Hi,
following on the thread "are stick tangs realy weaker?"
Xunil says:
I have put handle on a few lauri blades (stick tang) and one Spyderco mule (full tang).
When preparing the handle for the stick tangs, so far I always made sure the hole was no larger than the tang and that it could only be forced in with some hammering. I still put epoxy of course but I go for a very very tight fit. It happened to me that I could not hammer down the handle all the way down and had to just destroy it an start all over again.
Similarly when doing the holes for the pins on the Mule's scales, I kept that just large enough -yeaw, with a drill and some files, don't have other tools) and had indeed to hammer down the pins. I thought this would give more robustness through the very tight fit.
Now Xunil's description would point out that I have it all wrong.
So what are the reactions here? Is a tight fit putting bad stress on the wood? Or is it a guarantee of the stick tang never going out?
following on the thread "are stick tangs realy weaker?"
Xunil says:
You often see a similar effect where someone used a 6mm drill to then fit a 6mm pin (you wouldnt believe how many makers dont use a reamer or who force their assembly together using clamps or even a hammer) your pins are basically constantly trying to force the hole they are fitted in to be wider, unless it was properly prepared. This is a depressingly common area of scale material failure.
I have put handle on a few lauri blades (stick tang) and one Spyderco mule (full tang).
When preparing the handle for the stick tangs, so far I always made sure the hole was no larger than the tang and that it could only be forced in with some hammering. I still put epoxy of course but I go for a very very tight fit. It happened to me that I could not hammer down the handle all the way down and had to just destroy it an start all over again.
Similarly when doing the holes for the pins on the Mule's scales, I kept that just large enough -yeaw, with a drill and some files, don't have other tools) and had indeed to hammer down the pins. I thought this would give more robustness through the very tight fit.
Now Xunil's description would point out that I have it all wrong.
So what are the reactions here? Is a tight fit putting bad stress on the wood? Or is it a guarantee of the stick tang never going out?