This week's Ek Project

[M14sRock]

This Ek M5 was a gift from a buddy, and it lives in my drag bag. It came with the paracord wrapped handle which is utilitarian and functional, but not usable for long periods.

I had a set of brown canvas Micarta scales left in the handle bin, so decided to do it up. I used black linen Micarta pins, mostly because I was out of brass rod stock and did not want to wait to order any.

Here is what it started out like.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1067.jpg

Here is the blade with the tang exposed.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1068.jpg

And let's cut to the chase.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1069.jpg

The scales were routered out and trued up, then roughed up on the inside, as was the tang. The Ek is a high carbon stainless steel, so there were a couple of spots of rust under the paracord.

The Ek has a long tang, and I toyed with the idea of making it shorter, then decided to stay with the full length, and leaving the end exposed. It will make for a very nice Skullcrusher if the need ever arises.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1071.jpg
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1070.jpg

I also decided to wrap another layer of paracord around the sheath, and wrapped it over a magnesium firestarter. The sheath is now probably wrapped with about 35-40 feet of paracord, and the magnesium firestarter is always a good bonus.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/Blade%20stuff/IMAG1072.jpg

I will do a little more work on the handle but it is essentially finished. It will darken up nicely after I handle it for a while.

Finish was left "in the rough" again, and it feels great.

I use this knife all the time and have wanted to change out the handle since day 1. Glad it is finally ready to go.

[tump]

nice job

[mitchstoner]

Nice, nice, nice! What do you mean about roughing up the tang and the inside of the scales? Are the scales glued to the tang, as well as pinned?

I've never used micarta, will it take an oil finish? Or what would normally be used if you wanted to finish it?

[M14sRock]

Nice, nice, nice! What do you mean about roughing up the tang and the inside of the scales? Are the scales glued to the tang, as well as pinned?

I've never used micarta, will it take an oil finish? Or what would normally be used if you wanted to finish it?

I rough up the surface of the tang so that it holds the epoxy better. Same goes for the inside (routered) channels of the Micarta.

Micarta is great to work with. It can be polished, or left rough. This was just sanded with 600 grit crocus cloth. Feels good and non-slip. The scales get glued on, then the holes drilled and the pins get set.

To finish the Micarta, I usually sand is getting finer and finer. End up with some 1,000 grit wet dry, then hit it with a cloth buffing wheel with polishing compound on it. It can be very pretty.

Here is the same Micarta on another knife I did a few years ago, but this one is polished.
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/P2200454.jpg
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/P2200453.jpg
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff349/M14sRock/P2200452.jpg