Leather knife/tool handles

[Mocivnik]

I got an order to make a leather handle for a smaller dagger, but not sure how to do it.

 

I already tried once, but was unsuccessful. I cut out leather circles 40mm (1 1/2"), made a hole in the middle and stacked them together not being shy with epoxy, and squeezed with the end nut. Later on I used dremmel and sandpaper to shape it and used fine grit sandpaper (P240 i think) and used resolene afterwards.

 

The result was so poor, I didn't even took the picture, before I cut it off. Anyone got any better ideas on how to do leather handle as such?

Pics for attention. And to show what I got.

[Handstitched]

I've never made one myself. Might check this vid out myself. Hope it helps . 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCxUzW0PKfk

HS

[chuck123wapati]

i think  your choice of glue was the biggest problem. Use contact cement or elmers type, then you need to compress the handle. if the handle has a bolt end that is great other wise you will need to build a jig to compress. Sand then burnish.

[Mocivnik]

First attempt was made with epoxy, which turned out pretty bad.

I'm generally using this glue as for leather to glue together, should it turn out better?

[PastorBob]

9 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

First attempt was made with epoxy, which turned out pretty bad.

I'm generally using this glue as for leather to glue together, should it turn out better?

If it is a white glue, it may be similar to the Elmer's glue @chuck123wapati mentioned.  It will need to be compressed or clamped for longer than a contact cement, but should work just fine.

[chuck123wapati]

11 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

First attempt was made with epoxy, which turned out pretty bad.

I'm generally using this glue as for leather to glue together, should it turn out better?

i have found regular contact cement is the ticket. glue up your pieces then let it dry for a day then wet and compress your handle.

[Mocivnik]

1 hour ago, PastorBob said:

If it is a white glue, it may be similar to the Elmer's glue @chuck123wapati mentioned.  It will need to be compressed or clamped for longer than a contact cement, but should work just fine.

it's not exactly white, it's more like yellow-transparent. Gets very tacky quick and I use it for most of my leather projects.

@chuck123wapati

I appriciate this info, but to be honest, I don't even know what exactly a contact cement is. In Europe, we dont use this term.

 

The blue "MOVI Multikol" glue, I attached earlier, is super simmilar to this glue. If anything helps, tho..

https://www.kemostik.com/neostik-en/products-adhesives/universal-glues/neostik-universal-en/

[PastorBob]

5 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

it's not exactly white, it's more like yellow-transparent. Gets very tacky quick and I use it for most of my leather projects.

@chuck123wapati

I appriciate this info, but to be honest, I don't even know what exactly a contact cement is. In Europe, we dont use this term.

 

The blue "MOVI Multikol" glue, I attached earlier, is super simmilar to this glue. If anything helps, tho..

https://www.kemostik.com/neostik-en/products-adhesives/universal-glues/neostik-universal-en/

That is contact cement, just like what @chuck123wapati described. Will work perfectly.

[chuck123wapati]

13 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

it's not exactly white, it's more like yellow-transparent. Gets very tacky quick and I use it for most of my leather projects.

@chuck123wapati

I appriciate this info, but to be honest, I don't even know what exactly a contact cement is. In Europe, we dont use this term.

 

The blue "MOVI Multikol" glue, I attached earlier, is super simmilar to this glue. If anything helps, tho..

https://www.kemostik.com/neostik-en/products-adhesives/universal-glues/neostik-universal-en/

I'm sorry i should have looked closer at your location and your product yes what you have is contact cement it will work perfectly!

6 minutes ago, PastorBob said:

That is contact cement, just like what @chuck123wapati described. Will work perfectly.

Thanks Pastor 

[Mocivnik]

@PastorBob and @chuck123wapati: thank you, both of you!

 

And just a question about finishing touch: what to use to finish the leather? I assume, when I glue it together, I sand it with some 240 grit sandpaper (dremmel), and then use...what? Usually I finish my edges with water + burnished, after it's dried, I just apply Fiebing's pro dye/edge kote and that's it.

[PastorBob]

You are most welcome.  You can burnish using multiple liquid applications: water, tokonole, Gum Trajacanth (GT), or even a dye.  I would probably use Tokonole or GT.  I don't think you will need to add any dye to it.  That way you can see the actual stack pattern and natural variation of the leather pieces..

[chuck123wapati]

32 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

@PastorBob and @chuck123wapati: thank you, both of you!

 

And just a question about finishing touch: what to use to finish the leather? I assume, when I glue it together, I sand it with some 240 grit sandpaper (dremmel), and then use...what? Usually I finish my edges with water + burnished, after it's dried, I just apply Fiebing's pro dye/edge kote and that's it.

after you glue it up then you have to compress it so it gets hard wet it like you would to wet form then compress it and let it dry before shaping and finishing. I sand it then burnish it with a polishing wheel. after that you put any sealer you like 

i make mine in sections then soak them and compress them in a vice between two pieces of wood. 

cut your slots to fit your tang use your tang to glue up your pieces in line to make two or three sections, take your glued and dried sections off your tang and then wet and compress them  after they are dry then you can clean out the tang slots slide the sections on(glue them now)  and  the last step of putting on the hilt should compress those seams , shape, sand and burnish and seal.

[Handstitched]

@chuck123wapati thats quite informative    

Just been reading through the whole thread .  Always learning  

HS

[Mocivnik]

On 1/12/2023 at 6:45 PM, PastorBob said:

You are most welcome.  You can burnish using multiple liquid applications: water, tokonole, Gum Trajacanth (GT), or even a dye.  I would probably use Tokonole or GT.  I don't think you will need to add any dye to it.  That way you can see the actual stack pattern and natural variation of the leather pieces..

Well, to be honest, I plan to make stacked handle mostly from natural color, while using a few black pieces by the end of the handle in between to add the contrast. But I find it difficulty to burnish it because of the shape, as it's not a good shape for wooden slicker tho.

 

@chuck123wapati: thank you for tips!

 

[PastorBob]

48 minutes ago, Mocivnik said:

Well, to be honest, I plan to make stacked handle mostly from natural color, while using a few black pieces by the end of the handle in between to add the contrast. But I find it difficulty to burnish it because of the shape, as it's not a good shape for wooden slicker tho.

 

@chuck123wapati: thank you for tips!

 

Use a piece of canvas or...turn the slicker around and use the handle to burnish.  Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Mocivnik said:

Well, to be honest, I plan to make stacked handle mostly from natural color, while using a few black pieces by the end of the handle in between to add the contrast. But I find it difficulty to burnish it because of the shape, as it's not a good shape for wooden slicker tho.

 

@chuck123wapati: thank you for tips!

 

i use a cotton buffing wheel to burnish the handles or as the pastor says a piece of canvas will work, clamp your knife blade in something and go to town like you would buffing a shoe.

[Burkhardt]

 

14 hours ago, Mocivnik said:

Well, to be honest, I plan to make stacked handle mostly from natural color, while using a few black pieces by the end of the handle in between to add the contrast. But I find it difficulty to burnish it because of the shape, as it's not a good shape for wooden slicker tho.

 

@chuck123wapati: thank you for tips!

 

As both @chuck123wapati and @PastorBob said if the leather has been compressed first, after it's sanded a piece of canvas or a part of blue jeans on the leather with a little water and go to town on it. Rubbed enough it will look better than just sanding then apply finish.