Best Way To Determine Pin Thickness For Knife Handle

J.McDonald Knives

J.McDonald Knives

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i was wondering if it really matters matching up the thickness of the steel to the thickness of the pin or if its determined by the size of the whole knife. wondering what makes a better impression in that situation. thanks for the input.
 
Since you're not making folders, it shouldn't matter what size the pins are. I base my pin sizes on appearance. What size I thinks will look best is how I determine which diameter to choose. I tend to put lots of pins (I've used as many as 26 pins in one handle), so I definitely don't worry about it coming loose. However, I've been cutting back on the number of pins lately, but I still don't think the diameter really matters.
 
Do you mean for strength or looks? Personally, I don't care much for big rivets or pins asthetically. Nor do I generally like a lot of them.* That's just my taste. Almost everything I make or even draw up seems to have two 1/8" pins and a 1/4" thong tube, maybe I'm just in a rut. But it looks clean and balanced to my eye, that way.

Strength-wise I'm not sure it makes that much difference, assuming the handle is well-made otherwise. It kind of reminds me of the full-tang vs. narrow tang debate; I think both are plenty strong.

*It's mighty hard to make that look good, IMO. Scott is one guy who makes it look awesome :thumbup:
 
If a straight knife is made well, there is little need for a pin, as far as holding the handle on. I choose a pin, whether solid or mosaic, by the way it adds too or subtracts from the knifes appearance. If I am making a more delicate knife I tend to use smaller diameter pins. I like bigger pins when the knife is more bold like a big bowie or camp knife.

Some times the grain, is so beautiful, in a piece of stabilized buckeye or snakewood that a pin would not add to it.

Fred
 
Fred, I see what you mean about small knife/small pins, I think that's what Jacob was getting at, too.

I generally feel less is more, looks-wise. I'm a huge fan of pretty grain also. The more interesting the handle material itself is, the less I would want anything else to distract from it.

I see a lot of really high-end customs and art knives that have so much going on, with mokume and mosaic pins and damascus and everything... frankly, my eyes find it hard to focus on a knife like that. Don't for one second think I'm knocking the people who make knives like that; the level of skill and knowledge it shows is simply stunning, and worthwhile for it's own sake.
 
Have to agree with you GibsonFan and also no disrespect to the skills of the craftsmen that do this but sometimes the whole package looks a bit too "busy".

It can reach a point where the items no longer compliment each other, they actually seem to take away from each other and then you maybe defeat the object. The skills of the makers are not under fire.:eek:

The old cliche "less is more" is accurate.

I will brace myself for a sh*tkicking but what the heck, just my opinion, no disrespect intended, to each his own.;)

Mike
 
This is Bruce Bump's new dagger
attachment.php

This to me is a gorgeous example on how he used different cool materials, but they're balanced out nicely and don't distract from each other. :thumbup:
 
Gibsonfan & Miden,

I like subtle when it comes to knives and I believe less is usually more.

If the overall design is flawed, no amount of ornamentation will rescue it.

If on the other hand you have a good basic design, you can, most

certainly, ruin the effect by adding layers of "glitz".

You can go the opposite direction and build a knife that is so plain, it is uninspiring and has no focal points.

Mr. Bumps dagger is a fine example of, less is more. It has soul.:thumbup:

Fred
 
Ooh yes,
agreed again GibsonFan and Fred, Bruce's dagger has class. Good use of materials and the workmanship is just beautiful. Craftmanship indeed.

Mike
 
Might anyone have a list of proven alternative pin materials and where to order them? I have read that Lexan and phenolic rod would work , but I cannot find them. Thanks.
 
Texas knife makers has the micarta rods in black that are 1/8 in size. Don't remember if thye off anything else. Mike
 
I reccommend making some knives, then forming your own opinion. Asking others will never be a substitute for experience.

Personally, the pin arrangement depends on the individual knife, what handle material, does it have bolsters, what style of knife/handle is it? A coffin handle would look pretty bare with two pins for example.
 
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