handle help

Leatherface

Leatherface

Joined
Dec 3, 2005
Messages
1,991
Hey guy's...is there a trick to remove the handles from an Old Hickory knife??

I read dan's tutorial on the AK bowie and I was wondering if the same principles apply...

To me they look more like rivets than anything else...Any ideas?
 
Leatherface said:
Hey guy's...is there a trick to remove the handles from an Old Hickory knife??

I read dan's tutorial on the AK bowie and I was wondering if the same principles apply...

To me they look more like rivets than anything else...Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Old Hickory handle slabs are held on with standard "cutler's rivets". Tape the blade, put the thing on a drill press, and "cut" the rivet heads off by drilling into them with a drill bit roughly the same size, or just a bit smaller, diameter as the rivet head. Don't try to drill straight through them, as you could booger up the rivet holes in the tang doing that.

Sarge
 
Sarge,
Thanks...that is what I figured i would have to do!!

Do I need to boil the handles off??
 
I doubt that they are held on by anything other than the rivets. Try prying first after drilling. The boiling comes into play on Nepali knives because they use laha, a natural adhesive which softens when heated.

Steve
 
If you don't mind wrecking the scales you can probably split them off with a chisel. I've taken apart a number of old "old hickory" style knives that way.
 
Steve,
I figured that they had epoxy on them...that is what I am gonna do when I get the other handles ready to be put on...Rough it up a tad and put some epoxy on the handles...You are prolly right since they used rivets...

Howard...hmm..good point...I dont care about the scales at all...

question...When I remount the new wood...How should I do it?? Is there brass rods in this size?? or do I go with the cutlery rivets?? I need around 10 sets of them if that helps...Never tried a mod like this so I am kinda shooting in the dark...If it helps, it is the 6" skinner that I was talking about modding into a Nessbuck...Decided to change the wood as well and make a nice thick sheath for it


Thanks guy's!!
 
Leatherface said:
question...When I remount the new wood...How should I do it?? Is there brass rods in this size?? or do I go with the cutlery rivets?
Click to expand...

Answer:
Leatherface you won't know how big the rivets are until you get them out of the knife. The cutler rivets are a lot bigger on the ends than the part that goes through the rivet hole.
I'm sure all of the knife supply stores have both brass rods of the size you'll need as well as any rivets or screws if you decide to use them, there are several options.
Also Grizzly Industries has several sizes of brass rods as well as brass and copper tubing from small to quite large.
I used some of their large copper tubing for the bolsters on the kardas I made for my full size FF.:thumbup: :cool:

Epoxy will go a good ways in helping the new slabs to stay on. You won't need to use rivets if you don't want too although I probably would.
I like the double insurance, kinda like the guy who wears a belt *And* Suspenders.;)
 
Yvsa,
Thanks for the tip...Yea I am one of those belt and suspender's type guy's as well...

Brass rods huh?? hmm ok all I do is measure the hole in the tang and get the rod that is the same thickness?? Cut it off even on both sides and sand it flush right??

OHH btw...On the last sheath i made I tried something different with the color and tooling...When I get the pics posted I really wanna know what ya think..;)

Sarge...I have looked at TKS before and couldnt get the site to work on my puter...Today I didnt have a problem...That applet thingy finally worked just fine for me..lol
 
Leatherface said:
Steve,
I figured that they had epoxy on them...that is what I am gonna do when I get the other handles ready to be put on...Rough it up a tad and put some epoxy on the handles...You are prolly right since they used rivets...

Howard...hmm..good point...I dont care about the scales at all...

question...When I remount the new wood...How should I do it?? Is there brass rods in this size?? or do I go with the cutlery rivets?? I need around 10 sets of them if that helps...Never tried a mod like this so I am kinda shooting in the dark...If it helps, it is the 6" skinner that I was talking about modding into a Nessbuck...Decided to change the wood as well and make a nice thick sheath for it


Thanks guy's!!
Click to expand...

Look carefully at the different types of rivets/bolts on the market. They are all different and many come down to personal preference. I prefer this type of hidden bolt:
http://www.knifekits.com/store/s-pages/kk_store_1mainframe.htm?kk_products_parts_main.htm~smain

The correct type of drill bits really help when using hidden bolts, corby bolts, loveless rivets, etc.

Many suppliers have them. The screw slot will grind off. Don't forget to loctite the threads.


