The process of making a wa-handle
A handmade handle is truly a beautiful addition to your knife. There are so many possibilities when it comes to making a handle, and many makers have their own unique style. A wa-handle is often made out of wood, horn, or composite material, or maybe a combination of these materials. Some handles have a dowel inside, where the tang is heated and burnt into the handle.
Traditionally, Japanese handles are shaped into four different types: the octagonal, D-shape, oval shape or a combination with both octagonal shaped lines and oval shape.
The tang on a traditional Japanese knife is quite short, which places the balance point more towards the blade. French-inspired Japanese knives made with a full-tang handle are also very popular. This type of handle feels more familiar and recognizable compared to knives with a half-tang construction.
Personally I prefer making handles with a tight fit, inspired by the Nordic tollekniv. I like to make handles in high quality wood, preferably recycled wood pieces — from waste materials and old furniture. I tend to make octagonal shape handles, as it suits both left-handed as well as right-handed users. I make handles with a tight fit and glue the tang into the handle. This ensures that no water will slip into the handle and deteriorate the tang.
First I make the hole in the ferrule to fit the shape of the tang. It’s often necessary to reshape the tang, as it is rusty and out of shape. This is because it was originally burnt into a cheaper ho-handle. A rough scratch pattern appears on the tang, making it more receptive for glue.
Then I glue the wood pieces together using a sturdy wood glue. I make a few scratches into the wood to make the pieces stay together. Though it only takes 30 minutes for the glue to harden, I often leave it overnight in a clamp to make sure the glue is completely dry. Then I take it to my belt grinder. On a rough belt, I reduce the size down to. Now, it’s easier to draw up the lines with a marking gouge.
Afterwards, I take the handle back on the belt and shape it into an octagonal shape. After polishing the handle with higher grit belts, I slightly wet the handle with some water and leave it overnight to dry. This allows the wood fibers to extrude. The next day, I’ll sand down the course surface, to 600 grit. Then I will continue polish on higher grit sandpaper glued to a flat surface. After brushing and vacuuming the handle, I apply several thin layers of boiled linseed oil, letting it dry for many hours between each layer. Before continuing, I let the handle dry completely. The next day it’s ready to be finished: After rubbing the handle on a piece of cloth, I will coat a small amount of wooden beeswax mix to the handle. With a cotton polishing wheel attached to the bench press, I polish the handle on a high speed, which not only makes it shiny but leaves a protective layer on top of the handle.