kradz89
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2014
Posts: 114 
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Post by kradz89 on Jul 27, 2014 22:48:42 GMT -5
My husband has been making knives in his homemade forge and we wanted to merge our interests and inlay stone into his knife handles. Is there a minimum MOH hardness recommended? Would soft stones such as serpentine be too easily damaged?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 5:56:09 GMT -5
I've made a few knives over the years.i like agates and Jasper's.the softer stuff does scratch or chip pretty easily.pocket change and car keys are a high end knife killer in your pocket.
Dave
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kradz89
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2014
Posts: 114
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Post by kradz89 on Jul 28, 2014 8:44:04 GMT -5
Thanks! I picked up some tiger eye slabs he wants to use, so I was hoping it would be hard enough.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2014 19:52:38 GMT -5
I have studied this for some time. In fact it's how I found this website!!
The answer isn't simple.
What is the knife's purpose??
Safe queen type art knife?
Doesn't matter.
Gentlemen's formal attire carry blade?
Doesn't matter.
Shop knife or EDC?
Jade or Mohs 7 ++.
I am sure I have missed some. So. What is the end purpose for the knife in your query?
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Post by kap on Jul 30, 2014 20:56:46 GMT -5
I've used Tigereye without any problems. With any stone scales you have to be a little more careful with the knives.
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kradz89
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2014
Posts: 114
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Post by kradz89 on Jul 31, 2014 8:50:14 GMT -5
Generally speaking I think he wants them to be "practical" knives. He isn't all about display knives, lol. Thanks guys!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2014 12:26:13 GMT -5
Toughness sometimes trumps hardness - e.g., nephrite jade is much sturdier than most harder stones. Tiger eye is fairly sturdy and has about the same hardness as agate. Serpentine is eventually going to scratch, though dropping and cracking/chipping the stone in the handle would probably be a more catastrophic danger than scratching.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,492
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Post by Sabre52 on Aug 1, 2014 21:50:48 GMT -5
Huge knife fancier myself. Overall, I think Scott has it right but I'd add that stone knife handles are really always more for show than go. Stone handle scales are heavy and even jade is more delicate than the more practical handle materials like micarta you usually find on work knives. Stone scales are sure dang pretty to look at though. I've seen some done in tiger eye and they were gorgeous.....Mel
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kradz89
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2014
Posts: 114
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Post by kradz89 on Aug 1, 2014 22:31:30 GMT -5
Thanks for all the input guys!
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polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89 
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Post by polishedball on Aug 26, 2014 10:47:13 GMT -5
Make any progress, my first attempt at scales on a buck110 was tiger. Blue and brown eyes matching slabs each side.  |
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kradz89
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2014
Posts: 114
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Post by kradz89 on Aug 26, 2014 11:17:54 GMT -5
He hasn't even started. The Army has kept him in the field for most of the last 3 months and he is getting ready to go out for another month. Hopefully he will have more time to work on knives then. I am joining the local rock club this week though, so thats progress! lol
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Post by snowmom on Aug 28, 2014 6:41:17 GMT -5
yep, that's progress. Keep us posted on this project. Sounds like fun!
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