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How to Put a Custom made Handle on a Replacable Firesteel??? -

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
4,591
I have a fellow asking me to make a highly figured ironwood handle for a cylindrical firesteel. The firesteel will wear out and the handle will need to be easily placed upon a new firesteel. My first thought was to use a nicely made bolt. That won't work because it requires drilling on the end user's part upon replacement. I then thought of a clampimg scheme. Just a clamp involving a tightening screw is going to cause that portion to extend and look not so well. Now I am thinking of slitting the tube portion of the wooden handle, that portion slipping onto the firesteel, and using a serving to secure it (just like you serve a bow string). I really don't know for sure. Are there any better suggestions with you fellows??

Thanks.

RL
 
Ummm, how about using a ferrel with a set screw, like the metal ferrel on a wood lathe gouge? If it was thick enough to have a few threads for the setscrew, and part of the tube was slit, it should work. You could use two set screws, one for each side, also. If the ferrel extended on back on the handle and covered an inch or so of the solid part of the handle, it would not loosen on the handle when you tighten the setscrews on the slit portion. 'Glas and pin the ferrel where it covers the solid portion of the handle. Old Indian trick.
 
John Andrews said:
Ummm, how about using a ferrel with a set screw, like the metal ferrel on a wood lathe gouge? If it was thick enough to have a few threads for the setscrew, and part of the tube was slit, it should work. You could use two set screws, one for each side, also. If the ferrel extended on back on the handle and covered an inch or so of the solid part of the handle, it would not loosen on the handle when you tighten the setscrews on the slit portion. 'Glas and pin the ferrel where it covers the solid portion of the handle. Old Indian trick.
Click to expand...
If it is one of your trick that sucker is ancient!!!HEHEHE!! :p :p
 
Roger,

I really wouldn't worry to much about a replacable handle, unless that is what the customer asked for. I have several Firesteels that are 3-4 years old. The FireSteel manufactor states that they will last for well over 12,000 sparks. Just to give you an example, my older worn FireSteels still fit nice and snug in the loops Jamie put on the bushcraft sheaths.

Ron
 
you know how those extendable knife steels are built?
that would be cool and compact , loosen the collar nut extend it
use it and slide it back in and pack her away again :)
 
If you really wanted a unique and nice looking setup Rodger, try this.

Measure the diameter of the fire steel and take a trip to a good plumbing supplier.

Buy a brass compression coupling for the diameter of the steel.

When you get home, take a piece of round stock the same size as the steel and fit it into one end of the coupling. Make sure you use the ferrule. Tighten the he!! out of it and chuck it in an electric drill. Go to the grinder and turn all the flats off the compression nut while running the drill. This will give you a nut the same size as the barrel of the coupling.

Next, cut the round stock to length for your handle and drill your wood. Mount it just like a stick tang and if you like, thread the end of the round stock to attach a butt cap. Just make sure there is enough of the front sticking out for the bolster to completely thread onto.

Now, make whatever bolster you want for the front, drill and tap it for the front of the barrel. Use the old nut as a guide for making it. A simple plug tap will work fine.

When you finish, remove the bolster, put a ferrule on the fire steel, fit it in the coupling and slide the bolster up from the front.

Tighten the bolster and your finished.

To replace the steel, remove the bolster, put a new ferrule on a new steel and replace the bolster.

This will give a clean professional job or as my Father in Law would say...."Looks like someone else made it" :grumpy:
 
Some really good suggestions here. Thanks pals. I need to study Big John's and Don's suggestions more thoroughly. Each seem a lot better than my thoughts of serving the handle onto the rod.

Thanks again. I do believe there is a solution found within this thread.

RL
 
Roger,
You could look at drilling your handle to accept a tube that the firesteel will fit snuggly into. Cut the tube to length; leaving enough exposed to be covered by a clamp-on shaft collar. Then slot the exposed portion, epoxy the tube in place, slip the firesteel in, slide the collar on and tighten down. Just an idea.
ulphv

Regards,
Greg

Edit: you might want to just inlet and epoxy in a set screw shaft collar instead.
 
How about the firesteel being able to fit into the handle in a sliding manner, when he wants it he slackens off the ring,(One of those plumbing deal things) out it pops, dog it up to hold it firm, slacken off to fit back inside where its safe from being broken. It also reduces the size of the whole caboodle and its easy to replace.
 
Wow, just look at all these great ideas. You fellows are great. I know now it can be done well.

Temper, I just now finished tapering the tang on your D2 Special. The next three days are reserved to finish up my part in the collaboration knife so I'll be down until Wednesday but I hope to have the bevels ground on the D2 soon after and then begin on the bushcraft. I'll shoot you a picture of the D2 blank after bevel grinding and email it to you.

RL
 
Temper said:
How about the firesteel being able to fit into the handle in a sliding manner, when he wants it he slackens off the ring,(One of those plumbing deal things) out it pops, dog it up to hold it firm, slacken off to fit back inside where its safe from being broken. It also reduces the size of the whole caboodle and its easy to replace.
Click to expand...


yeah what he said :confused: ;)
Dan Gray said:
you know how those extendable knife steels are built?
that would be cool and compact , loosen the collar nut extend it
use it and slide it back in and pack her away again :)
Click to expand...

;)
Don? the way your saying can be done this way too right? at least it's what I was thinking :confused: :)
 
Sorry Dan :) (Previous post brought to you curtesy of those fine folks at Glenmorangie) I though someone mentioned a partial length split tube. My idea was an adaption of that. The Firesteel would be housed in the tube. This would afford both protection and a means to grip one end when its being used. In order to grip it a plumbing type ring nut over the threaded tube would allow this. It would also prevent the Firesteel from dropping out when its being carried.
 
Temper said:
Sorry Dan :) (Previous post brought to you curtesy of those fine folks at Glenmorangie) I though someone mentioned a partial length split tube. My idea was an adaption of that. The Firesteel would be housed in the tube. This would afford both protection and a means to grip one end when its being used. In order to grip it a plumbing type ring nut over the threaded tube would allow this. It would also prevent the Firesteel from dropping out when its being carried.
Click to expand...

well ok
I'll let you off this time :D :D

I'm just razzing as usual :p
 
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