Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of how I make a knife handle with curved inlays and filework.
You can see pictures of the different steps as well as an explanation of how I do it.
Click the arrow on the right to go to the next step.

After drawing the knife on a piece of paper (see the guide on drawing knives), I select the materials to be used for the knife. For this knife I have chosen Danish Masur birch and stabilized pore fungus from a birch tree.

The various parts of the knife, front hole, insert and back piece, are cut out from the drawing and glued on top of the individual pieces.

The individual parts are now roughly cut out on the decoupage saw. I saw a millimeter or two from the line - then there is enough material to fine-tune and adjust the parts.

All the parts have been sawn out and the final adjustment can start.

I make the inner basket with a Ø75 mm rubber grinder. I have mounted it in the column drill with a land that is 100% perpendicular to the grinder. It is very important that the angles fit - otherwise it is almost impossible to adjust the different parts.

I grind the outside curve on the plate grinder. It can be a slow job and you only have to take a small part at a time.

If you hold the two parts up against the light, you can clearly see where there is air - and where there is a little more sanding.

Then just grind gently until the parts fit 100% together. The smallest air can be seen once you assemble the knife.

All parts of the knife are adjusted in the same way.

Now I can start drilling out to the angle. I mark the centerline and width of the angle. Then I know where to drill the caves.

For the front piece I use a drill that has a smaller diameter than the thickness of the angle. That way I can adjust the hole so that there is no air on the sides of the blade.

I drill as many holes as I can next to each other -then it is easier to remove the material in the hole.

Now I can file the hole to fit the width and height of the blade. It pays to give yourself plenty of time for it - it gives the best result in the end. There should be no air on the sides of the blade - this can be seen when gluing the knife together.

I do exactly the same with the spacer. Here, however, I can use a slightly larger drill.

The hole in the middle piece is also adjusted to fit the width and height of the angler. The more accurate you can be with the adjustment - the less glue you need.

Same procedure at the end piece. However, I only drill down to fit the length of the angle.

Also here the hole adapted to the thickness and width of the angler.

In the end, all the parts fit together ... You can choose to glue the whole knife together here - or you can, as with this knife, choose to make some inserts in metal.

When making a knife with filed inserts, it is necessary to be able to assemble the knife and to be able to disassemble it again. Therefore, I weld a Ø4 mm threaded rod to the hook. At the same time I mark up on the back piece where the hole for the threaded rod is to be drilled.

When the threaded rod is welded tight, I grind it flat on both sides so it is the thickness of the hook. Otherwise it cannot pass through the various parts of the shaft.

Now I can drill the hole in the back piece. I use a Ø4.0 mm drill which fits with the diameter of the threaded rod.

The spacers I use for this knife are 1.5 mm tin plates. They are cut out into squares and the middle and the width of the angle are marked so I can drill the holes.

It's the same procedure as with the rest of the shaft. Live as many holes as possible next to each other.

The hole in the tin plate is adjusted to fit the thickness and width of the angle.