Anyone have experience with hollow handles?

[Riley12]

Hey, guys, I'm taking on a project of making a hollow handle knife, and just looking for some tips. I've got experience in making knives for a little over 2 years as a hobby, so I wanted to sort of step up my game.

I work in a machine shop so I have access to taps, lathes, etc, and for the handle I'm using aluminum, 1/4 thick wall, and aluminum buttcap. I turned down the cap on a lathe today to match the handle tube, and gonna tap the 7/8 thread tomorrow.
Am I gonna run into any problems using aluminum?
I'm doing a little over an inch tang and pinning it to the handle and using epoxy to seal it all in. Brass as a guard that I still have to mill out.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

What you are doing is probably going to work, but my question on a hollow handle is - WHY?

I know that Rambo had his fishing hooks and a piece of tinder in his knife handle, but can't those be put more easily in a zip-lock bag in your back pack?

I also would think that with heavy field use, the aluminum cap may seize up on the tube with corrosion. Also. it seems 1/4" thick walls would be overkill. You might get more inside room with 1/8" walls.

Suggestion: If you have a machine shop, consider making the end pieces in aluminum or brass. One end to attach the blade and another for the end cap and mating socket. Use a piece of titanium tube to connect those ends.

 

[Riley12]

What you are doing is probably going to work, but my question on a hollow handle is - WHY?

I know that Rambo had his fishing hooks and a piece of tinder in his knife handle, but can't those be put more easily in a zip-lock bag in your back pack?

I also would think that with heavy field use, the aluminum cap may seize up on the tube with corrosion. Also. it seems 1/4" thick walls would be overkill. You might get more inside room with 1/8" walls.

Suggestion: If you have a machine shop, consider making the end pieces in aluminum or brass. One end to attach the blade and another for the end cap and mating socket. Use a piece of titanium tube to connect those ends.

Honestly, why not? It would be more of like a nostalgia type thing to make a halfway decent one.

My shop is set up mainly for stainless, so I should be able to find something that would work better than aluminum.
I think I might actually have some 1/8 since walled aluminum as well.

 

[LARRYZ10]

Want to make a hollow handle with survival stuff? OK.. I think it should be soft stainless threaded with Anti-seize lubricant and should contain three one hundred dollar bills and nine wooden kitchen matches dipped in paraffin to make them waterproof. Then carry a daypack with full liter bottles of water and sodium bi- sulphate tablets, a jar of peanut butter, and a satellite phone. You will be miles ahead of the competition. Another opinion. Larry

 

[Sam Wilson]

Want to make a hollow handle with survival stuff? OK.. I think it should be soft stainless threaded with Anti-seize lubricant and should contain three one hundred dollar bills and nine wooden kitchen matches dipped in paraffin to make them waterproof. Then carry a daypack with full liter bottles of water and sodium bi- sulphate tablets, a jar of peanut butter, and a satellite phone. You will be miles ahead of the competition. Another opinion. Larry

What is the purpose of the anti-seize lubricant?

ETA: I also don't get what sat phones and peanut butter have to do with it.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Threaded things like this tend to get corrosion or just plain stuck. Anti-seize helps. Some folks use white grease. It also helps seal the handle from moisture.

The point he and I were making is that very little survival gear will fit in a knife handle. The things you will really need will be in a back pack.

 

[Riley12]

I don't plan on using it as a stand alone end all survival kit, more for fun.
Here it is finished.
Only thing in the handle is cotton balls

 

[Sam Wilson]

Threaded things like this tend to get corrosion or just plain stuck. Anti-seize helps. Some folks use white grease. It also helps seal the handle from moisture.

The point he and I were making is that very little survival gear will fit in a knife handle. The things you will really need will be in a back pack.

I see. I doubt it would be an issue, the handle should be waterproof so there shouldn't be any water getting down there anyway. If there is, not much use to it. I think the point of the hollow handle knives is it offers additional emergency gear, sort of as a redundancy. To each their own, obviously.