Question on knife handles

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

keithbyrd

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
2,496
Location
Mount Wolf, PA
A friend of mine died a few weeks ago of cancer. Last Sunday his wife came up to me at church and had a bag in her hands. She said that Mark was working on making her some knives but he got too sick before he finished. He asked her to ask me to finish them for him.
This is something that I certainly don't want to mess up. Some of you have made knives and I would certainly appreciate some advice on best ways to attach handles etc.
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

mecompco

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
Hi Keith. Some pics of what you've got to work with would be helpful. It really all depends upon what type of tangs they have as to how to affix the handles. For a full tang, you can't beat epoxy and Corby bolts for a permanent attachment. You can also use epoxy and pins if you don't want to buy the Corbys (partial tangs that fit into a dado (one in each handle) can also be done that way. Here is a ColdSteel Trailmaster w/hidden tang that I re-handled using a Corby bolt and epoxy (wood is Desert Iron Wood w/CA finish):



Here is a little full tang that I made (blade included) done with epoxy and brass pins (walnut w/CA finish):



There are other tang styles as well.

You don't say if the blades are done, so there's lots to consider there as well. Did he grind or forge them? Have they been heat-treated? Final grind and polish? Are there bolsters to consider?

In any case, sounds like a nice project for a nice cause.

Regards,
Michael
 

keithbyrd

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
2,496
Location
Mount Wolf, PA
Thanks for the info - I will take some pictures tonight - blades are ready to go most handles are antler - will post pics this evening
 

mecompco

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
Thanks for the info - I will take some pictures tonight - blades are ready to go most handles are antler - will post pics this evening

Great, then we can see exactly what you've got to work with. Antler slabs should work pretty much the same as wood. Epoxy and pins/bolts. I've seen some that fit the slabs in between a bolster and an end cap, haven't done one, but getting the fit perfect would be tricky.

I've also seen antler handles with a rat-tail tang, sometimes they are threaded for screwing into an end cap. Some rat-tail tangs simply get tightly fitted into a hole in the antler and epoxied in (not the ideal solution as there isn't the added benefit of a mechanical connection and some types of antler can be rather "punky" in the center as I found out when trying to turn some. OTOH, I have some Sambar Stag antler that is dense right through the center).

Regards,
Michael
 

keithbyrd

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
2,496
Location
Mount Wolf, PA
Question on knife handles 2

Here are some pictures of what I have to work with - any help is appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • knife 1.jpg
    knife 1.jpg
    139.8 KB · Views: 206
  • knife 2.jpg
    knife 2.jpg
    100.2 KB · Views: 176
  • Knife 3.jpg
    Knife 3.jpg
    110.3 KB · Views: 189
  • knife 4.jpg
    knife 4.jpg
    88.1 KB · Views: 195
  • knife 5.jpg
    knife 5.jpg
    101 KB · Views: 206
  • knife 6.jpg
    knife 6.jpg
    111.3 KB · Views: 222
  • knife 7.jpg
    knife 7.jpg
    68.1 KB · Views: 190
  • knife.jpg
    knife.jpg
    157.5 KB · Views: 216

PenPal

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
2,708
Location
Canberra, A.C.T., Australia.
I have been watching You Tube vids on how to fit handles they make it very apparent, straight forward and to my way of thinking easy. One thing I would stress and I have just bought my pin material in 3mm in silver solder rods and the blue painters tape to tape the blade whilst fixing for mugs like you and me very sound advice. Good luck.

Peter.
 

mecompco

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
Keith, looks like Ulus are pretty close to finishing. The wooden one looks like it just needs some final shaping, sanding and finishing. I don't know if you're going to keep the nuts and bolts--looks like the wood as already been recessed for them. It will be utilitarian that way, so the knife can be disassembled if needed. Doing the wood will be pretty much like doing a wooden pen. There are many options for a finish, including CA (when I did my wooden handles I spread the CA with my finger--pulling it out a small drop at a time while wearing a nitrile glove).

Can't see the other side of the stag handled Ulu, perhaps it has nuts on the other side? I think it would look great with brass or silver pins. You'll have to shape and sand the stag before final assembly.

The hunting knife has a rat-tail tang. I can't see if the end is threaded or not. If not, you could probably cut some with a die if you wanted to add an end cap. Also, I don't see a guard in the photo, you'll need one and there is delicate fitting involved to get it to mate up with the blade perfectly. Guards can be silver soldered on, or for an easier solution, affixed using JB Weld (which is what I did on the Bowie in my previous post). End cap or not, the hole in the handle would be filled with epoxy (I'd cut some notches in the tang for the glue to grab, sort of like roughing up a pen tube). If you're careful, it looks like there is enough meat in the tang so you could add a pin. Tangs are generally left fairly soft, so they can be worked (and so they won't snap as easily as they would if hardened).

As Peter points out, there are many vids and forums out there pertaining to knife making. Do post pics when you get them done!

Regards,
Michael
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom