Polar 54 (S) Whittler head

Polar 54 Stainless Whittler head (Stainless Steel).

Polar heads are a development of the classic Scandinavian heads manufactured by the Finnish factory Laurin i are the result of a collaboration between the Finnish company Brisa (experts in knifemaking) and Lauri.

Decades of combined experience, know-how and a keen interest in knife manufacturing ensure that these puukko style blades meet all standards. Improving the well-known Lauri blades by adding a small ricasso and giving the blade a finer grind significantly improves the overall experience. Ricasso will help makers, new and old, get a good finish between handle and blade. This aspect is seen as one of the more difficult parts of knife production.

The design is subtle in the Finnish style, which is largely based on the principle of form following function. The blades are simple and sturdy in their elegance, just like the Puukko-style knives they are designed for.

The head, made of highly regarded X50CrMoV15 stainless steel, resists corrosion and is relatively easy to maintenance in high focus. Engraved brand logo (in older production versions, the logo is embossed) is an additional decoration for these major.

Polar 54 S head is ideal for making a compact knife for everyday use.

Polar 54 S head parameters:

• Blade length: 54 mm
• Width: 16 mm
• Thickness: 2.2 mm
• Overall length: 135 mm
• Steel: Stainless X50CrMoV15
• Hardness: 57-58 HRC

Polar heads are an excellent choice for a knife that is expected to stand up to demanding work both in the field and in everyday use. Heads produced by Laurin have been appreciated for years both in the knifemaker community, as well as among bushcraft, survival or hunting enthusiasts.

See our guide: How to make a knife with a Lauri head

How to make a handle for a knife and set the blade with a bolt (hidden tang)?

Embedding a knife head with a bolt into a wooden handle using a block of wood, a brass guard and decorative spacers made of reindeer antler or fibers (optional) is a process that requires some skill and tools.

Tools that can be useful for this task:

• Hand saw or jigsaw
• Sandpaper of different gradations, for example, 100, 220, 400, 600, 800 and 1200
• Drilling machine with drills of different diameters, for example, 3 mm and 5 mm
• Files for wood and metal
• Carpenter's squeeze (optional)
• Angle grinder with discs for sanding wood and metal or belt sander
• Polisher, polishes

Materials needed for this task:

• A block of wood of appropriate size and thickness
• Brass garda - bolster
• Reindeer antler or fibra decorative spacers (optional)
• Two-component adhesive (epoxy resin)
• Finishing materials such as wood oil, wax, etc.

Step 1: Prepare the blade head

Clean the arbor from rust, grease and other contaminants. Trim the mandrel to the appropriate size (no longer than the working length of the drill) if you intend to hide the mandrel entirely in the handle. If you want to refine the head, for example, polish it, put satin, then do it at this stage. Secure head knife before further work, for example, by wrapping it with insulating or painting tape.

Step 2: Prepare the wooden handle

Start by cutting a block of wood to the proper length and thickness to match the size of the head and the planned handle. Align the contact surface of the block with the ew. spacers (guardrails).

Step 3: Cut the holes for the pin

Use a drill to make a hole for the pin in the wood block. Adjust the hole, for example, using a smaller drill or file, so that the pin enters freely.

Step 5: Place decorative elements

Make holes in the decorative spacers corresponding to the diameter of the pin. Finish the surface of the spacers so that they adhere to each other exactly. Place the spacers and guard on the knife shank to check that everything is properly aligned.

Step 6: Glue the pieces together

Prepare two-component glue and apply to the holes of the wooden block. Then place the brass head-bolster with decorative spacers on the stem of the head, lubricate the spacers with glue, similarly the stem itself. Place the whole in a wooden block and press down so that the elements are well connected. Remove excess glue from the outside of the handle. You can squeeze the whole thing gently with a carpenter's squeeze and let it dry vertically.

Step 7: Handle machining

After the glue has cured. Using a wood file or sander, remove excess wood to make the handle relatively smooth and even. Then use a belt or angle grinder with wood sanding discs to smooth the edges of the wooden handle and brass head. You can do it by hand with sandpaper strips. Use sandpaper with gradations such as 1000, 220, 400, 600, 800 and 1200 to smooth and polish the surface of wood and brass.

Step 8: Finish the handle

Apply wood oil, wax to the wooden handle to protect it from damage and ensure durability. Wait for the surface to dry. Repeat the impregnation several times.