Novice help needed

[Kevin Lawler]

Bought this blank 2 years ago and have only now started working on it. I got the wood for $5 so right now I have $30 in it.
I actually thought about using bone/antler but that might be kinda ambitious to start with. I used a scroll saw to get it to this point. I need to know what to do now.
Do I drill the holes for the pins? Whats the best way to make sure they match up with the holes in the  knife? I figured I would just epoxy the sides on and leave the pins a little long and then use a disk and belt sander to shape the handle and pins altogether.
 

[caleb0100]

Clamp one scale to the tang, then drill through the tang into the wooden scale. Then clamp both scales to the tang, and drill through the scale you already drilled, through the tang, and into the 2nd scale. After you try a dry fitting of scales and pins, epoxy everything up, line up and clamp scales to the tang, put in pins, peen lightly, and let it dry.
 Once it's good and dry, you can sand down the pins and shape the handle how you want it.

[snakewood3]

That is the correct procedure. Just make sure to clean all bonding surfaces with acetone prior to glue up.
 The bit of blade shown looks like a copy of the famous Puma White Hunter.

[jackie]

i glue on one side let it dry then drill holes in it . then glue the other side on let in dry. then drill the holes through the first side.  then using glue in the holes insert pins and grind the pins down with about .030 sticking out both sides then peen the pins not to flush but close. the sand everything . you might want to tape the blade with painters  tape to keep glue of it. both ways work thats just the way this works for me.

[Bladepeek]

Something else you might want to keep in mind is that high heat will destroy the epoxy bond, so I usually cut the pins off pretty close to flush before I start grinding. If you really get on the grinding of those long pins, they will heat up enough to soften the epoxy. When the pins get too hot to touch, stop and let them cool. I usually use stabilized wood so I just dunk the whole handle to keep it cool. You won't want to do that with raw wood. That should be an interesting knife.

[Kevin Lawler]

Ok it's been a while but I finally got around to working on this thing. Yesterday I epoxied the scales on. Drilled one side for the pins before I stuck it in the vice and tightened it down. Got home from work and drilled for the pins. Cut them a little long and just hammered them down flush. Turned on the belt sander and went to town. Gotta finish up with some hand sanding and put a coat on it. Will probably use tru oil. Afterward will start on a sheath. BTW son says it looks like a kitchen knife. Function over form I told him.