Thoreau
Nothing makes earth so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.
Henry David Thoreau
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Well done! Impressive work!
15 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut
-Rick
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut
-Rick
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
I agree with the above! I think they turned out very nice!
Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most!
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
I think they look great, William! Classy looking knife!
- Paul Ardbeg
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- Location: The Netherlands
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Wow! The most classy GB i've ever seen Great job on the scales
PM2 Crucarta, Manix 2 lw s110v, Manix 2 blackout, Shaman, Tenacious, GB1, GB2, Smock, Kapara, Native 5 s90v, Chaparral cts-xhp faceted Ti, Para 3 blackout flytanium scales. PM2 M390 DLT exclusive, Caly 3 Superblue sprint run, Police PE ATS-55, Mcbee, Caly 3.5 ZDP189 CF, PM2 Maxamet, Millitary CF s90v sprint run, Lil' Native CF s90v sprint run, Mule CPM Rex T15, Spydiechef, Amalgam.
MNOSD member #0052
***Memento mori, memento vivere***
MNOSD member #0052
***Memento mori, memento vivere***
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Those turned out great, burl was a fantastic choice!
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Nice look. Nice work.
-Marc (pocketing an S30V Military2 today)
“When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.”
“When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.”
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Those look awesome, I can just imagine how much work it was. Burl is not very strong because the wood grain is so disrupted by the burl so it was a big win just to have them stay in one piece for the whole operation.
- WilliamMunny
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- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:20 pm
Re: Handmade Burl Wood Scales for the Gayle Bradley 2
Very much so, had a router blow apart a set while using a bearing bit as a guide on the original scale. It’s why I switched to a sanding disc on my drill press to shape the scale since they are so thin.
Stabilizing helps to make them a lot stronger. I also used black Starbond CA glue in the of the larger voids to further strengthen them. I will use the knife as normal and see how they stand up. If they do break down it will give me a good reason to try and make another set. Woodworking is a hobby so I just bring my dog out in the garage and we have fun working on stuff.
Mules tend to be a lot easier just because you can make the scale thicker and/or you have room enough to back the Burl wood with thin G10 with epoxy to further strengthen it.
Endura AUS-8, Manix 2 S30V, Alcyone BD1N, PM2 Micarta Cruwear, Native 5 Maxamet (2nd), Para 3 Maxamet (2nd), Magnacut Mule, Z-Wear Mule, BBB 15V Manix 2, REC PM3 10V Satin, Dragonfly Salt 2, GB2 M4.