# Mora 612 Handle Build



## cb3725 (Jul 4, 2012)

I've made a handle for one stick tang before, an Indian River Trader, and it came out mediocre. Lessons learned on that, I determined to really take my time with this Mora and see how things turned out. 

In the beginning...

The handle was red, very red. If you know Mora's, you've seen the bull-maddening shade they like for the handle color. Apparently, Mora used to pin their knife tangs into the handle by way of a drilled hole and a simple pin through a tang hole perpendicular to the handle. Now, they disclose that they affix the blade to the handle by way of epoxy poured down the tang hole. Probably just as effective holding everything together, but not as easy to remove without destroying the handle. So I destroyed the handle instead. I made a cut in the bade of the handle, inserted a chisel, and gave a couple hits with a hammer. It did the trick separating he handle from the tang, and I was actually quite surprised as the small dab of epoxy that was actually in there. Not much at all.












The only part of the handle I needed to salvage was the bit of wood used to fill the metal thimble below the finger guard. A quick cut with the coping saw removed that section from the existing handle, and I tucked that piece back where it came from.






Having some curly maple on hand already cut in a cylinder, my initial plan was to sandwich the leather spacers between maple just below the guard and maple for the pommel. I cut a small disc of maple and drilled a tang hole through the center. I cut a larger section of maple for the pommel and drilled a hole about three quarters of the way through the center of it as well, making a good seat for the bottom of the tang.






Heading upstairs to my other workshop, aka the dining room table, I cut out squares of leather slightly larger across than the diameter of the maple discs. Let me stop here at the leather cutting. If you're looking at the pics as you read this, you'll see I skipped a crucial step (at least one) - taping up the blade. No excuse, I just didn't and I'm lucky that Mora didn't cut me. I'm stopping here because at this point in my story, I laid my index finger open, not with the knife, but with the xacto I use to cut leather. Finger leaking blood, I rinsed it off, applied pressure for a couple minutes, and then super glued the slice shut. Worked like a charm. So taping up the blade wouldn't have saved my finger, but it's still a good idea! I cut a little over 3 inches worth of leather spacers, then back down to the garage.






Selecting a drill bit slightly larger than the tang, I drilled through each layer of leather, then stacked it on the tang. At this point, I decided to abandon the top layer of maple so that more leather could be used. I really like the look of stacked leather. It's attractive and durable, and I wanted to use as much of it as I could for this knife.






Next, I removed all the leather from the tang. A good mix of epoxy and some quick work applying it to each leather spacer, then sliding the spacer back to it's place on the knife. I tried to be generous with the epoxy so that each layer of leather would adhere to the layers on either side of it, and also to the tang running down the center.  Once all the spacers were in place, the maple pommel epoxied as well, then was placed on the top of the upside-down knife, and then clamped down to set.






At this point, I took the vicious xacto and trimmed the leather into a very rough cylindrical shape. More of an octagon, really.

Later...

After pondering how things were progressing with the setting epoxy, I got to thinking that it could probably use more epoxy down the center of the handle holding the tang and everything in place. Not one to leave well enough alone, I un-clamped the pommel, drilled a nice big hole down to the tang, then mixed up another small batch of epoxy and forced it down the hole. Not much epoxy was needed, which I guess meant I had done a decent job of slathering on the epoxy previously. Everything seemed to be setting up solid, so I tossed a nickel on the butt of the knife (cheap pommel) to cover up the hole I'd drilled, and clamped it all back down.

Even later....

Now that everything was dry, I un-clamped it all for the second time and began the sanding. The pic below is what I was left with after about 20 minutes on the belt sander. A shape of some sort is starting to emerge. Sanding leather is pretty quick work and also smells good, for some reason. My intent was to emulate the same barrel shape that the original Mora handle used. It's a comfortable design. I also sanded off the image on the pommel nickel, leaving just a silver disc.






