Shark Skin On Knife Handles

[didtas]

Hi,
I Dont Know If Any One Help ,i Have Some Tanned Mako Shark Skin And Would Like To Fit It On A Knife Handle,the Question Is How Does One Fit It To The Handle.i Thought About Sewing Up A Sleve ,soaking It And Hope It Would Shrink To A Good Fit.

Any Help On This Subject Would Be Appreciated.



Regards Didtas.

[Ray Rogers]

Leather isn't commonly used on knife handles because it is difficult to make a secure, long lasting handle from it. With thicker leather like cow hide a very serviceable handle can be made using washers cut from the leather and stacked on the tang. With thin leather like you have the Japanese probably have the best method. They lay a sheet of shark sikin or ray skin on the wooden handle and then secure it under the braided cord that is commonly seen on the handles of their swords.

A lot will depend on the characteristics of tanned Mako leather - which few of us ever have seen, I imagine - and also on the type and shape of your handle. I'm sure a lot can be done with it, but I think you will have to experiment to see what works best. You might want to consider using the Mako on the sheath rather than the handle.......

[McAhron]

I dont know how it was done but many US cavalry swords had sharkskin handles, so maybe a search on there construction may help.

[sdcb27]

Shark and Ray skin was the main handle material on japanese swords and a search here and on google will provide alot of information on how to secure it, really little more then glueing and sewing it

[sjaqua]

I know Shark and Ray skins are traditional handle materials for a lot of different styles of blades. And I have considered picking up ray skin in the past.

However, I have to twitch more then a little at the use of shark skin. One of my other hobbies (the expensive one) is underwater photography. Diving and the amazing things I have seen, has made me more then a little concerned about our oceans. Sharks are in decline world wide. Mako's are in real trouble. That's not to say knife handles are the cause (shark finning for the Asian market is). But, it has made me shy away from all shark products.

Just my $.02 worth. (and it may not even be worth that)

[Don Halter]

We usually go out surf fishing in may/June when the schools of blacktips follow the bluefish into shallow waters. I've been wanting to try some shark skin on some handles for a while now. I was under the impression the shark/ray skins for Japanese wraps are not tanned, but just dryed/salted, then bleached, then dyed.

[SteveA]

Seems like Jim Hrisoulas in one of his books addressed leather handles. IIRC, the most basic approach was stretching garment leather over a wood core. It was glued on with contact cement, I think. Maybe some ferrules to make sure the ends stay down.

I can see that they might not be exceptionally durable, but it's still something I want to try because I think it could look pretty neat, especially the variations with twisted wire... but all that is really just one more on a list of things to try "someday". Right now I'm still more concerned with basic fit and finish, clean and crisp...

Steve

[sjaqua]

Yup! that's how Dr Jim does it.

A open twisted wire wrap of leather or ray skin would make a very nice handle. The contact cement, ferrules and twisted wire all compined should be more the enough to keep the shape and size of the skin stable. It might loosen up between the wire wrappings some. But with such a small surface area, I doubt you would notice it.

[didtas]

Thanks,
for all the replies ,I might try using a strip wrap with a silver strip between the bands.
Thanks again for the replies ,the information from this site is excellent .I sometimes wonder what I did prior to the Internet.

DIDTAS.