Handle tube rivet/cutler's rivets - proper length formula anyone?..

F

FloWolF

Joined
Sep 15, 2017
Messages
70
Hi there good folks,
I'm having a go at these for the first time, and I went with the formula as provided by USA Knifemaker (who makes and sells the flaring die points), but something niggled me about it before I even started -

If I am reading it right (big if?..), the extra length added over the handle width, is tied to the handle width (handle width + 20% of handle width) - I must have this wrong as it makes no sense - thicker handle should need just the same extra tube protruding to fill the countersink when flared, as a thinner handle does.

Anyway I did a practice shot and then 2 rivets on a practice knife I'm finishing, and the tubes were definitely somewhat overlong using the formula from that page.

Can anyone help me either by clarifying where I've muddled this formula, or by providing one that actually works? Seems more like it (the extra length) should be tied to the diameter of the countersinking or something like that perhaps?

Thanks for any clarity any of you can offer - I can be really blind to the obvious sometimes.

Cheers!

Shaun/FloWolF

(edited to correct the post title).
 
My 2 cents is the extra length is for the male/female parts of the rivets that Combine.. I don’t really use those rivets much and prefer Loveless Bolts .. a lot less measuring and the strongest by far! Good luck!
 
Yeah usaknifemaker has it wrong .. Make them just a hair longer than the outside of the handle so it will fit down inside the countersunk hole and you will be good. Here's one I did earlier today with this method ..
i-6Fsc6hw.jpg
 
Yep, that's how I usually do it - just a tad longer than handle is wide, then with the flare, the tube will be just below the handle into countersink. I don't think of those as "rivets", but as "flared tubes".
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
My 2 cents is the extra length is for the male/female parts of the rivets that Combine.. I don’t really use those rivets much and prefer Loveless Bolts .. a lot less measuring and the strongest by far! Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply fella but you misunderstand me - these are 1 part rivets made from a single piece of tube, which is flared out at each end with a die and press to secure it.

Cheers!

Shaun.
 
Ken, Josh - thanks for clearing that up for me. That'll make the rest of these knives more comfortable to do.

Cheers everyone.

Shaun.
 
FloWolF said:
Ken, Josh - thanks for clearing that up for me. That'll make the rest of these knives more comfortable to do.

Cheers everyone.

Shaun.
Click to expand...
One more thing ..............be sure that you cut them in right angle .
 
FloWolF said:
Thanks for the reply fella but you misunderstand me - these are 1 part rivets made from a single piece of tube, which is flared out at each end with a die and press to secure it.

Cheers!

Shaun.
Click to expand...
No worries, Attention Deficit here! Thought you were referring to the old Cutlery rivets !!
 
Yep, slightly longer than the full thickness of the handle will end up with the flare being below the level of the handle material. I'll stack up the scales on top of the tang with a piece of tube through the holes in all three pieces, butt the tip of a Sharpie against the tube, and rotate the tube to mark the length. I built a depth stop on my tubing cutter and will set it so that the cutting blade is in the middle of the mark. Works great.
 
Natlek said:
One more thing ..............be sure that you cut them in right angle .
Click to expand...

Hi Natlek thanks for the reply.

Do you mean, cut the angle to match the varying thickness of the handle where the hole is drilled - i.e. if the hole is on a curved part of the handle, then cut the tube at a matching angle? If so I already did this for the lanyard rivet on the practice blade.

Cheers,

Shaun.
 
FloWolF said:
Hi Natlek thanks for the reply.

Do you mean, cut the angle to match the varying thickness of the handle where the hole is drilled - i.e. if the hole is on a curved part of the handle, then cut the tube at a matching angle? If so I already did this for the lanyard rivet on the practice blade.

Cheers,

Shaun.
Click to expand...
Sounds like he's meaning to make sure the tube is a 90° cut so your die doesn't tilt when pressing it together... but I may be wrong!
 
razor-edge-knives said:
Sounds like he's meaning to make sure the tube is a 90° cut so your die doesn't tilt when pressing it together... but I may be wrong!
Click to expand...

Heh, it's just I'd been wondering if there was a trick to deal with fitting these in an area where the hole top is sloped with the handle shape, and wondered if maybe this (as I'd read it - to cut the tube angle same as the surface angle of the scales where the hole is at) was it?..

Shaun.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
Sounds like he's meaning to make sure the tube is a 90° cut so your die doesn't tilt when pressing it together... but I may be wrong!
Click to expand...
Yes , tube must be cut in 90° to even spread in counterbore drilled in handle material...
@FloWolF it will be very difficult to do that ....Easy/right way is to drill counterbore 90° in scale .Drill counterbore AFTER you shape handle .And drill deep enough to get even circle where tube rivet will seat evenly .........
Sorry for my broken English .
 
Natlek said:
Yes , tube must be cut in 90° to even spread in counterbore drilled in handle material...
@FloWolF it will be very difficult to do that ....Easy/right way is to drill counterbore 90° in scale .Drill counterbore AFTER you shape handle .And drill deep enough to get even circle where tube rivet will seat evenly .........
Sorry for my broken English .
Click to expand...

I understand you perfectly Natlek, thanks very much!

Cheers,

Shaun.
 
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