Pommel on stag - hidden tang

[DHackney]

hello folks,

I have a question regarding installing a butt cap on a hidden tang knife. I''m working on a couple (pair) of hidden tang knives that are supposed to have sambar/red-deer handles.
My problem is both pieces of antler are curved and small in diameter ((3/4-7/8" at guard and 1" at butt end) and I'm unsure how to attack attaching them to the tang. How do you drill a hole through a handle this small and curved. Is it best to drill as far as I can and pin the tang to the handle? If so, how do I go about attaching the butt cap without having a threaded tang?

I hope I'm making sense in describing my dilema.

Thanks in advance, guys, for the help.

Best regards,
Dana Hackney
Monument, CO.

[NickWheeler]

Dana-

I first lay the tang over the antler. With a pencil, mark the outline of the tang onto the antler.

Then put the horn into a bench vise with some cloth and leather wrapped around it, so as not to damage the horn.

Drill down from the top, flip it around, and drill up from the bottom. You will be drilling in a drawn out "V" shape.

After you get the holes drilled so that they meet in the middle... you can take a chain-saw file and start blending the hole into a smooth curve. I start with a 1/8" and move up.

A handle broach really makes the work easier and more precise as well.

You want to top, or front of the antler to fit to the tang pretty snug, but you can have the bottom end wallowed out, so long as the butt-cap will cover it all.

I braze threaded collars onto the butt-cap material if I want a smooth, domed butt-cap.

Otherwise, I drill through it, and make a pommel nut.

Hope this helps
-Nick-

[DHackney]

This does, indeed, help.

Would you mind explaining what a handle broach is - I'm clueless (nothing new)

Also, when you say braze, I'm assuming soldering would not work for attaching the threaded collars on to the butcap - correct?

Thanks, again, Nick,
Dana

P.S. are you planning on attednig the MKA show in October? I'll be there. It would be great meeting you. Bob Beaty has graciously invited me to spend a day in his shop prior to the show, so I'll be in Missoula a day or two early. Hope to see you there.

[jhiggins]

Originally Posted by NickWheeler

Dana-
A handle broach really makes the work easier and more precise as well.

Nick, could you elaborate on this tool for me? I have tried to take regular machining broaches and put handles on then, but they are always too short for me. I'd love to be able to get one that's longer and more-suited for the job.

**NOTE: The last sentance leaves me open for harrassment, realizing it could be taken out of context. Dang, I sure wish IG will get his dang computer fixed and get back here where he belongs!

Okay, time to "unhijack" this post.

Dana, I have taken to making my own specialized chisels out of O1 key stock. I bend and shape the chisle to any shape or size I want, then HT it and put a handle on it. Really nice when you want to shave off just a little handle material at a time - or a lot if you wish. Using a good broach like Nick said woudl definitely simplify the whole process.

[DHackney]

I can see where making some nice, narrow (to fit the thickness of the tang)
chissels would be a great idea. I'll have to give this a try.

I'm still in the dark about broaches. The only association I can make for a broach is the
jewelery kind Talk about feeling dumb!

Thanks Jeff,
Dana

[NickWheeler]

Well, mine are kind'a ugly, I made them in a hurry, but they work like magic.

John Perry, (new Ms as of June) is a machinist by trade, and he makes some that are REALLY nice. I think he makes 3 sizes and they're around $60-70. I'm going to buy some from him when I get some money lined up for them. His have handles with ferrules, and are (I think) D2.

These were ground down, then I cut the teeth in with files. I hardened them just like a knife blade, but left them a little on the hard side.

Big one is O1, smaller one is 1084.

Hope that helped muddy it up some more!

-Nick-

[DHackney]

Thanks Nick. For being ugly they look pretty nice to me - perfect for
the job.

Would you happend to have John's address, website, etc,... I'd would mind having
a set of those around. Is that $60-70 for a set of three or is this per broach?

Did you get my message about the MKA show? Do you plan on being there?

Dana

[NickWheeler]

Sorry, I can't seem to find the information on his broaches.

I know that price is for one. At first I thought it was kind'a steep, but after seeing them, and the work that goes into them, it's pretty darn cheap actually.

I don't know about MKA this year. I used to do the show, and everybody in the organization is great... definitely a FUN show. But I can only afford (both money and time) to do so many shows per year.

Hopefully if nothing else, I can drive over and visit

Thanks!
-Nick-

[DHackney]

No problem, if you can't find John's contact info now - whenever is fine.

For now I'll try the chain saw files and, also see if I can make some from the O-1 scraps
I have saved.

If you can't make the MKA show, I'm sure we'll bump into each other somewhere along the line.

Thanks again, Nick,
Dana

[primos]

I have one of John's handle broaches. I believe it was about $80 which included shipping. Heck of an aggressive tool. Here's what they look like:






Here's John's contact info:
John Perry
9 South Harrell Rd.
Mayflower, AR 72106

Phone: (501)-470-3043

[NickWheeler]

Thanks Terry!!!

-Nick-

[DHackney]

Thanks so much, Terry, for taking the time to send John's information, and thanks again, Nick, for your help -very much appreciated guys!

I'll give John a jingle and get one of these puppies ordered.

Dana Hackney
Monument, CO