Cracked Handle Scale, What to do?

[Horsewright]

Stacy ... i am extremely confused. IIRC, there has been a LOT of discussion around peening pins to create a mechanical hindrance to separation of the scales from tang. Horsewright, (man .. you are omnipotent...my god...., BUT...) you have posted videos of peening pins on bolsters. Am I reading too fast and missing something.... or have I always missed something, and are you both now saying don’t peen pins on scales?

I can't remember who it was, but IIRC, one of the big time old guys used to leave the pins 1/16" proud and give them a little squish with a cheap 1 ton arbor press. He said it didn't take much to expand the pins.

That said, I agree with Horsewright.
When I use pins and not Corby bolts, I just drill the holes for a smooth slip fit and don't peen. I use good epoxy and grind a reservoir in the tang (and usually some through holes), then make sure epoxy is down every pin hole. As long as a tiny bit of epoxy gets down the hole, and the tang is properly bonder to the scales, the pins are mainly to prevent any shearing force.

Yep, peen on the bolsters but not on the handle. And as we've discussed before I peen mosaic pins (bolsters) all the time, even though folks say ya can't. But I don't peen handle pins. No need.

Bolster pins all peened. Handle pins not.

 

[Cushing H.]

How does tapering the top part of the hole work with flat slab scales that are shaped on the knife? You will grind down below the tapered and peened portion pretty quickly, after about a sixteenth or an eight deep, right, thus eliminating the tapered section and the benefit of it?

At least the way I deal with that issue is I epoxy the scales with dummy pins with wax on them so they can be removed. Remove them, then shape the handle. Then ream the hole and glue and peen the pin. That way I am not grinding down past the peened/expand f part.

 

[Barry Clodfelter]

For peening the brass pins do I leave then a tad longer than then the outside of the scales and hit with ball peen?

Yes just a tad longer and flat then tap not hit them. You don't have to move it much at all. I do this with almost all pins no matter what they are and never with corby bolts.

 

[Ian Weller]

I cant thank everyone enough for posting so many useful things in this thread! I will be sure to take into account all of this info the next time I put a handle together, need to order more pin stock.

Thank you to everyone who posted pictures as well. They always help. Beautiful knives!