Restoring an Atlanta Cutlery Longleaf Khukuri Blade.

Well that's that! good thing you caught me. How much heat ruins a HT anyways? I wasn't using the actual tang of the blade for it BTW, I had a file with a nearly matching tang size i was using. Junk worn out file that I got for free.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Well that's that! good thing you caught me. How much heat ruins a HT anyways? I wasn't using the actual tang of the blade for it BTW, I had a file with a nearly matching tang size i was using. Junk worn out file that I got for free.
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Aha. If you make it match that works.
The tang has to be pretty bright red to burn in clean, so 1"-1-1/2" from the tang will be drawn waaaay back if it's not clamped in a vise, or heat sinks clamped to it.
Clamping it in the vise keeps it from moving around too, which can lead to hilts being askew and hands burned.
 
ॐ JW, have you tried any of Brownell's heat sink compound? It works. Even keeps skin from burning for a while.
 
Bookie said:
ॐ JW, have you tried any of Brownell's heat sink compound? It works. Even keeps skin from burning for a while.
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I've used te stuff Jantz sells, for differential tempering swords after through hardening. I'll try the Brownells stuff!
 
ॐ For all I know it may be the same stuff, just different labeling. I ran across it going out with an EMT and they used it on a fellow's leg when they used a torch to cut him out of a crushed pick-up truck. I was impressed.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
And I wish to take your advice! It is quitd a historical piece so il leave it and making a handle and bolster, and making it a display piece with some use every now and again.
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that criteria being established, just rough up the tang as you received it to give the bedding epoxy something to grab, remove any red rust, then just glue the thing in like it would have been originally. i'd, given a drill press, would rough out the grip, then drill the tang hole the depth of the tang starting with a pilot drill, then drill the hole full depth with a hole the diameter of the tang end plus a bit, full depth, then with progressively larger drills till the last one is the dia. of the widest part of the tang, giving a step effect internally to the grip & thus removing the lest wood. (lay it out on (graph) paper of course). the more size drill you use, the more steps, the less wood removed. you could even vary te center point of each step in case the tang is curved.

or just buy an appropriately sized tapered drill bit ;)
 
J W Bensinger said:
Bookie, I had forgotten about poured work. Won't stabilize the wood as much but much easier
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Hi JW,

Is that because the heat from the molten metal causes the wood to dry and shrink away from the bolster, or is there another reason?

Thanks,

Bill D.
 
WFD said:
Hi JW,

Is that because the heat from the molten metal causes the wood to dry and shrink away from the bolster, or is there another reason?

Thanks,

Bill D.
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I was thinking that it would be difficult to get a deep enough "cup" around the wood to act as a collar, but if the metal stays fluid in thin section i think it would help to cut a longer bolster relief in the wood.
I don't think it would have te strength of a beass or steel bolster, though.
Bookie would know if it will flow into thin sections without solidifying.
 
If the metal is warmed adequately and the casting metal is at proper temp, it will flow into whatever and not burn it. To facilitate casting molten metal onto wood or antler, use a pencil to blacken all the passage ways with graphite. This trick allows the molten metal to pour easier, more completely, and faster. Unless the molten metal is too hot, you will not scorch the wood. It will scorch and burn if you botch the job and must go back and fill voids in the metal, or the metal is over 680-700 degrees. Antler will start turning brownish then also. Below that, it does normally not burn even one layer of masking tape. If you pour Sterling, much caution is required because of the much higher heat being required. If you use a torch of some type to melt Sterling or coin, you always know when it's ready to pour/cast as there will be the proverbial "ring of fire" distinctly visible around the lip of the dipper/crucible. When casting molten metal, tap the sides of the object rapidly to help expel trapped air inside.
 
