I was warned this could happen.....

[Cazador]

So this knife I've been working on for what feels like forever. I finally get to the point where I get the handles on and glued up and on the path to finishing it. Several of the folks on the form warned me about leaving the wood thin near the ricassso/finger coil area. I was asked if I ever had the wood break at in that area. I think I responded no, knock on wood. Well, it happened. This was a piece of pretty nice desert ironwood that will now have to come off. So, lesson learned...the hard way.

 

[Kevin Zito]

So this knife I've been working on for what feels like forever. I finally get to the point where I get the handles on and glued up and on the path to finishing it. Several of the folks on the form warned me about leaving the wood thin near the ricassso/finger coil area. I was asked if I ever had the wood break at in that area. I think I responded no, knock on wood. Well, it happened. This was a piece of pretty nice desert ironwood that will now have to come off. So, lesson learned...the hard way.

I think I thre one across the yard the other day for that very same reason.

 

[Randy Lucius]

Dang! That was a nice piece of wood too. If you want to go thin at the front a liner would give it a lot of support.

 

[Rick Otts]

That was a bummer!

 

[John Wilson]

This is one of those times where the wood grain matters. A wood with very tight, close grain can be taken pretty darn thin.

Looking at the ricasso end of those scales, that particular scale was cut from a block with fairly wide grain. The end grain of wood is always wanting to come apart. When the growth rings are far apart there is more chance of a chunk coming loose versus having the growth rings very close and tight, capturing itself.

 

[Chris Railey]

Break the other side use a needle file to smooth it out and rock on...

 

[KenH]

Break the other side use a needle file to smooth it out and rock on...

That was my thinking also - work VERY carefully trying to smooth up the break, make both sides match and nobody will ever know you didn't plan the shape. That's just too nice a piece of wood to destroy!

 

[bladegrinder]

Yea, that one calls for some kind of work-around. good luck.

 

[Chris Railey]

If you have a jewelers saw you can cut a kerf into the unbroken side to make sure it breaks properly.

 

[Von Gruff]

It's be tough to take that set off.

 

[Cazador]

Thanks all for the replies and suggestions. I had to set it aside for awhile and chill by working on something else. I wanted to throw the knife across the room but have gotten much better at not doing such things. That being said, I'll definitely try the suggestions mentioned to try and salvage it.

 

[Justin W.]

Oh man! I feel for ya cause I had this happen like two weeks ago

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

That sucks good luck. I agree that salvage is a better option. Might as well give it a try first. Worst case scenario you damage the handle and then you have to remove it. I really like using removable handles for this reason.