Knife with hollow handle, where do I start?

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TheEdge01

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Apr 3, 2015
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Do you guys ever get strange custom orders? Well, one of my co-workers wants a Rambo style knife with a hollow handle, compass, etc. It will probably need an alloy handle for the blade to be secure. The blade will be the easy part, my big concern is securing it to the handle. I really want to try it, but I don’t know where to start. Any advice is appreciated.
 
You used to be able to buy them form some of the knife suppliers You make the blade and fit it to the handle.

The simplest thing is to buy a cheap $20 Rambo knife and take it apart. Use the junk blade as a template to make a good blade and put the handle on the new blade
 
if it were me, I'd design something on paper first, and then make a crude model to work out the bugs
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You used to be able to buy them form some of the knife suppliers You make the blade and fit it to the handle.

The simplest thing is to buy a cheap $20 Rambo knife and take it apart. Use the junk blade as a template to make a good blade and put the handle on the new blade
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Excellent idea! Thank you!
 
Another idea, since the kit is quite expansive. You could visit your local water installations supplier or a Walmart and check for threaded end caps in brass or stainless steel of appropriate size. 14mm compass shouldn't be a problem to embed in the cap, drill to size and epoxy it in. Then an appropriate tube and get the threads cut. Guard you could do yourself. You could cut some grooves in the tube with a dremmel for grip and widen them with a file.
 
FredyCro said:
Another idea, since the kit is quite expansive. You could visit your local water installations supplier or a Walmart and check for threaded end caps in brass or stainless steel of appropriate size. 14mm compass shouldn't be a problem to embed in the cap, drill to size and epoxy it in. Then an appropriate tube and get the threads cut. Guard you could do yourself. You could cut some grooves in the tube with a dremmel for grip and widen them with a file.
Click to expand...
Another excellent idea!!! This project may not be too painful after all. Thank you
 
check the knock offs on aliexpress, there are some with plastic and stainless handles that look like they would be full disassembly construction. In long terms biting the bullet and taking the kit would be my choice if your customer is willing to pay the mark up. Playing with tubes and fitting would be fun though and you could customize the caps to your liking, the only think would be to figure out how to attach the blade to the handle/upper cap. Brazing, penning or some kind o lock nut and thread on the tang could all work.
 
FredyCro said:
check the knock offs on aliexpress, there are some with plastic and stainless handles that look like they would be full disassembly construction. In long terms biting the bullet and taking the kit would be my choice if your customer is willing to pay the mark up. Playing with tubes and fitting would be fun though and you could customize the caps to your liking, the only think would be to figure out how to attach the blade to the handle/upper cap. Brazing, penning or some kind o lock nut and thread on the tang could all work.
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I could thread the tang and bolt it to the guard, then thread the guard to the inside of the handle. Lastly, I need to find the correct size of compass then figure out how to attach it to the bottom cap.
 
That is pretty much how most are assembled.

Compasses to be inlaid in things are available from woodworking suppliers and walking stick/cane making suppliers, hobby stores, and Walmart::
www.walmart.com

Kritne Compass,20mm 12pcs Mini Pocket Oil Filled Compass for Hiking Camping Outdoor Activities Accessory , Pocket Compass - Walmart.com

Arrives by Wed, Mar 29 Buy Kritne Compass,20mm 12pcs Mini Pocket Oil Filled Compass for Hiking Camping Outdoor Activities Accessory , Pocket Compass at Walmart.com
www.walmart.com

You can recess the top and just epoxy the compass on.
 
the more I think about it, the more I want to lathe a big fat threaded tang directly from the bar the blade's from, and yes that sounds like an integral bolster to me. The thing I hate about this style of knife is the cylindrical handle. I'd wanna bolt something on there with at least some contouring. An easier option would be a full tang with removable scales that have hollows milled out to match cutouts in the tang for storing those Rambo essentials. Could always inlay a little compass into one of the slabs, too. Not that anyone knows how to use a compass anymore

ps. I wouldn't use a crappy design to copy from. The problem with the hollow handle survival knife is that it's an enigma; a generally shitty design almost ironically created to let you down when the going gets tough. Not all designs are equal!

pps. Sam Wilson Sam Wilson makes a really well thought out version which will hold up to real use. Ian Bailey in the UK does a sweet one as well, pics on his IG
 
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Lorien said:
the more I think about it, the more I want to lathe a big fat threaded tang directly from the bar the blade's from, and yes that sounds like an integral bolster to me. The thing I hate about this style of knife is the cylindrical handle. I'd wanna bolt something on there with at least some contouring. An easier option would be a full tang with removable scales that have hollows milled out to match cutouts in the tang for storing those Rambo essentials. Could always inlay a little compass into one of the slabs, too. Not that anyone knows how to use a compass anymore

ps. I wouldn't use a crappy design to copy from. The problem with the hollow handle survival knife is that it's an enigma; a generally shitty design almost ironically created to let you down when the going gets tough. Not all designs are equal!

pps. Sam Wilson Sam Wilson makes a really well thought out version which will hold up to real use. Ian Bailey in the UK does a sweet one as well, pics on his IG
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I agree, I was thinking the same thing about the handle.
 
TheEdge01 said:
I agree, I was thinking the same thing about the handle.
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I wouldn't make a knife for someone that caused me concern about the handle falling off :eek::eek::eek:

Rambo question; who here read the book?
 
Lorien said:
I wouldn't make a knife for someone that caused me concern about the handle falling off :eek::eek::eek:

Rambo question; who here read the book?
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Never knew there was a book.
Yet another book I want to read

Edit: just ordered it :)
 
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There was an article written and published in the North Carolina Custom Knifemakers Guild newsletter a few years ago on making this same knife. It was in the Winter 2018 issue written by Andy Sharpe. I have gotten my hands on a couple of these he has made over the years and I doubt the handle could fall off. Very solid construction. NCCKMG_newsletters
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You used to be able to buy them form some of the knife suppliers You make the blade and fit it to the handle.

The simplest thing is to buy a cheap $20 Rambo knife and take it apart. Use the junk blade as a template to make a good blade and put the handle on the new blade
Click to expand...
Here is one of them .....china made , my friend from USA give to my son this one ....They are not so badly made,only God knows what my son did with this rambo shit while we were on fishing....still no weaknesses appeared anywhere on assembly.
Guard is AL , handle is steel and compass cap is aluminium ...
hlxe8H1.jpg

nAJ9ZOm.jpg

4UqHsHr.jpg
 
I would do this. . . Half an inch is more then enough for the ricasso to be in the tube/made on lathe from solid piece / precisely made slot /like we do for guard / and thread and nut at the back.Rest is easy....if you start from enough thick round piece you can shape it as you like it ,no need to be round handle ..
ZuZJK7T.png
 
Natlek said:
I would do this. . . Half an inch is more then enough for the ricasso to be in the tube/made on lathe from solid piece / precisely made slot /like we do for guard / and thread and nut at the back.Rest is easy....if you start from enough thick round piece you can shape it as you like it ,no need to be round handle ..
ZuZJK7T.png
Click to expand...
That would be rock solid. Thank you!
 
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