Making a handle for a knife is, in my opinion, just as important as making the knife itself. If you have a knife thats perfectly shined, sharp as a razor, just all around gorgeous, but has a bad handle, the whole knife is garbage. Handles themselves are tricky, because a bad handle isn't as obvious as a bad blade. Most handles are a lot more subtle than the blade section. They have to fit the hand of the user, they have to be visually appealing, and fit with the theme of the blade. You also have to decide what type of material you are going to use and how well it will last.
When just starting out making knives, It's much easier to make handles that match the tang (metal portion of handle). On my first few knives, I didn't worry about anything fancy. I went with a simple rectangular tang, and made some small handles out of a piece of pine. While anyone worth their weight in steel knows that pine on a handle is atrocious, it works fine for making your first few. Ideally you should get your hands on some oak or other cheap hardwood, but not everyone has the time or resources.
Before cutting out any wood or synthetic materials to sandwich the steel, make sure the hand feels at least relatively comfortable in your hand. Once you're happy with your design, try cutting out some wood versions, drill some holes, epoxy the scales and pins on, and let dry for a few hours. After the epoxy has fully cured, sand the handles to their final shape. Once it feels good in your hand, use progressive grits up to about 400 to smooth, and apply finish.
When just starting out making knives, It's much easier to make handles that match the tang (metal portion of handle). On my first few knives, I didn't worry about anything fancy. I went with a simple rectangular tang, and made some small handles out of a piece of pine. While anyone worth their weight in steel knows that pine on a handle is atrocious, it works fine for making your first few. Ideally you should get your hands on some oak or other cheap hardwood, but not everyone has the time or resources.
Before cutting out any wood or synthetic materials to sandwich the steel, make sure the hand feels at least relatively comfortable in your hand. Once you're happy with your design, try cutting out some wood versions, drill some holes, epoxy the scales and pins on, and let dry for a few hours. After the epoxy has fully cured, sand the handles to their final shape. Once it feels good in your hand, use progressive grits up to about 400 to smooth, and apply finish.