The cleaver came together much like the accessories: scales oiled and varnished, allowed to cure in the sun, then glued and set with mild steel pins. No process pics this time, it was too messy.
I accidentally left the scales out overnight in what I thought was an aluminum tray. It turns out it was non-stainless steel. Dew collected under the scales in the morning, causing the scales to swell, the oak tannin to react with the steel and create black stains on the undersides of the scales, and the surface of the tray to rust. Also an animal pooped in the tray, though thankfully nowhere near the scales. The warping resided after a few days indoors.
I had earlier found that when the accessories, whose scales were attached with pitch glue, were allowed to get too hot, the glue softened and exuded out of the seams. I attached the cleaver's scales with epoxy and set the pins while it was still liquid. This was not a good idea, as the epoxy got onto the scales and was very difficult to wipe off. The finish is therefore duller than it should be. In this regard, it may have been better to use pitch glue, which would cool and harden rapidly.
The hilt is not comfortable to hold thanks to the protruding washers, but perhaps this would make for a more secure grip, or historical washers may not have been as highly domed as the ones I used. The pins required many little taps with a light ball peen hammer to tamp down the edges of the peens and prevent them from scratching the palm of my hand.
This project is far from over. It will require a specialized scabbard with side pockets for the accessories and custom steel mountings, and possibly a belt, before it can be considered complete.
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