Full tang advice

[redcollective]

Hello folks,

I've been idly surfing a few knife blade makes websites while I wait for some blades etc to arrive at Christmas and have fixed on having a go at a full tang.

Is it possible to just epoxy the pins in or is it not strong enough? A few tutorials I've read all hammer (pien (spelling?)) the pins and file them off. If so, then how are mosaic pins held in? They can't be hammered in surely?

This is probably a question for BBlades? but I though I'd ask you guys first.

 

[tomtom]

mosaics, i believe do just that, they are just stuck in place, they arnt bolts and they arnt wedge shaped towards the ends thay are just to stop forward/backward movement of the scales.

 

[Shing]

Handles must have the pins peened for strength. Glue however strong can loosen especially if the knife is used to pry or subject to shock loads like batoning. I consider glue as a seal between the blade and the handle and the real strength comes from the rivets.

 

[Dave Barker]

On the few fulltangs i have made i like to drill the tang slighly to increase the glues bond.

i also drill the pin holes slightly undersized then force the pins through.

On the tang side of the scale i use a countersink to widen the hole so that the epoxy fill this as well.

in addition to the roughing up the outside of the pin witheither sand papaer or a file also works.

Although i do agree with shing regarding the shock loading of the shaft, i have found that force fitting the pins then filing down to size works well.

hope that helps.

 

[leon-1]

So far the ones that I have made have been made as per Dave's description and they are taking punishment pretty well.

 

[redcollective]

Thanks guys that's all really helpful - I think I'll give the eopxy a go, as at least I don't have to source a new hammer, and to be honet I'll ge happy if I even get the scales matched! I'll give the proper way a go at a later date.

 

[leon-1]

Thanks guys that's all really helpful - I think I'll give the eopxy a go, as at least I don't have to source a new hammer, and to be honet I'll ge happy if I even get the scales matched! I'll give the proper way a go at a later date.

Stu, your best bet on that one is to drill the holes for the pins before you split the block for the scales, for me it is a lot easier with a pillar drill, although I have a bandsaw I tend to use an opinel pruning saw for splitting the block in two as I find it easier to keep straight.

If you have no belt sander make a sanding board using some carpet tape a flat inflexible surface and a number of different grades of abrasive paper to flatten the rough/sawn sides that should face each other through the tang.

When you fit the pins the grain should match even if you have vulcanised fibre spacers between the scales and the tang.

I managed to do this with a Grohmann boat knife that has the scale a layer of brass and a layer of vulcanised fibre on each side and that is 26 holes lining up as well as the grain on the scales using this method.

I hope that helps a little,

Leon

 

[Pignut]

I am no expert, and am still testing this knife (To destruction if possible)

I drilled and epoxied the pins into place, however i did put small groves around the pis for extra bond strength

This knife has been batoned, Thrown, left to soak in water, used as a pry, I am coming to the point where I cant think of other ways to abuse it and as yet the handle is still firm

Hope this helps and good look

 

[redcollective]

Stu, your best bet on that one is to drill the holes for the pins before you split the block for the scales, for me it is a lot easier with a pillar drill, although I have a bandsaw I tend to use an opinel pruning saw for splitting the block in two as I find it easier to keep straight.

Ket me see if I have got this straight:
1. put the blade of the block and mark out the shap to get the holes traced onto the wood
2. drill holes straight through
3. split the block of wood and position each scale either side of the blade
4. epoxy the scales in place
5. epoxy and drive the pins through.

As I've only got a hand drill, how is it possible to get the holes straight on all axis?

 

[Tony]

RapidBoy posted an excellent Tutorial a short while ago, it's got some of the information in it that you're asking about....It might not be the only way of doing things but it will be well worth a read.

It's here

 

[leon-1]

As I've only got a hand drill, how is it possible to get the holes straight on all axis?

Stu you can clamp wood on either side of the bit to keep it straight through one axis and use a multi level to guage the other as you drill down.

RB's method will work pretty well, that is how I did my first knife.

 

[Dave Barker]

Cut the scales, glue on fiber spacers if you want

Clamp the blade and drill though with a hand drill ( one scale only)
clamp the second scale onto the first and drill though again. you have pilot holes already from the first scale.

I have no power tools apart from a battery drill.