Help with slab handles

[Trent Dyck]

Having issues here with the dried, milled maple pulling away from the tang. Handles have been glued on and clamped, rivited and everything looked pretty for a while.

I know the wood is aged and in theory, dry. I got it from an old boat maker along with some teak, ironwood, oak. Never even thought about it and stored in in my shop downstairs. Finished the knives off, brought them upstairs and after 2 days, I noticed that the rivets weren't flush anymore and it looke like there are small gaps where the handles and the tang meet. I live on the west (wet) coast. and its winter here. HUmidity and a bit of moister in the wood?

 

[Bruce Bump]

Shrinkage is an age old problem with all natural handle materials. Not much you can do except stabilize all your wood. It will help but still shrinks a little with humidity changes.

 

[Daniel Koster]

Is your shop conditioned? (dehumidified)

If not, and especially if its in a cold, damp, unfinished basement, then there can certainly be enough moisture difference between a cold humid downstairs, and a dry conditioned upstairs.

Maple is a creeper. I stopped using it for full tangs, because it was hard to control its movement. Now, on a hidden tang, it seems to be ok (room to breathe).