peening a stick tang

D

dogstar

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Jan 23, 2011
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I'm making a knife scandi style with limited hand tools. During final assembly, I applied epoxy to the tang and handle; the last step was to peen the end of the tang to a washer. However, all I had was a claw hammer and it did not go so well. I flattened the tip slightly, but the washer turned freely, meaning there was no pressure on it. It was getting late and I didn't want to piss off the neighbors, so I quit and let the JB weld dry, which is probably sufficient to secure the blade.

Would a ball peen hammer have made a big difference? There was about 1.5mm of the tang sticking out. I estimate 0.3mm of the tang was actually flattened. I have a mind to file that off and try again with the proper tool. Do you think it is worth a try?
 
I think you can get it to work as it is by peening with a small ball-peen hammer.

Did you anneal the end you want to peen.

Richard
 
The end of the tang needs to be thoroughly annealed before peening. Some steels will work harden on you very quickly when cold peening, if the steel contains much chromium this is especially true. You have to guage the amount you leave for peening pretty closely, too much and the peen will stiffen or crack around the edges before you get a tight mount.
 
Use a small, light hammer with short, sharp taps. You only want to deform the very tip of the tang.
Threading the tang and using a nut would have been easier.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Use a small, light hammer with short, sharp taps. You only want to deform the very tip of the tang.
Threading the tang and using a nut would have been easier.
Click to expand...

I agree. I was trying to do this without buying lots of new tools, like a tap and die kit.
 
dogstar said:
I agree. I was trying to do this without buying lots of new tools, like a tap and die kit.
Click to expand...


They have lots of kits in hardware stores, but you don't need a KIT.
You won't use most of it and most kits in retail stores are incomplete anyway forcing you to buy more and then giving you no place in the box to keep it.

Go to an industrial supplier.
You need one die, one tap, and one die holder.
Some dies even come with hexagonal outsides, rather than round so they may fit a rachet and socket you already have.
$10 to $20
 
I broke down and purchased a 4oz. Ball Peen hammer for $8. What a difference! It was a piece cake and I wish I had it earlier.
peenk.jpg
 
that used to be a penny. When I started peening, I inevitably had some misses and dents, so I just went with it.
 
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