Stacked Leather Handle For A Knife Project, Prep Dying And Finishing

[MatthewMachinist]

Hi, I am starting a leatherworking project it's a stacked leather handle for a knife, similar to what you would find on the infamous Kabar -

http://www.self-reliance-works.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Ka-Bar-Stacked-Leather-Handle-400x248.jpg

I have a couple of questions that I need help with, technically the entire working surface is the "edge" of the leather so what products would you guys recommend. I have heard good things about Fiebing products so I would go with Dye Prep for starters, the question is will it dissolve the Araldite glue? Should I use the Dye Prep before or after joining the pieces together?

Next I am thinking I would use Fiebing Leather Dye. I assume I should dye after gluing the pieces together when it is just about finish size, or perhaps when it is at finished size?

I am not sure what product to use after the Dye, is the Fiebing product called "edge kote" a dye or a sealer? Or would you recommend Dura Edge? Are either of these products waterproof? The goal is to produce a leather handle which is water proof, feels like leather, doesn't feel like plastic and has a non gloss finish, What product or combination of products would you guys recommend for finishing.

I have heard some people use superglue to finish after dying, that at least is straightforward, however I am trying to avoid the glossy plastic feel, it doesn't make sense to me to make a nice leather handle then coat it in plastic. As you guys may have guessed I am a beginner and I am quite surprised how little information the companies that make this stuff can give you regarding procedures for use. Thanks.

[electrathon]

I made one of these once. I cut the circles, dipped them in epoxy and assembled (tape where ever you do not want glue and wear gloves). Waited a day to dry and worked it into shape on the belt sander. You must cut the circles a little big, there is no way to keep them totally straight. After it was in shape I coated the handle with neet laq to seal the edges.

Aaron

[Dwight]

Personally, . . . I would put the pieces together like Electrathon said, . . . making em a little bigger than the finished pruduct I wanted.

I would then put them together on the knife shaft with Weldwood contact cement, . . . but first be sure to scuff up each piece on the hair side so the cement has something to bond to real good.

Once all the pieces are in place, . . . I'd take it to my little belt sander and rough out the shape, . . . put the blade in a vice and finsh sanding the shape with long strips of plumbers sandpaper (it comes in a 1 inch wide or so strip).

I would be very careful and sponge on or daub on any dye I wanted using Feibings oil dye, . . . followed with two or three light coats of neatsfoot oil, . . . and end up by rubbing the outside with beeswax and going over it very lightly with a low setting heat gun to melt the beeswax into the fibers.

You need the oil in there first to protect and help waterproof it, . . . then the wax to add another layer of waterproof plus add some rigidity to the exterior layers of the leather and make it a bit more solid.

Don't forgt to post pictures when it is done, . . . those are really good looking when done right.

May God bless,

Dwight

[MatthewMachinist]

_{Hey, thanks for the help guys, I really liked the advice so I went with the following procedure, I used the araldite epoxy glue because I already had it on hand.}

_{1Put washers on handle and compress for a few days(pre compression).}

_{2Remove and sand shiny side to help glue adhere (I skipped the sanding step as it seemed pointless)}

_{3Apply release agent to handle etc so that handle can be removed if needed. (release agent was a leftover from a gunsmithing project)}

_{4Glue both sides of first one, then one side of each additional leather piece, use araldite glue.}

_{5Add pieces quickly and carefully}

_{6Emplace end cap and leave for 3 days to set}

_{7Take close to finish size using grinder or in my case a lathe.}

_{8Sand to finish size, started with 120 grit then 180 fin 240 grit, sand both ways to remove feathers}

_{9Use dye prep x2 coats wipe off excess}

_{10Dye leather x2 coats wipe off excess}

_{11Apply neatsfoot oil, liberally, two light coats should do the job. Leave to settle into leather overnight.}

_{12Warm beeswax and handle with hair dryer and apply beeswax to seal handle.}

It was probably overkill using the lathe but it worked well and helped to make it a neat job. I have no regrets using the epoxy. I had to do the job twice though, the first time I sanded with just 120 grit and after dying and oiling I could see feathers or stringy bits coming out of the handle. I redid the handle going to 240 grit and I also made sure I sanded both ways i.e reversing my direction of sanding, logically sanding one way pushes those stringy bits down, sanding the other way raises them up and removes them... I beginners mistake.

The beeswax works really well, you were correct that you do need heat to melt it once it is on the handle, the beeswax was a very nice finishing touch. The best thing is it looks and feels like leather, I am very happy with it but I think when I do my next project I won't make the handle black, I don't think black is the best colour for leather.

Here are some photos, yes I used a little too much epoxy and in one of the photos you can see the feathers that I later removed. http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/matthewdd3/library/?view=recent&page=1