attaching a handle? please help

[thebushcrafter99]

hi all i am making my first knife using the stock removal method, but am stuck on something and thought you guys might be able to help me. i have made the blade and the handle and the blade is hardened and tempered but i dont know how to attach my square/rectangular tang to my oak handle. i know you can burn it in and put the tang in a dowel and glue the dowel into the handle, but I'm a bit reluctant to use either of those as I'm scared that i would ruin the knife or handle. so how do you think i should do it wil try to post some pics soon.
Thanks Ed

 

[mrcharly]

We really need a photo to be able to advise.

Do you have some bits of oak you want to use for a handle?

If the tang is the 'stick' type (narrower than the handle), then you can either make a hole from the end by drilling, or burning, or make a split handle.

Take two bits of wood that will form your handle. Flatten a side on each piece so they fit together without gaps. Now lay tang on one flat bit, draw round it. whittle out the wood to half the thickness of the tang. Repeat on other piece of wood. Glue wood together, with the tang in place. epoxy will work fine, make sure you clamp the handle somehow (just under some weights will do)

Tape up the blade with masking tape while doing this. When the epoxy has set, you can shape the handle.

 

[thebushcrafter99]

thanks may try the method you described have seen that in the bushcraft magazine sounds good but just seems a shame as i have already made a handle from one piece of oak so seems a shame to not use a perfectly good handle thats sanded and all.
Thanks Ed

 

[brancho]

You can burn the tang hole using another piece of metal the same shape as your tang.

Alternatively drill a hole and file it to fit he tang. Look HERE and you make a handle before fitting it look HERE

 

[thebushcrafter99]

thanks have heard of both of those methods before and might try one of them but i might using a expanding glue of some kind as i have already drilled a hole larger than my tang! the links didnt work as im in school and british blades is blocked as "weapons" but will look at them when i get home.
Thanks ed

 

[mrcharly]

It's usually a good idea to shape the handle *after* fitting the blade.

Very difficult to burn or drill out the hole and get it perfectly aligned with the blade.

 

[Hugo]

Didn't you ask the same question yesterday here. http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91046

 

[swright81076]

We really need a photo to be able to advise.

Do you have some bits of oak you want to use for a handle?

If the tang is the 'stick' type (narrower than the handle), then you can either make a hole from the end by drilling, or burning, or make a split handle.

Take two bits of wood that will form your handle. Flatten a side on each piece so they fit together without gaps. Now lay tang on one flat bit, draw round it. whittle out the wood to half the thickness of the tang. Repeat on other piece of wood. Glue wood together, with the tang in place. epoxy will work fine, make sure you clamp the handle somehow (just under some weights will do)

Tape up the blade with masking tape while doing this. When the epoxy has set, you can shape the handle.

That's what I did with mine. When shaping the handle, make sure you accurately mark in some way where the tang finishes. That's what I didn't do

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[thebushcrafter99]

yeah but my brother told me it had probably been deleted because of the swearing so i posted it again here also i accidentally posted it in wrong category. any way this way i get more replys!
Thanks Ed

 

[brancho]

I dont know what kind of expanding glue you are suggesting.
Use epoxy and fill the excess it will be fine.

 

[swright81076]

Gorilla glue or any polyurethane wood glue will expand when the wood is damp. I use it all the time in my biscuit joints. Gorilla glue is very good! However I've started using evo stick serious stuff ultra. That's like super glue on steroids

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[thebushcrafter99]

my dad was telling me about polyurethane glue and i was thinking of using that but stuck the lot together tonight with gorilla glue so hopefully it will work but i will keep you all updated!
Thanks Ed