Oh bother: Tora handle shift

SpookyPistolero

SpookyPistolero

Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
6,105
I was getting ready to throw some logs into the fireplace last night and needed to split some wood to get to the dry stuff, as my tarp had blown off and wood was rain-soaked. I grabbed my Tora bushcraft cuz it was handy and split a few pieces, and low and behold- my slabs had shifted about 3/16"! The rear was still in place, but towards the blade both slabs had moved. Some whacks with a stick put them back in place (securely?). Quite a bother though, I don't think I'll be doing any more splitting with that blade.

There was plenty of distance between the slabs and the wood, and I was striking the tip of the blade. So it wasn't about the slabs taking direct hits.

If there is a moral to the story, it's that it might have sucked to have this happen in a 'real' situation, so it's worth testing out all your gear in the full range of intended uses.
 
j williams said:
I agree.

So do ya still trust the blade bro?
Click to expand...

Hard to say. I'm still confident in the steel, but not in the slabs. Or at least not as far as batoning is concerned. I am, however, confident in its ability to perform normal cutting/slicing/carving activities. But now it's got one less thing it can do compared to other blades, so it might get less field time. Sad...
 
I don;t know what kind of knife that is, Spooky, but I'm wondering: could you drill it for a pin or three? It sounds to me like maybe the rear has a pin or tube, and it's holding the scales tight enough to the blade but loose enough to pivot.

The exact same thing happened to my BRKT Highland in impala scales. It was pinless, but had a lanyard tube. I sent it to BRKT and they put some hollow pins in the scales.
 
tonym said:
AMEN:thumbup:
Click to expand...

And put another way, for example, we may all use those 99 cent ponchos as a poncho, but we also keep them in our minimalist packs as potential shelter. But who's to say it won't rip in two ultra easily? Stuff like that, stuff we all may want to use an item for but haven't tested.
 
StretchNM said:
I don;t know what kind of knife that is, Spooky, but I'm wondering: could you drill it for a pin or three? It sounds to me like maybe the rear has a pin or tube, and it's holding the scales tight enough to the blade but loose enough to pivot.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm considering just popping off the old slabs and putting some really solid pins in. Keeping them 'as is' and adding a few isn't a bad idea either. :thumbup:
 
Yikes.

Sounds like re-pinning the handle is a good idea. I have seen this sort of thing happen on blades where the pin holes in the tang are wider in diameter than the pins used to attach the handles. If the handle epoxy is compromised, the pins can start moving around, as there is no mechanical bond.

On the up side, you now have an excuse to put together a fancy custom handle. :D

All the best,

- Mike
 
I’m not familiar with the knife in question, but if it was left near the fire the epoxy could easily soften enough to let the handle shift.

Pins would help, but for added security Corby Bolts are the ticket.

Of course drilling holes in a hardened tang is no picnic, removing the existing scales is how I would approach the repair.

Good luck.


Keep 'em sharp, ...Big Mike.
 
Thanks Mike, I believe I'm going to pop them off, just because the epoxy must be compromised for the way it shifted. The batoning was pre-fire though, so I know that wasn't part of the problem.

Drilling the tang does not excite me, I've got a handheld drill but no press. :thumbdn:
 
Yeah, if no heat was involved I would not trust the epoxy bond at all.

Epoxy when heated will soften up, but it will also re-harden as it cools.

You can us a heat gun to help remove the scales and old epoxy, but drilling the holes by hand might be problematic.

Good luck my friend.


Keep 'em sharp, ...Big Mike.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Thanks Mike, I believe I'm going to pop them off, just because the epoxy must be compromised for the way it shifted. The batoning was pre-fire though, so I know that wasn't part of the problem.

Drilling the tang does not excite me, I've got a handheld drill but no press. :thumbdn:
Click to expand...

Use a carbide tip drill, drill slowly, and keep it lubricated with oil while drilling.
 
Hey SpookyPistolero,

Stomper has it right. Carbide + slow. And be sure to clamp the blade tightly while drilling. If it's just a one-time thing, you can buy a few cheap masonry bits, run them 'till they are dull, and then switch them out.

Corby's are definitely a good option. So are plain old rivets, which are often overlooked.

Of course, pics of the final product are a must!

All the best,

- Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top