There isn't much I can say about the sanding. Once I had pretty much the handle shape I wanted, I took it outside to the good light and looked over the shape carefully for symmetry. Finding a few "off" spots, I took it back to the sander.

Shaping finished, the next step in this process is one I learned while making sheaths. The sanding did a good job of shaping the leather to a mostly level, consistent surface, but with leather, there are all these variations in the texture itself. By soaking the sides of the spacers in super glue, it soaks into the leather, then hardens into a sand-able surface. I'll apply a generous amount of super glue, the quickly rub it into the leather with an old t-shirt. Gotta be quick though, because thin layers harden almost instantly. Using the t-shirt to apply it, the shirt will end up glued to your finger at some point. Once the surface of the leather is covered, let it dry completely. After allowing time to dry, I used a 600 grit sandpaper to smooth the now glue covered  leather. Sanding will generate a fine white dust. Wipe this off. I then went to steel wool and smoothed out the surface even further.






At this stage, the knife handle looks pretty well done. The leather is sealed and now waterproof, looks good to me, and has a matte finish. If you're going for a glossy finish, further polishing would be necessary, or at least some semi-gloss polyurethane. I've used poly over leather before with good results.






After this attempt, I've decided modding stick tang knives is not quite as intimidating as I had believed, but it is time consuming. Definitely something I'll do again on a free weekend.


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## sharpeblades (Jul 4, 2012)

Nice job, it looks good


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## Blue grass in Georgia (Jul 4, 2012)

That looks killer, I like it. Danny


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## tedsknives (Jul 4, 2012)

Great job on the rebuild and go tutorial. Thanks for the pics.


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## Razor Blade (Jul 4, 2012)

Good job. Scott


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## Tomahawk1088 (Jul 4, 2012)

Looks great! If you don't want to go through the process of removing the original handle bensbackwoods.com has Mora blade blanks.


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## godogs57 (Jul 5, 2012)

Great job on the rebuild. It looks beautiful. 

I can offer a hint the next time you need to get epoxy into a deep, narrow, hole like that. Get your epoxy mixed and then use a common soda straw to suck the epoxy into the straw. Then lower the straw all the way into the hole and blow gently as you are lifting the straw out. 

The first time I saw that trick, I thought I was seeing magic.


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## wvdawg (Jul 5, 2012)

Nice job.  Love the look of stacked leather!


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## Anvil Head (Jul 6, 2012)

Better use long cure epoxy with the straw trick (takes a while to get it off your teeth!). I read a lot.

You can also use those little coffee stirrers, just slide one down the hole to the bottom then lift it up a hair, pour the epoxy in around it (not through it). It will act as an air relief and let the epoxy flow to the bottom. Pullout slowly.
Work towards a tighter fit.... < epoxy + < chance for material shifting (alignment altercations) + < mess = stronger joint mechanics .


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## georgiaboy (Jul 6, 2012)

Nice job and great tutorial.  I don't like the red handle either but I went the quicker and less skillful route: I sanded and then put a torch to mine. The red solid stain/paint came off and I was left with a nice and rustic finish.  I sanded, lightly stained and sealed.  

Yours looks better lol.


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## IIICrkRepr (Jul 6, 2012)

I have an old brick trowel from my father with a handle that is similar in shape and materials, it has always been my favorite to use.


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## jbrooker (Jul 9, 2012)

good job, that reminds me I have got one waiting to be rehandled myself


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## Razor Blade (Jul 9, 2012)

James , that one has BEEN  waiting on you. Scott


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## jbrooker (Jul 9, 2012)

Scott, quit trying to hijack this thread. I know it has been waiting good thing I didn't promise it before Christmas.


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## Nastytater (Aug 9, 2012)

Nice descriptions. I've been wanting to try one,just thought it was more difficult. Think I'll give  it a whirl next.


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## joe sangster (Aug 12, 2012)

Nice job & nice tutorial .  Thanks !


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