putting custom scales on the cold steel kukri machete

[Raukodur]

I am seriously considering purchasing the cold steel kukri machete, but one thing which is putting me off is the handle. All the reviews I have read describe it as poorly designed in terms of aesthetics, material and workmanship.

In the knifetests destruction review he broke off the plastic and found that the knife has a full tang. Which in theory means it can have a custom handle put on it.

Does anyone here have any expertise in this? Or know anyone who does this kind of thing in the UK for a reasonable price?

[Sparky415]

How about give it a go yourself?
You could try wood or some micata, I'm going to give Sugru a go when I have finished a big blade 

[Benner]

On something so cheap, I'd be doing it myself.  Otherwise you could end up spending 3 times the value of the kuk on the handle.

[Sparky415]

I can send you some of the same wood used on this knife if you need some 
(it will darken up when oiled)

[Raukodur]

That is a very generous offer  I suppose best to wait for it to arrive, see whether I can live with the handle or not, and if need be, I will probably have to give it a go, find some quiet saturday.

What I would like is for the handle to be longer than it currently is, and to have a slight curvature forwards (i.e. in continuation with the spine of the kukri). I doubt I have the skills to do it properly even though I do enjoy things like this in my spare time (not that I have much of that as a junior doctor).

[Sparky415]

Do you have a link with a picture please? 

[Raukodur]

Of what sorry? The kukri?

This is what I would like...

[Sparky415]

Thanks I was not quite sure what one looked like 

Now I understand how you want the handle to look, I reckon that's doable, but after you have had a play with it you might feel the handle is fine

[Raukodur]

Arrived today, big hunk on indestructable metal. Quite cool, never owned a kukri before, but I can see how its shape makes it an effective cutting / hacking tool.

But the handle is horrible, even swinging it in air, let alone hacking at something solid, ends up hurting your hand with the grip. Just holding it it seem soft enough, but when using the kukri it starts to really chafe.

But the way the handle is put on, I dont even know how you could go about getting it off.

[Sparky415]

How about wraping the handle with paracord or even sanding it? 

Or if all else fails to remove the handle a belt sander will sort it out 

If you don't have a belt sander and you happen to go past Oxford over the holidays and have it (and some Jaffa cakes) with you we can take a look at it in my garage workshop 

[Raukodur]

Ah, was at uni in Oxford until this summer, shame I hadn't bought it earlier, would have been quite easy to pop down 

I think the problem I have with the handle is not just its grip design but also its shape, the hilt curves under the hand which means it digs into the bottom of your hand when you swing the blade. I believe it should be curved downwards (like in the pic) and so angling away from your hand which would prevent this problem and allow you to exert more swing on the blade.

[Sparky415]

Will you try to rehandle it yourself?
You could try this shape, I copied it from pictures of billhooks

Its not that far from Birmingham if you get stuck (Darling I'm off to meet a strange man I've been chatting to about knives on the internet  )

[Raukodur]

Its not that far from Birmingham if you get stuck (Darling I'm off to meet a strange man I've been chatting to about knives on the internet  )

I can imagine how that conversation goes    She is already thinking me pretty insane for getting the kukri.

I may leave it for the moment, just started a new rotation at work, am trying to get to grips with it, but when I get back to this I will want to try and sort this handle out.