First Hidden tang knife

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
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Like the title says, this is going to be the first attempt at a hidden tang knife. The materials being used is some of Aldo's 1084, Axis Antler and Brass fittings. I have the priliminary rough gringing done. I still need to clean up to 220 grit before I heat treat the blade. I will be using red g10 liner material between the antler and the guard. I filed the area that will be fitting on the guard pretty much as tight as I can get it. I will attempt to tighten it up a bit more before heat treat. I have never done this before and this one will ride with me. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
I have no surface grinder or milling machine. I have to do with what I have in my shop which isnt much. Grinder, Drill Press, vise, and files.

Next Steps:
Clean up blade
clean up guard and attach liner material.
Fit everything together then drill 1/8" pin hole through antler and steel.
Heat treat blade.
Clean up blade
attach guard with JB weld
fit antler and guard
JB weld antler to blade/guard

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Good lookin' blade there Frank. The only thing I will say is that I don't make the quard until after H/T and the final grinding and finish sanding has been done. I also leave the tang long enough to thread and put on a buttcap which isn't necessary just my personal preference. If it winds up anything like your full tang work I know it will be nice.
 
The biggest mystery to me is how to fit the handles onto the tangs. I've done 2 hidden tang knives and on both I heated the tang and rough drilled the hole and burned it in, then epoxied. This seemed to work, but no one here talks about doing it this way, and I imagine doing this on antler wouldn't work too well.
 
That knife looks good without being finished!
I used Whitetail deer antler on a couple of hidden tang knives and the pith was pretty easy to get out. Maybe the Axis antler is different?

Working antler is pretty stinky as it is. I can't imagine what it would smell like to have it burnt also.

- Paul Meske
 
I have read a deer antler can be boiled in water so the pith center is soft enough to press the tang up into antler. Then after drying the antler will be solid and strong as if epoxied..... does that work? Has anyone tried that?

Ken H>
 
Thanks guys
Darren I see your point on the guard before HT. Do you thing I could hammer the guard and close up the slot a bit if need be?
 
panch0 said:
Thanks guys
Darren I see your point on the guard before HT. Do you thing I could hammer the guard and close up the slot a bit if need be?
Click to expand...

Hey Frank, looks good so far! after the HT on the blade, it is best IMO to leave the guard a little tight so you can "Press Fit" or as you said Hammer the guard up close just use a nylon mallet or similar implement. keep us posted
 
Frank, that's a really nice looking design. The curve of the antler fits perfectly to the curve of the blade!

Ken, you don't have to boil the antler to soften the pithy core. The pith is already very easy to remove with a screwdriver, but you can make it even easier if you soak the antler in water for a day or two. This makes the outside of the antler a lot softer (like a dense hardwood), and you can whittle it with a knife. Once it dries, it's right back to its old hardness.
 
Yeah Frank, brass is pretty malleable and you should be able to tighten it up a few thousandths but you're probably gonna have to refinish the face after you do it because it may not be flat after it deforms. If all else fails make a new guard, practice makes perfect. HEHEHE
 
darrin sanders said:
Yeah Frank, brass is pretty malleable and you should be able to tighten it up a few thousandths but you're probably gonna have to refinish the face after you do it because it may not be flat after it deforms. If all else fails make a new guard, practice makes perfect. HEHEHE
Click to expand...

Darren, I bought this guard on jantz and filed it a little for it to fit. I will definitely do as you advised. Thanks guys
 
Looking good Frank! Can't wait to see it finished.

I am also working with antler for the first time but I am not as courageous you, it's only a small necker. ;)
 
Thanks Vaughtn - It's been a LONG time since I cut up any deer antlers and I couldn't remember. I've boiled cow horn to soften it for shaping for powder horn, but hadn't tried shaping deer antlers. I think I'll try that... as soon as I get some deer antlers:)

Ken H>
 
I ground the blade. I don't forge yet.

I am figuring out how to stop the side to side movement. The front to back is fairly tight. I drilled out a hole instead of two smaller holes and digging out the middle. Maybe some small pieces of pin material or a dowel cut in half to steady the blade. Would JB weld be strong enough to hold the blade under a bit of pressure? I started working on this before I looked up older posts showing how it was done. I need to think of ways to finish it and have a strong knife.

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One option if you are up to it is to put alingment pins between back of the guard and the antler. Silver solder the guard to the blade use pins between the guard and the antler. Fill the void with some slow set epoxy . Don't forget to pin through the antler and the tang. It won't go anywhere. If you aren't up to the silver solder job the JB weld will work.
 
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