Dr. Bookie! Have you ever cast brass? I suppose with a lower melting temp than copper and steel it could be done in the forge? Just wonder sometimes if collecting brass pipe fittings etc. is worth doing for a casting medium? Great info there with the graphite and all. Thanks doc:thumbup:
Your right about the masking tape. I used to use a cardboard box to empty wave soldering machines full of molten solder into. Id tape up the bottom with masking tape to prevent leaks and fill er up! People give you the funniest looks when you pour molten metal into a cardboard box.
 
Yes, I've cast brass. Melted it on the forge, but requires a lot of heat. Cavet: Fumes can drop you in your tracks. All brass is not brass. Most now days is actually bronze. Car keys are a good example as is fittings from the hardware store. Brass for what you want should be good yellow. Bronze will have a darker goldish cast to it. Bronze will hold up better than brass.
 
Welp, no real updates as of yet, I've a piece of maple I got from the swamp curing as we speak getting ready to be carved into a handle, I'd post pictures if I had them but I'd not taken pictures when I was working. Got a rough idea as to how I'm going to do the bolster, the way I see it is it'll be a pain in the southern end any way I do things, so I might as well take the least painful route. Got the blade to a fairly sharp edge, but not QUITE where I want it to be so that's a bit more I've got to work on.
 
You can do a variant on Kronck's method by rocking the drill bit-especially if they still sell those 1/4" bits with the funky holesaw teeth on them. As long as you don'y muscle it they work pretty well
I've got a bunch of khuk-sized cherry already dry if you want a piece
 
I've got the stuff chunked out to khukuri size (have for months) just haven't found the time to work on it.
 
J W Bensinger said:
You can do a variant on Kronck's method by rocking the drill bit-especially if they still sell those 1/4" bits with the funky holesaw teeth on them. As long as you don'y muscle it they work pretty well....
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I wonder if a combination method might work well: Drill the hole close to the shape of the tang, then burn the tang into the hole for a tight fit. The burning method would only have to deal with the small amount of excess wood left over from the drilling. Also, the burning method would get the hole to conform to the curve of the tang.
 
Bubbles bought me a Bhojpure from AC about ten years ago.
Paid extra for special select.

Blade & handle both beat to spit. Chunks missing from edge. Blade wavy, not flat. Tip gone. Loose steel bolster.

Been sitting here in the office ever since, waiting for somebody to knock on the door & say the magic words: "Hi. I'm the best person on the planet for old khukuri restoration, and I want to do yours."

So far, hasn't happened & I am NOT a DIY kinda guy.
Always envy those who are, but there's no hope whatever of anything good coming of any attempts by me. :)
Good luck on the project.
Denis
 
davidf99 said:
I wonder if a combination method might work well: Drill the hole close to the shape of the tang, then burn the tang into the hole for a tight fit. The burning method would only have to deal with the small amount of excess wood left over from the drilling. Also, the burning method would get the hole to conform to the curve of the tang.
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Kind of the idea I'm going for, on top of that I'm going to fix it in with some of that pine pitch-charcoal-rabbit turd glue. No, it doesn't smell pretty when I heat it up.

Tis wood cutting season so my days are full of cutting, chucking, splitting, more chucking, and finally stacking for the next week or so until we go get another eight or so chord of wood.
 
When I was setting some rat-tailed scandinavian blades into homemade wooden handles, I was a little concerned with security. I filed some notches into the rat tails, and then set them into the handle holes with epoxy. I haven't had any issues with the blades coming loose. They may have been just fine without such notches.

It's something (non traditional) to think about with a rat-tailed khukuri that won't be peened at the end of the handle.
 
That's what I do too Mr. Wallace. I don't want them pulling out. I create some voids in the handle as well to create a mechanical lock.

With todays epoxies, I'm quite fond of acraglass for most everything, it ain't gonna come loose.

Dpris- PM inbound. I'm the 832nd best person on the planet for khukri restoration and I want to do yours.
The best laid plans. I can't PM or email you. I thought registered users could accept emails but I think you need to throw the switch to allow it.
 
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