Look at these mosaic pins if you shose that route:
http://www.knifekits.com/store/s-pages/kk_store_1mainframe.htm?kk_products_parts_main.htm~smain
 
Steve,
I really like those mosaics..however there price precludes me from using them, maybe if I get decent at handles I might use a set..

Anywho...do I just measure the size of the hole and then get the rod that fits it?? Do I have to "peen" the brass rod or is it more or less glued in??
 
Dave, we want to see pics when you are done. Old Hickory knives keep calling to me. Everytime i think i'm over the "fad", I pick up one of their 8" cook's knives and just love the way it hangs in my hand, how easily it sharpens up, and how i could walk around just about anywhere short of a crowded street without getting an odd glance. 'matter of fact, i'll probably be ordering a few more tomorrow to mod up and take as "throw aways" on my canoe/camping trip over the July 4th weekend. I have too many companion knives that would physically make me sick if i lost them to some dadgum river.

Jake
 
Leatherface said:
Steve,
I really like those mosaics..however there price precludes me from using them, maybe if I get decent at handles I might use a set..

Anywho...do I just measure the size of the hole and then get the rod that fits it?? Do I have to "peen" the brass rod or is it more or less glued in??
Click to expand...


Only peen the pins gently. Rough up the pins inside the handle for the epoxy to adhere too. Do not peen mosaic pins. Solid pins don't have to be peened at all. The epoxy will hold everything just finen. Here are some tutorials that might help:
http://www.northcoastknives.com/northcoast_knives_tutorials_fulltang1.htm
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25537
http://knifenetwork.com/workshop/index.shtml
http://www.knivesby.com/handles.html
http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop/tut_skinner_hearn.shtml
http://www.brisa.fi/start3.html

When you're done with these I'll send more.

Here's the short version. Clean tang and rough it up on the belt grinder. Drill pinholes through the tang and one scale first. Flip tang over and drill through tang and other scale. Epoxy both sided of the tang and the inside of the scales. Rough up the middle area of the pins. Put everything together and clamp it up good. Leave it alone overnight. Use your belt grinders to shape the scales and gring down the pind flush. Final fit and finish is with wet/dry sandpaper used dry. Use the shoe shine method and run up the grits from 100 to 2000 if you want that fine a finish. Some will need to be buffed, some won't. There's more to it, but this is the basics.

Enjoy, LF.
 
Thanks for the links Steve....Now alot of the way a handle goes together makes sense to me..

Granted I sniff glue for a living, so sense might be a strong word..lol


NOW....

Where is the absolute cheapest place I can get the brass rod material for the post thingies that stick in the holes in the handles??

Lowes??

Home Depot??
 
ferguson said:
I doubt that they are held on by anything other than the rivets. Try prying first after drilling. The boiling comes into play on Nepali knives because they use laha, a natural adhesive which softens when heated.

Steve
Click to expand...

Steve,
You were dead on...No epoxy what so ever...

I will have to get me some good epoxy this weekend!!

Now where to get the brass pin stock??
 
Leatherface said:
Now where to get the brass pin stock??
Click to expand...

You can buy brazing rod if you want thin pins. Lowes or similar should have it.

You can buy cutler's rivets online too. They have wide heads like you're used to seeing on commercial knives.
 
Thanks Howard..

I finally got around to measuring the pins..

first one is 5/32"

second one is 1/4"

They come that small??
 
Dave, the Home Depot has a limited selection of pin stock. Ace hardware too. McMaster-Carr has every size known to man (I think). I still haven't mailed out your pattern, sorry. Slack ass this week.
 
Dave any of the knife makers supply houses like Jantz Supply...
http://www.jantzsupply.com/

KnivesSupply.com ....
http://www.uai.org/

Texas Knifemakers Supply ....
http://www.texasknife.com/TKS_Mainframe.htm

And Grizzly Industries who has all kinds of machine tools and other goodies and small parts where many times the cost of shipping is gonna be more than the part you want.;)
http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=brass&submit.x=5&submit.y=12

Sorry about the open links but I'm lazy tonight.;) :D :o
 
Andy,
I decided to just order it through TKS...I needed some wood and they had a decent deal on come Maple Curl...Dont sweat it on the pattern...I been trying to nurse sick snakes this week so I havent had time to do much anywho


Yvsa...Thanks for the links...I went with TKS

Now I need some more knives!!!!:D
 
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