How would you do this?

TekSec

TekSec

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Dec 8, 2006
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I want to make a round insert between my scales on a full tang blade. Excuse the crappy drawing, I'm at work and all I have is MS Paint. the orange are the scales, the gray is the tang and the red is a tube to insert into the handle. I want to mill the part that the red overlaps into the scales. Pretend the red circle is 3/8" diameter and the steel (gray) is 1/8" thick. In the past I've drilled after the scales are on the tang and it was a PITA so I'm wanting to remove the material pre-attachment. I was thinking a ball mill, but do I still use a 3/8" ball? Or does someone have a better idea? Let me know!
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I'm sure someone with more experience and knowledge than me will chime in but for now I'll go ahead and give my thoughts on this.

If it were me, I would mill out the 3/8" slot in the tang first, without the scales attached. then use a spacer of some type (wood, plastic, whatever) that is the same thickness as your tang between the scales. Drill that out from the end so your hole is 3/8" and then put the scales on the tang lining everything up.

SDS
 
Ironically, that's what I had come up with. I was just hoping to hear some other thoughts.
 
That's all I can think up. You might want to make the scales a bit oversize so you can line up the cuts with the cutout in the tang easier. Other than that, I can't think of another way to do it.

I assume this is for the knife you make with the firestarter in the handle?

SDS
 
Yup. Trying to hammer out a faster production as a reseller is interested.
 
Very cool. Keep us updated. I liked the idea when I saw it.

Keep us updated as you can.

SDS
 
It's evolving. Working on better latching to keep the steel in the tang, streamlining the design, etc. We all have to have some niche, right? :D
 
If everyone liked the same knife there would only be one maker, or we'd all be making the same knife. I'm still using that knife I got from you last year in the Christmas exchange. Nice knife.

I'd like to take a look at one of these handles closer someday.

Take care,
SDS
 
use an end mill and plunge cut part way then insert plug. I would do this in 2 operations with a smaller/pilot as close to finished size as possible, then use final size. This way you could do prat way through and it would act almost like a pin.
 
Yea, the biggest issue is the length. I go from the butt end 2 1/2" to 3" towards the ricasso. Milling the steel before slabbing is easy, but I want to put a scale on one side, lay the tube for the steel insert in, let epoxy set up then put the other scale on. This comes down to some of the internals that have to be laid in prior to the final sealing of the last slab. Tang is 1/8" (in this model) and the tube is 3/8" OD. I was thinking if I uses a 3/8" ball mill on the inside of each slab it would work, however, getting just the right depth (accounting for the 1/8" steel in between) is what I'm fighting with. Too much and you have a gap around the tube. Too little and the slabs won't flush with the tang. If I had a CNC or was a machinist I'm sure this would be child's play. However, I'm not and my mini-mill isn't all that precise :D
 
Use a router. I do that a lot on making wooden sheathes and such. Besides a router bit is a lot cheaper than mill tools.
Just what I think,
Lynn
 
Lynn said:
Use a router. I do that a lot on making wooden sheathes and such. Besides a router bit is a lot cheaper than mill tools.
Just what I think,
Lynn
Click to expand...

Now that's one I hadn't thought of. If nothing else, like you say, router bits are cheaper!
 
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