New & Confused About the Site

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Bongo Boy

Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
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Just registered & I see the Newbie forum appears to be closed. I understand that...a question is a question. But being new here and having the most very basic questions, I don't want to upset the natives.

I've searched for about 2 weeks now and can't really find much detail, if any, regarding how to properly build a handle and assemble it to a straight tang shank. I apologize for not having picked up the correct technical terms, but this is a straight tang about 2/3 the length of the handle (it's a Helle blade).

Can someone point me in the right direction here...I'm sure the question has been asked about a million times already.

If this forum is intended only for folks who build knives (and not just assemble parts), my sincere apology right up front.
 
this is the right area for you to ask what ever.Just Make sure you use Capitals and periods lol. Just a inside joke i was asked to do a while back.Well im new and my first 2 i did were like that with the tang that went 2/3 the way inside the handle. Just drill your hole and i just lined mine up by eye took my drill press and drilled my hole. Then i epoxied the handle on and pins let sit over night and shaped my handle.Hope that helps a bit.kellyw
 
I guess You realized the Newbies good info here thread is for reading and not posting in. The Idea is you may well find your answer in there before you post your question.

I dont know anything about Helle blades but I will look into it. It sounds like its a hidden tang.
What kind of handle material did you want to use?
 
I find that the book -Step by Step Knifemaking is also a good starter book.

Click the link.
Click the "free user" button below the left speedometer.
Wait for the countdown.
Click the "Download" button.
Save to your computer.

http://rapidshare.com/files/181320935/Step-by-Step_Knifemaking-_David_Boye.pdf

The specific info about hidden tangs is pretty short

The $50 knife shop does a better job of the hidden tang with a threaded nut butcap, but the google books link is online reading only.
 
I checked Helle out they make scandi style blades. Most are stick/through tang knives a few are hidden tang. On a stick tang knife the end of the tang would exit the butt end of the handle. A hidden tang is, well hidden. For their hidden tang knives, if you wanted to do a one piece all wood handle, you would drill a few holes in and then use a file to connect them until you have a slot that matches the size and shape of the tang. This end of the handle should be shaped to fit the shoulder nice and snug and finished before using epoxy to bond the tang inside your slot. After the epoxy has set tape the blade up with masking tape to protect it and shape the handle with a coping saw and files or sander depending on what you have.

A great but expensive book on the subject of scandi knives and sheaths is Bo Bergmans "Knifemaking: A Complete Guide to Crafting Knives, Handles, and Sheaths
This book deals with scandi style knives specificly. It is about $100 on Amazon.

(A side note) I have this book and had no idea it was so expensive until just now! I got a good deal on it used locally:)

Dont hesitate to ask questions. Stick around and read a bunch, there is allot of good info here!
 
Bongo Boy said:
Just registered & I see the Newbie forum appears to be closed. I understand that...a question is a question. But being new here and having the most very basic questions, I don't want to upset the natives.

I've searched for about 2 weeks now and can't really find much detail, if any, regarding how to properly build a handle and assemble it to a straight tang shank. I apologize for not having picked up the correct technical terms, but this is a straight tang about 2/3 the length of the handle (it's a Helle blade).

Can someone point me in the right direction here...I'm sure the question has been asked about a million times already.

If this forum is intended only for folks who build knives (and not just assemble parts), my sincere apology right up front.
Click to expand...

Ya got a knife site. Welcome! This site is worth looking around.
 
Steven Penner said:
I find that the book -Step by Step Knifemaking is also a good starter book.

Click the link.
Click the "free user" button below the left speedometer.
Wait for the countdown.
Click the "Download" button.
Save to your computer.

http://rapidshare.com/files/181320935/Step-by-Step_Knifemaking-_David_Boye.pdf

The specific info about hidden tangs is pretty short

The $50 knife shop does a better job of the hidden tang with a threaded nut butcap, but the google books link is online reading only.
Click to expand...

I read David Boye's book, I checked it out at the local library. It was a good read.

steelshaper said:
..A great but expensive book on the subject of scandi knives and sheaths is Bo Bergmans "Knifemaking: A Complete Guide to Crafting Knives, Handles, and Sheaths
This book deals with scandi style knives specificly. It is about $100 on Amazon.

(A side note) I have this book and had no idea it was so expensive until just now! I got a good deal on it used locally:)

Dont hesitate to ask questions. Stick around and read a bunch, there is allot of good info here!
Click to expand...

Funny, because that book was at the library too, I took it out when I read step-by-step knife making. Funny coincidence.

Don't be afraid to ask questions here, and have fun with the knife! Please post pictures when you are done!
 
As soon as submitted that first post I realized there are a few rabbit holes here on the site I hadn't explored. Anyway, thanks for the welcome and for the information.

The technique mentioned above for getting a blind hole in a one-piece handle (for a hidden tang blade) is about identical to what I'd read at Ragweed Forge, so I guess that's about it--no magic solution. I was wondering if folks pinned the handle to the tang, or just used epoxy, so that answers that question. I'm a little surprised folks use epoxy, but I guess it's pretty good stuff these days. :)

I've got a block of micarta and a block of ebony. I'm trying to sort of bridge between a traditional-style knife that you'd expect from the Norwegian blade, and something a bit more modern. A cross between 'bushcraft' and 'RAT 3', if you will. I doubt I can pull it off successfully as a first project, so the ebony is my backup plan to abandon the experiment and build something that looks like the handle I could have bought for less money and trouble. ;)

Seldom do I chose the easiest or best thought out path. Thanks again for the help and reading suggestions.

Oh...someone PM'd me and I did allow email in my profile, but somehow the private message vanished as I read the automated welcome message. Poof...it seemed to disappear all on it's own and there's nothing in my deleted folder. My apology.
 
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