Fixing Tiny Gaps Between Buttcap and Handle

J

Josh Feltman

Joined
Feb 12, 2001
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4,501
On a couple of my khukuris, I've noticed that after I use them for a while, the buttcap separates just a tad from the handle. One of my 18" AK's had this happen on the bottom of the buttcap, and I just noticed that it has happened on the top of the handle on my 25" AK. This is a tiny gap, about the width of a matchbook cover, and in both cases, it probably extends for an inch or so around the pointed part of the ovoid buttcap. I fixed the 18" with some epoxy, and I just fixed the 25" with some J-B Weld last night. In both cases, the buttcap was not loose, just separated a tiny bit from the handle material in a small area. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, how do you fix it? Do you use epoxy or superglue, or is there some other trick? I've tried gently pounding the buttcap into place, but it really doesn't seem to do much.
--Josh
 
This isn't unusual.

Clamping the wrapped blade in a vise and pounding on the end of the tang will mushroom out the end of the tang and pull everything together. That's how it was put together. You could also stick the end of the knife in a dense piece of wood instead of using a vise--Wrap the blade for safety in this case.

Pounding on the buttcap or keeper could worsen things by changing their shape IMO.

Glue can work sometimes. Yvsa has suggested to use a small triangular file at the junction of handle and buttcap to make a groove by filing away an equal amount of buttcap and handle. Easier to glue, and relieves any stress points at the edge of the buttcap that could split a small bit of the handle off. I now make this groove at the first sign of loosening before proceeding with any repair. A loosened buttcap somehow seems very efficient at causing a little chip at the end of the handle to come off.

A search for "peen", "loose buttcap" and the the like should produce a lot, including some tips on technique from Ferrous.
 
Yeah, it's happened to me only I forget what I slobbered on in there to fix it.


Hey; who is PKD?

munk
 
Firkin-- I tried peening it a bit, and it really didn't seem to do much. The gap is only on the top part of the handle; the rest still meets up tightly, so it seems like by the time you peen the tang enough to tighten the gap, you might actually damage the rest of the handle by putting too much pressure on it? I'll see how the glue holds, and if it doesn't work, I guess I'll try to peen the tang down some more.
--Josh
 
When it happened to my 18" AK.What I did is I just tightened the diamond shaped butt screw a bit.It's off alittle but no spaces.;)
 
Justright--Do you mean the little brass keeper? I thought that was just held on with peening. Is it threaded?

The J-B Weld locked things up pretty tight on the 25" AK, but I ended up peening the tang over some more just to be on the safe side. It really tightened things up. I guess I just didn't peen it enough the first time I tried it. It's rock-solid now.
--Josh
 
YES,the brass keeper and it is threaded.Also there is some very small spacing but it's ok.Not much too worry about.:D
 
Sounds like you got it fixed up Josh. That J B Weld is good stuff, isn't it? I wouldn't worry too much about putting too much pressure on by careful peening. The shape of the buttcap and keeper allow them to "settle" a bit and change shape, especially the softer brass. As I understand it, filing the edge of the buttcap is to remove a very localized burr that will apply pressure like a chisel, posibly causing a split or crack, particularly if the handle expands a little.

I don't think anything is threaded at BirGhorka. How many threads could that soft, thin sheet of brass hold anyway? I can see how turning one could better wedge it into the space between buttcap and the rivet formed by the peened tang.
 
Firkin-- I was really impressed with the J-B Weld, though I probably shouldn't have peened the tang down after I put the J-B Weld in the gap. Oh well, live and learn. As it is, it looks like the brass just pushed down a little bit over the glue, which is still attached firmly to the horn. Should just make for a tighter fit. It was a pretty tiny gap to begin with; I tend to worry and fuss way too much over my khukuris, but I'm slowly getting over it.
--Josh
 
I love the stories on the JB-weld packages. "Farmer fixes crank shaft in tractor using JB-welld, saves thousands and farm."
Ive said this before, and Ill say it again, if JB-weld is good enough for farmers, its good enough for me.:D
 
I know someone who drives hard and fixed his transmision cover with JB weld. I say, 'drives hard' because most his miles are off pavement.




munk
 
I'll be dipped. I too had been wondering about the sig line and who PKD might be. I guessed Phillip K. Dick and it turns out munk asked and I was right. I love it when my stupid wild ass guesses turn out right.
 
Is the "end of the tang" that little silver circle in the center of the buttcap? My WW2, the first born, has a buttcap that can turn about 1/2 inch each direction. I haven't tried anything because if I messed my baby up I would never forgive myself, maybe this will do the trick.
 
Skeletor-- that's it. The tang is left soft, so you can peen it, or "mushroom" it over by hitting glancing blows, preferrably with a ball-peen hammer. Ferrous gave me some great pointers on peening a while back. A search for "peening" should turn up the thread. I've had good luck with peening, but if you are not very careful, you will end up putting some little dings in the brass buttcap. If you can get some adhesive in there, try J-B Weld-- it's basically epoxy with metal powder in it. It seems to be much stronger than the regular epoxy I've used before. I believe you can also use super glue to melt the laha in the handle and get it to flow to readhere the buttcap.
--Josh
 
No prob, Skeletor. Just be careful with that brass if you use a hammer. It's very soft, and will ding very easily. If you are concerned with maintaining the appearance of your buttcap, you might want to try protecting the brass with masking tape or something.
--Josh
 
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