how do you attach pommels?

V

Vulcanite

Joined
Jan 16, 2009
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If I wanted to put a pommel on to give a knife a certain balance, I have no idea how I would do it? The only construction I understand is a slab of steel w/ some handle scales and maybe a guard slapped on to it.

Please let me know if you have any suggestiion.
 
I do them a number of ways, I do symetrical ones by drilling and tapping the pommel and either threading the end of the tang or welding threads on, I have done a square taper on the end of a tang, matched the pommel hole, and peened the end of the tang, what a nuisance! DSCN5602.jpg

usually now I drill the pommel and counterbore for a hex capscrew, drill two 1/16 alignment pin holes from the pommel into the handle, anneal a socket head capscrew, cut it back to just the shoulder region, centerdrill it on the lathe, tap it, and tighten it down on threads welded to the end of the tang

-Page
 
There's a bunch of different ways to do this, I've posted this pic a couple of times
years ago. Threaded rod silver brazed to the chain saw chain, rod connector silver
brazed to the pommel. When the handle is full of epoxy and the pommel is tightened
and let dry- a very solid unit. Works well with curvy stuff like warthog tusks.
Ken.
102_0834.jpg
 
What's y'all's opinion on a pommel with a blind, threaded hole held onto the threaded tang with JB Weld or permanent Loc-Tite? I have a client asking for a knife with a brass pommel and he wants no pins. (I could peen a brass pin through it and it would probably never show, but he doesn't like that idea.)

Any I know how tough it is to remove a guard that's only held on by a snug fit and JB Weld, so that's the direction I'm leaning. Never tried perm Loc-Tite so I thought I should ask.
 
Screw it down tight with J&B, and it's there forever, unless you put a torch to it.
 
Yeah, some of that stuff sounds pretty complicated and or difficult.... At this point, I don't care that it look particularly neat or classy and I know nothing about welding.

Does anyone make pommels that have a groove milled in them that can just slide over the end of a 3/16 or 1/4" tang and then secure to the tang by cross drilling and securing w/ transverse pins or screws? I don't have any way to mill a slot in a block of steel or brass. Or, you could just put a couple little steel scales on the end of the tang behind your handle scales to act as a counterweight I guess and secure them w/ screws or peened pins. I think the old smatchet pommel was that way.

Grinding the tang to a certain width, rounding it a little and them putting a die on it would probably be relatively easy, Hell, you could even just use a big heavy hex nut... I would really like to do somehting like this w/ this WWII knuckle knife replica I have. THe blade in it is complete crap, but the cast bronze handle is good enough. I would have to thread the end of the tang to use the handle...
 
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Just add bolsters to the rear of the handle, like you would install a guard. You can pin them on.
 
Vulcanite said:
...pommels that have a groove milled in them that can just slide over the end of a 3/16 or 1/4" tang and then secure to the tang by cross drilling and securing w/ transverse pins or screws? I don't have any way to mill a slot in a block of steel or brass.
Click to expand...
That will definitely work as long as you don't mind the end of the tang showing, and you don't need a mill. I just mark the slot I need to match the tang, drill a couple holes slightly inside those lines, and clean up the slot with small files. Lots of guys make their guards this way.

LRB said:
Screw it down tight with J&B, and it's there forever, unless you put a torch to it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, unless someone tells me Loc-Tite is stronger I think I'll just use JBWeld on that one. :thumbup:
 
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