Alternative to pommel

R

rckendall

Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
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I'm just getting started with my first knife from scratch. I'm using O-1 and following the example in "How to make knives" (Barney, Loveless). It's a small drop point with a hidden tang. I'm really excited. It's roughed out, the guard shoulder is filed but I'm not yet settled on the handle retaining system I want to use.

I come from a boatbuilding and woodworking background, and kind of like new technology, although I believe in learning the basics of crafts using hand tools.

Anyway, I'm looing for an alternative to the pommel. I want the end of the handle to be just a piece of wood, ebony for instance. Can anyone suggest a way of hiding the nut inside the handle and securing a piece of ebony on the end of the handle with a secure enough manner to last. I've thought about threading the ebony but don't know the strength it would have. I may try a test piece tomorrow.

Any help out there?
Thanks in advance,
Richard
 
That's one I didn't think of. Twice the holding strength probably. I have a Rockler's close, so I'll check them next.

Thanks
Richard
 
I am a hair confused. are the outside threads the same pitch as the inside ones? I was under the impression that those were used for setting threads in wood for bolts to be threaded on after it is installed. Drawing an image in my head, I picture threading the insert on the tang, and screwing into the wood @ the same time??

Besides my confusion, how bout countersinking a plain old bolt into the handle and installing it with a hair of thread locker, and covering it with whatever wood you are planning on using. Make the hole for the bolt large enough so you can get in there with a pair of needlenose pliers to tighten it.

tangbolt.jpg


How bout that? Oh, about mounting the cap. How bout epoxy and hidden pins?
 
Gixxer, perhaps I have confused the issue. With Richard having mentioned countersinking a nut intenally, I presumed the tang was threaded. The suggestion of the threaded insert was to make the pommel "screw on". Bore a flatbottomed hole partway into the wood pommel, screw in the insert, remove briefly to add adhesive. Thread + adhesive should make it quite strong and you have a "tapped" butt cap.

Since all my pommels have always been connected with threads to the tang one way or the other, techniques relying on adhesives or pins attaching the pommel to the handle material and not the tang weren't in my brain at all. My apologies if I have misunderstood.
 
Fitzo, I had ya with the tang being threaded. I was only wondering if the outside threads are the same pitch as the inner threads. The idea of both the tang and the handle itself being threaded is definately more sound than a countersunk bolt. Most of those thread adapters I have seen the outer threads were way more coarse than the inner threads. No apologies needed bro.:D
 
The outer threads are much coarser, but very sharp. Designed for cutting into the wood, they don't require a tapped hole. There's a tool to set them. Success would depend on having a thick enough buttcap to get a couple threads in. My thinking is, if some extends beyond the inside of the buttcap, counterbore the handle material larger than the external threads, screw the buttcap onto the tang. Tang has to be long enough, of course.

This is all just a squirreliness on my part, hating to rely only on adhesives.

I remembered something some friends have used: if you don't mind pins showing in the buttcap, one can fix the cap on the end by drilling pin holes at angles (something other than straight in) and pinning into the handle. The angles make it very difficult for the pommel to come loose even if the adhesive failed. It's not my bag, but it worked for them.
 
Gixxer,
I had the same idea, but didn't like the hidden pin/epoxy for the end piece. I like the insert idea and have found McFeely has a few different choices with 10-24 internal thread.

Knowing this, I can now plan this handle arraingement and thread the tang.

Thanks to both of you
Richard
 
Richard, thanks for that name, McFeely. Excellent site. Bookmarked.

Glad you found the right size. Hope it works well. :thumbup:
 
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