A couple tips on hidden tang construction

Bruce Bump

Bruce Bump

Joined
Dec 2, 1999
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I know this is "old hat" for some but may be useful for others. This is how I do a hidden tang knife.

I've had this blade for some time and decided to mill the slot and file it to fit the tang. I wish I would have taken a picture of that but this will have to start here:

I made sure there are no gaps by applying pressure to the back side with these automotive valve springs and a small tool makers vice. These vices cost only a few bucks and come in handy for other procedures too.

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The springs hold the guard very tight against the shoulders while the JB weld tries. This works good if you like to solder the guard on too.
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After the JB weld dries I fit the spacers and fiber washers and glue them on the same way being sure to fill any spaces with epoxy.
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I use a piece of waxed paper and a brass spacer to help keep everything flat when clamped. The wax paper keeps the brass spacer from sticking to the stack of spacers/fiber washers.

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Thanks Bruce that was very helpful. I am going to do a small hidden tang knife soon. This will help a bunch.

-frank
 
Thank you so much for taking out the time to post this, I really appreciate the info!!!! Thanks Bruce,Charlie
 
Bruce,
you can't just stop there and leave us all hangin! We ALL know what you're capable of, and I think I speak for the masses when I say that we must see more!:D
Matt Doyle
 
I trace the blade shape on paper complete with the tang and then trace the square block too. I draw a handle shape and may erase it several times until I like the shape and flow of the handle to the blade. Simply cut it out and elmers glue the paper to the block of wood. I use my metal cutting bandsaw to cut the handle shape exactly.
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I use a long 3/16 or 1/4" drill bit and drill 2 holes as deep as possible so I can keep the tang as long as I can. It will get shortend a little later.
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I made this broach by grinding an old wood planer blade and fitted a micarta handle on it. It is small and fits into the hole and drags wood out. I can connect the two holes and make the hole rectangular shaped with it.
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mdoyle said:
Bruce,
you can't just stop there and leave us all hangin! We ALL know what you're capable of, and I think I speak for the masses when I say that we must see more!:D
Matt Doyle
Click to expand...

Hi Matt,
I have the handle drilled, pinned, glued and clamped. Stay tune buddy. Gotta go for now though.
 
This is like a really long commercial during the best part of the show!!:D
Really appreciate you taking the time to share!
Matt
 
Thanks, Bruce! I have never seen that spring trick.
Is that the BurlSource wood?
In your spare time you could crochet with that broach :D
 
Thank for te info. You've answeed some of my questions about hidden tags. I'mnot quite ready to make one yet thouh.
 
This is great! . . . and very timely, since I'm working on my first hidden tang knives this weekend. I've only done full tang blades up until now.

Thanks,

Mike L.
 
OK where were we?
This broach is handy for making the tang fit and not taking out too much material. It works on antler handle just as well.
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Face the front of the block so there are no gaps anywhere when dry fit together.
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Because the paper is still glued to the handle I can locate where the tang is inside the handle. I simply drill a 1/8" hole in the block where I want the pin, put the tang in place and scribe through the hole onto the tang. I sprayed the tang with tool makers dye to help see the scribed line. ( I forgot to tell you I shortened the tang about 1")
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Drill the tang where the pin will go through it and oblong the tang hole so the guard spacers can be tight against the block with no gaps. The pin should have no contact with the tang if all is well. Epoxy will fill around the pin and the tang hole.

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Next I grind a series of crude notches just for epoxy to grip inside the handle. Probally dont need them but I do it anyway.
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Next comes the epoxy mixing. I use black pigment powder because a JB grey line wouldnt look good. I do however leave the JB grey on the front of the guard because grey looks better than black there.
Simply fill the handle and push it together, push the 1/8" pin in place and clamp it all together to dry overnight.
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I made this clamp at least 15 years ago. I still use it today. Cheap and easy to make and does a great job. Just be sure all the joints are square and no gaps.
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Double check alignment with a straight edge and put it away until tomorrow.
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So if I understand right, the hole in the tang is larger than the pin going trough?
 
The pictures are a great aid for those that haven't tried this type of handle yet and nearly exactly what we do. I hope it is ok if I add a comment or two about things that are easy to do and ensure a good glue joint.

One thing I have found that helps me to find possible alignment problems is this. When it is all glued up and in the clamp, wipe off as much of the epoxy as you can that has oozed out of the glue joint. Then take a razor knife and see if you can insert the edge in the joint at any point around the handle. If you can, then you readjust your clamp so that you get a perfect fit. One other thing that can save a lot of grief is making sure that the spacers are absolutely flat. Stack them up on the tang before gluing and check to see if you can see light between them. If you can, then straighten the bent ones up. Don't get caught by thinking that you can flatten them out when they are being glued up. Sooner or later one won't and you will end up with a visible glue joint that will ruin the looks of a handle.
 
Hmathews said:
The pictures are a great aid for those that haven't tried this type of handle yet and nearly exactly what we do. I hope it is ok if I add a comment or two about things that are easy to do and ensure a good glue joint.

One thing I have found that helps me to find possible alignment problems is this. When it is all glued up and in the clamp, wipe off as much of the epoxy as you can that has oozed out of the glue joint. Then take a razor knife and see if you can insert the edge in the joint at any point around the handle. If you can, then you readjust your clamp so that you get a perfect fit. One other thing that can save a lot of grief is making sure that the spacers are absolutely flat. Stack them up on the tang before gluing and check to see if you can see light between them. If you can, then straighten the bent ones up. Don't get caught by thinking that you can flatten them out when they are being glued up. Sooner or later one won't and you will end up with a visible glue joint that will ruin the looks of a handle.
Click to expand...

Thanks Harry
Thats all good stuff!
 
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Hey Bruce,

That tool makers vice and valve spring trick will be easily implemented in my repertoire, since I work in the cylinder head department at Mack Trucks (laid off through summer though). We re-manufacture the worn heads with CNC cut decks, tapped holes, new core plugs, rotators, valves, and SPRINGS! Thanks for the great post!:thumbup:
 
Thanks a ton, Bruce! I'm making a hidden tang knife for a charity auction, and this helps out a ton:D I'd never thought about making the pin hole oversize, but it makes a lot of sense:thumbup:
 
bobbywett said:
Hey Bruce,

That tool makers vice and valve spring trick will be easily implemented in my repertoire, since I work in the cylinder head department at Mack Trucks (laid off through summer though). We re-manufacture the worn heads with CNC cut decks, tapped holes, new core plugs, rotators, valves, and SPRINGS! Thanks for the great post!:thumbup:
Click to expand...

I like the valve spring trick. Notice I have a double spring on the guard picture but only a single spring for the spacers? They fit inside of each other for different tensions.
The tool makers vice is nice but it could be substituted for a washer and vice grips for a more modest budget. Be sure to tape the blade and wear gloves to prevent stabbing your palm with the tip while compressing the spring. Also hold onto the blade when releasing the vice to prevent missile launch.:eek:
 
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