Handcarved Knife Handles

I work with a variety of local and imported exotic hardwoods, often combining contrasting woods in the same handle.

How I mount my own blades

For my own carving knives, I use industrial hot glue rather than permanently epoxying the blades in place. I prefer this because the blades can later be removed and exchanged depending on the work at hand. I lay a hot water bottle on the bolster for about 10 minutes, which softens the glue enough to pull the blade out and swap it with another blade with a compatible tang.

This isn't a new idea — traditional Japanese kitchen knife handles (WA handles) have long been designed to be taken off and replaced for reasons of maintenance as well as aesthetics and personal preference.

If you ask me to fit a handle for you, I’m happy to discuss the mounting method — epoxy or whatever else you have in mind — but the final choice is entirely up to you.

Sizes and shapes

By "size" I don't just mean hand size — I also mean what the tool is used for. For carving the inner hollow of deep bowls, and especially shrink pots, I use longer handles. (I'm not saying it cannot be done with shorter handles, I've done it for years ...)

Surface Finish

I use a variety of tools to shape and finish the handles (gouge, spokeshave, drawknife, rasp, my teeth, ...). For the most part, I finish the surface smooth and the end user can alter the surface however feels right to his/her hands. For my own use I prefer a rough surface for better grip, which won't make it to a fashion show but works for me better this way.

All handles get a thin, wiped-on coat of oil-based satin Arm-R-Seal. It seals the wood so that over time dirt, metal dust, and honing residue don't work their way into the grain, and makes the handle easier to wipe clean after sharpening and carving. The coat is thin enough that while it wears off the surface it stays deep in the grain.

Purchasing

Available as-is or fitted, $60–$150 CAD depending on size, species and sourcing costs. Local cash sales only. For availability, purchases or questions, send me a message through the Contact page on this website.

If you would like a handle made from scratch to your own preferences, let me know and we can talk about that.