cutlers rivets

[Realgar]

How do I use them? I've nearly got my hazel handle sections ready, from what I can tell you just slip them through the holes and then hammer the narrow end with a punch until it stretches out enough to stay in place.

The blade's an old Camillus of a rather odd shape - the blade itself is a spearpoint and the tang as broad as the blade itself and a similar shape ( though obviously not with a point )

Realgar

 

[jason01]

Im not sure what cutlers rivets are, there are a few different types of pin and bolt commonly used by knifemakers.

I use plain rod in brass copper or steel and for the knives Ive made so far I havent peened them over at all, just made them a very tight fit and used epoxy on the scales and rivets. I generally use very dense hardwoods though. Hazel is a bit soft for a handle material, no reason why you couldnt use it on a light duty knife or get it stabilised though.

British Blades is the best place for knifemaking info.

Jason

 

[Martyn]

Do a search on BritishBlades, or just ask there.

 

[Realgar]

My mistake it's not a camillus - it's a Russell green river. Looks identical to this:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categ...d=9&subId=56&styleId=201&partNum=BLADE-CAM-05
Camillus must be the typical bowie blank I have somewhere.

I thought since the tang will go all the way to the edge of the scales that the softness of hazel wouldn't matter so much. My other options ( since I only intend to use native woods ) are crab apple, hawthorn, holly, rowan or wild cherry. I might bolt it through and cover the bolts with a bit of inlay. Next step is a wooden sheath with ivory and jet inlay..

 

[jason01]

My mistake it's not a camillus - it's a Russell green river. Looks identical to this:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categ...d=9&subId=56&styleId=201&partNum=BLADE-CAM-05
Camillus must be the typical bowie blank I have somewhere.

I thought since the tang will go all the way to the edge of the scales that the softness of hazel wouldn't matter so much. My other options ( since I only intend to use native woods ) are crab apple, hawthorn, holly, rowan or wild cherry. I might bolt it through and cover the bolts with a bit of inlay. Next step is a wooden sheath with ivory and jet inlay..

If you really want to use Hazel dont let me put you off but crab or cherry would be harder and more durable and have more figure IMO, hawthorn and holly could also be good, Rowan would be a bit soft, try and use the heartwood if you can and make sure its well seasoned or you'll have shrinkage and warping problems. I have plenty of Yew if you fancied trying that and there are lots of other native hardwoods that work well. The biggest problem with unstabilised scales on a full tang knife is shrinkage leaving the tang slightly proud, even really dense oily woods like Cocobolo or lignum vitae will shrink and move slightly.

I looked up cutlers rivets, looks like the male half pushes into the female half and opens it up, probably grips the tang somewhat, think theyre used a lot on kitchen type knives, I guess you'll need to drill a hole oversize to allow for the expansion of the female tube or you'll split your scales, also these type of rivets require the faces of the scales to be flat. You also need a flat countersink each side with a forstner bit or sth similar. Wouldnt be my choice but I havent used them before and I could be talking rubbish! I would ask on British blades for advice from someone with experience of this type of rivet

Good luck and dont forget to show us the finished knife!

Jason

 

[coutel]

I have used them several times before quite successfuly.

Whatever size the female shank is, definately overdrill the hole as it expands when you mate the male/female together.

I complete all my handle shaping before I put the rivets in place or else I would be grinding the heads away.

The way I use these is to mark and drill my holes both in the tang and handle....I use epoxy to stick my handles to the tang...maybe use some waxed pins to line the holes up. When the epoxy has dried (remove the pins) shape the handle to almost the exactly how I want to look. Need to keep the material flat where the rivet heads will be. When shaped,re drill the holes that may have been blocked by epoxy...... drill the diameter of the rivet head , and countersink the hole the depth of the head....Place rivets in and gently knock them into place. If the counter sink hole was slightly too deep (better than too shallow), just lightly sand till they are flush again.
Cutlers rivets give an olde fashioned look which works well with some styles...Once pressed together you will not be able to get them apart.

Its important to get the right length rivets for the handle you are making.

 

[dtalbot]

Brass rod, annealed first then put through a tight hole and peened over vives a good fix. I accume you will be expoxying the scales to the full tang? if so its a belt and braces job!
Cheers
David

 

[Realgar]

I wasn't intending to use any glue at all, nasty horrible stuff. I've cut myself some new pieces out of hawthorn, the sheath will still be hazel though.

I think I'll try the brass rod trick,
thanks
Realgar