Blem -- 18" AK by Murali -- perfect but cracked handle. Pix & deal.

Man if I had not orderd one yesterday.....
Must resist owning 2 of the same.....
 
I don't think I would use the dowel. Take a fairly thin brass welding rod. Thread it, drill barely smaller holes. With Uncle Bill's idea of the clamps placed just right drill three of the holes evenly spaced. Using a small pipe wrench or Vicegrips screw the rod through the wood cut and file the ends. This done three times and your done now linseed heck out of it.

I've used the welding rods on rifle stocks and it works very well. And, you can try for patterns with the ends of the brass.:D
 
Personally, I wouldn't clamp it to try to glue it back together. In essence, you are pressuring the handle into a position it clearly does not want to be in (evidenced by the crack). If it were me, I'd clean the crack out, sand it to make it a smooth opening, place a new piece of thin wood inside (like a shim), epoxy it nicely, trim the excess, stain & finish until it matched the original (or, as suggested by other posts here, refinish the entire handle).

I think that if you clamp it down, then release it, it will crack again. It may take a few days/months/years, but it will crack. If you feel it needs to be strengthened, then put in metal dowels & ornamental/medallion heads. Just recess the head into the handle and coat it with a protective coating. It will look intentional, instead of like a repair.

Just my 0.02
 
Just for the record.
If anyone goes searching for data on AK specs.
This blade is actually 28oz rather than the 22oz noted.
A mighty fine blade either way.
 
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