I was just commissioned by a big movie studio to make 6 chef knives for a major motion picture.
They want brass handles. I tried to talk them out of it but the director insists on brass.
I plan on making 2-piece handles with an internal slot to accept a “hidden” knife tang. I’m also considering some internal pins for alignment and additional strength. The will epoxied together and then surface finished.
This will be a double-sided job. I have little experience with double-sided and don’t have time to learn on my own with this project.
I’ve done some one-sided profiles and chamfers on the brass and it cuts really well.
If you would like to help I can afford to pay for your time.
I have:
Altmill MK2 2x4
AltMill 1.5KW ER20 Spindle
gControl Panel Computer
AutoZero Touch Plate
Vectric Vcarve Desktop 12.5
Hey Rick,
As I understand it, a single handle will be a two piece set, no?
Maybe you can approuch it as being multiple single sided projects using a jig with its own xy0, eliminating allocation pins by having mirrored holding pockets (or something alike).
You can save the jig design as a template you can load into vectric, and design the single sided jobs in, switching the designs around for the different sides.
You now are in a place you need to come up with a way to secure the pieces consitantly (side clamping method?) And a smart design for the jig. Leaving you with all single sided designs, to wrap your head around.
I have used single jigg templates for variable sized projects. It takes an extra step in the design phase, but when you get used to it, it opens up a whole new flexibility into the workflow, like being able to take off a project and being able to do work away from the cnc, before it needs another run on the machine.
If the handles of the knife set are all the same, I would consider a jig and dump the need for double sided jobs all together.
3 Likes
Hi @Spamming_Eddie !
Thanks for jumping in-
Of the 6 knives- 3 will share the same design and the other 3 are unique.
The stock I will be milling from is 0.375” thick x 3” wide. I have a 6’ bar. I will be cutting the bar into more manageable size pieces, probably 2’.
I’m definitely considering some sort if fixturing. I have good 1/2” Baltic Birch on hand. One idea was to cut a shallow 3” x 2’ pocket into one of those woods so the brass bar would sit just proud.
My thinking is that would make it easy to clamp with just downward pressure and give me accurate repeatable X/Y coordinates. I’m not sure I would still need asymmetric pins if I went this route.
I would cut multiple pieces at one time and leave tabs so I could flip the material to do the other side.
