Double-edged Little Roks in Micarta and Cocobolo

[Stormcrow]

Here are a couple of double-edged Little Roks that went out last week.

 

The first is in olive drab Micarta, stainless pins and flared-tube rivet, 5160 steel, with olive drab Kydex sheath.

 

 

 

The second has beautiful cocobolo handle slabs, brass pins and flared-tube rivet, 5160 steel, and black Kydex sheath.

 

 

[njanvilman]

Nice work.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

I always enjoy looking at your work.  Very nice knives.

[metal99]

Very nice knives Stormcrow, I've always found your knives very appealing!

[Weltall]

I like those! The cocobolo is really pretty.

Newbie question now, how do you flare the tube? Clearance the wood and use a flaring tool, then file it flush?

[Stormcrow]

Thank y'all!

 

Weltall - I use a set of flaring dies that fit in my arbor press.  I got them from USA Knifemaker Supply.  I drill the hole in the tang, then through each slab of the handle material.  I switch the drill bit for a countersink and use the depth stop on my drill press to make sure that both of the handle slabs are countersunk to the same depth.  Then I use a tubing cutter (best word of advice I can give you, lay down the $35 for a tubing cutter!  Easiest, cleanest way for cutting tubing there is.) to cut the rivet the length of the final handle thickness.  Then I use the countersink to clean up the inside of the cut and thin the wall a bit to make it spread more easily.  After epoxying the handle slabs and pins and clamping everything, I make sure the tube is centered in the handle, lightly flare just a bit, check to make sure that it is still centered, then flare the rest of the way.  It will flare a little more on the top side than the bottom, so I will flare from both sides and rotate to make sure it's even.  Afterwards, you can use the countersink on the inside of the flared tube to shine it up a bit.  Then I clamp the handle slabs in between any of the flared tube rivets and let the epoxy set up overnight, followed by final cleanup.

 

You don't really have to worry about Micarta or G10, but it is possible to crack wood handle slabs if you flare too hard.  Be careful.  And make sure that the points of the flaring dies are both in the tube before pulling down on the handle!