Trailmaster Re-handle

[Mr. Bad Example]

Some of you may have seen this on another forum, but for those who haven't:

The donor knife was a well used USA made Cold Steel Carbon V TrailMaster.

The handle is a nice chunk of Desert Ironwood.

First I removed the Kraton handle and the guard.

I split the block of Ironwood on a bandsaw and mortised a space for the tang with my drill press, then epoxied the two halves back together and shaped it with the belt sander. It is affixed to the tang with epoxy, a 5/16" Corby bolt and the brass lanyard tube--it is never coming off.

I cut and shaped the stock guard to go along with the coffin handle theme, then attached it with JB Weld. I used a thin black spacer between the guard and handle to get a tighter fit and because I thought it would look nice.

The wood is sanded to 800 grit and finished with CA, then smoothed with 0000 steel wool and buffed with white compound.

Yes, there are some issues--I made the lanyard tube hole a little big so there is some epoxy showing and the handle-to-guard fit could have been just a little tighter. For my first try, though, I'm happy with it.

Thoughts, opinions and constructive criticisms welcome!

 

[James Terrio]

Cool! Those are excellent blades and deserve a nice handle. Your coffin guard is a really nice touch.

There's one on my bench that's crying out for a similar treatment. I refinished the blade and have a new nickel-silver guard fitted to it but haven't made up my mind as to handle material.

 

[Mr. Bad Example]

Cool! Those are excellent blades and deserve a nice handle. Your coffin guard is a really nice touch.

There's one on my bench that's crying out for a similar treatment. I refinished the blade and have a new nickel-silver guard fitted to it but haven't made up my mind as to handle material.

NS would look nice. I had planned to make a custom guard, but the OEM one just fit so well and then I saw a custom made Bowie with the coffin-shaped guard I decided to go with it.

Originally I was going to fit a stag crown but that just didn't pan out. I really like Ironwood--I wish fitment of the lanyard tube has come out a little better (ironically, it was my first try at a Corby bolt that I was most concerned about).
I do plan to clean up the blade--I'm thinking about trying a Scotch Brite type belt in my grinder to try and mimic the OEM finish.

 

[James Terrio]

Corbies kick butt. The first time I used them I was worried too but they came out fine, even tho I didn't have the proper stepped drill bit. Maybe you could re-drill that lanyard hole and try again with a 5/16" tube instead of 1/4"? Honestly I think I'd leave it like it is.

I'll try to get a decent pic and show you what I meant by refinishing mine... I think your Scoth-Brite idea would be cool as well.

Well I can't decide which pic is worse so I put them together. Basic hand-satin finish with a few drops of mustard applied to the flats. Hides scratches

 

[Mr. Bad Example]

Corbies kick butt. The first time I used them I was worried too but they came out fine, even tho I didn't have the proper stepped drill bit. Maybe you could re-drill that lanyard hole and try again with a 5/16" tube instead of 1/4"? Honestly I think I'd leave it like it is.

I'll try to get a decent pic and show you what I meant by refinishing mine... I think your Scoth-Brite idea would be cool as well.

Well I can't decide which pic is worse so I put them together. Basic hand-satin finish with a few drops of mustard applied to the flats. Hides scratches

That finish is very interesting! I think it would look sharp with a NS or polished stainless guard. Perhaps some African Blackwood for the handle?

Yes, I'll probably leave the lanyard tube alone--I may try to color the little sliver of epoxy that is visible. I should have tried to expand the tube to fill the slightly oversize hole I made before the epoxy dried.

Live and learn! The next one will be better.

Make sure you post pics of yours when you get it done.