Bowie handle slot

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
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4,591
Promised a friend I'd re-handle his Bowie. After I opened my big mouth it occured to me that I have nothing long enough to mill out the slot in the wood for the stick tang. I need to go about 4 1/2 inches.

What do you Bowie makers use to do this, please?

Thanks, RL
 
I drill a series of holes the proper width, and then wallow them out, either by tilting the drill bit, or with a file.

It ain't pretty, and it ain't easy, but it works! This isn't one with a tang that's wider at the end than at the start, is it? That winds up making it REAL sloppy. In that instance, I actually cut the handle material, mill it to fit, and then re-epoxy it. Usually, after cleanup and finishing, the line is darn near invisible. And in stag or fine-grained wood, it usually blends nicely with the natural lines of the material.

My two coppers.

Kal
 
I tried the drilling method. It works, but it isn't easiest or neatest way.
If you have a good drill press vice it would help alot in keeping the holes straight/vertical. When I did it, I had the top of the whole pretty good while it was still too tight down inside, because of the peice moving and the bit flexing.
If your going to have a gaurd to cover up the top of the whole your in pretty good shape though. Its not that hard to get a tight fit, just hard to get a clean fit between the opening of the hole and the tang.

I think I've read on here somewhere about drilling a pilot hole and then burning the tang in. That would be a tough way to go without re heat treating the blade though.

:confused:
 
Sounds like I should be able to do that.

No, the tang is even width from stem to stern.

I'm using a real nice piece of tiger maple for this and don't want to do it with two half pieces.

Thanks for the advise; RL
 
Yes, I have a small mill and vises for it. I'll be okay there. I am making the guard and spacers too so the hole opening will be covered.
Hitting the pin holes just right will be the trick but with the milling machine I should be able to hit them withing a few mil (I better).

Thanks; RL
 
RL, I drill a pilot hole and use a key hole saw that is for sheet rock, I have ground the back off to make it narrow enough to fit the pilot hole. In the metal shop we use a broach (looks like a thick saw) to cut key slots. The key hole saw makes a nice square slot with a little practice.
 
What I do is get whatever thickness I need by welding or soldering jig blades together, than I mig that to a handle. You have to grind the handle to the width and thickness of the jig blades. It cuts a nice hole very quick thats also squared.
 
I have done it this way and it worked.
First be sure the wood block is SQ on all six sides. Important!
Most standard bits are 3.5" just shorten the tang.
Mark where you want the hole, after tracing the handle outline on the wood.
Drill the holes and warble out the webs.
or use your wood butchery of choice.
Get a finish fit between the top of the handle and the back of the guard. The tighter you keep the tang in the hole the better.
Super glue (1 drop) the wood to the back of the guard.
Drill a pin hole or two.
Smack the wood loose, shape the handle.
Put a bunch of notches in the tang, for the epoxy to hold on to.
When the handle is finished slide it back on and DRY fit your pins.
Get them either flush or REAL close to flush.
Knock them back out and epoxy the tang into the handle.
I find it works best to put the handle in a vice HOLE side up. Use slow cure epoxy or fast if your really fast! Epoxy the pins.
Be neat.
Replace your pins and Wooolah you have a Bowie handle that is not coming off.
 
get a pully tap drill they are long
you can drill two holes if your going all the way through
then use a coping saw to cut the web out.
just another way to add to the many.:)
 
Robert gave me a good way to hit the pin holes and Bruce gave me the answer I like for cutting the slot. Outstanding! Soon as I finish this D'Holder I'll get started.

Thanks to all; RL
 
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