re: do-it-yourself needs advice

T

type99

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Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2
Hello...

I just this morning joined the forum. I wanted to show a knife I made this early spring.

368778795.jpg



I used part of a shed antler. But obviously the knife blade did not go all the way into the antler hole. It was a B*&% drilling that hole, so I epoxied up the final result. Now I am dissatisfied with the gap between the base of the antler and the knife itself. The gap is 1/2" in length.

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL716/2665407/5319967/368778809.jpg

Is there any material that I can use to fill that gap, so the knife is more presentable? Unfornately, as I intimated, the blade is firmly epoxied in place and cannot be taken out. What would you do to fill that gap?

This is my first try at a homemade knife. I think it is a neat display piece, and most of the time, I just say 'to hell with it' and don't worry about the gap. I don't really intend to use the knife in the field.

Thanks,
Gary
 
If it were me, I would go buy three skeins of synthetic yarn in complementary contrasting colors, then weave them together to make a tricolor cord. I would soak that cord in polyurethane or epoxy, then wrap it into the gap and let it harden. That would be fairly strong and not let moisture soak into the gap.
 
Elkins...

That's a great idea! My partner knits so she has already started on a weaved rope using different colors. We are going to use clear gloss polyurethane, soak the rope, and twist it around the gap, slowly and gently.

Do you anticipate that I might have a problem with the poly leaching or leaking out of the project? I guess if we soak it lightly, and then squeeze off the excess, it might go better.

Cheers,
Gary
 
You may put 1/2" thick brass guard. Gate shaped to mount from the top and fix it with pin.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
You might want to wrap a few turns dry, brush on the poly, wrap a few more, etc. In fact, it might work just as well to do it in stages over several days so that each layer can harden independently. I don't know how well poly hardens without exposure to air, so wrapping it all at once might take the inner layers forever to harden.
 
nozh2002 said:
You may put 1/2" thick brass guard. Gate shaped to mount from the top and fix it with pin.

Thanks, Vassili.
Click to expand...

I thought about that, but the slot he would need to cut in the guard would be a big one. Plus, drilling through the hardened tang for a pin isn't an easy job with common hand tools.
 
Epoxy withstands everything Except Heat. If you could get everything hot enough, without harming the blade's temper or burning the antler, you could just pull the blade out and cut off a bit of the metal handle.

I worked in a hammer repair factory where we put the metal heads on an electric hotplate to soften the old epoxy enough to dig it out before putting in a new handle.

Next time try and see how things fit before pouring in the epoxy, and if you stab yourself pulling the blade out, my name is Obama. Send your lawyer to DC.
 
keithcarter said:
Epoxy withstands everything Except Heat. If you could get everything hot enough, without harming the blade's temper or burning the antler, you could just pull the blade out and cut off a bit of the metal handle.

I worked in a hammer repair factory where we put the metal heads on an electric hotplate to soften the old epoxy enough to dig it out before putting in a new handle.

Next time try and see how things fit before pouring in the epoxy, and if you stab yourself pulling the blade out, my name is Obama. Send your lawyer to DC.
Click to expand...

Duh! This is a much better solution than the cord wrapping thing I suggested. If the OP hasn't done anything yet he might want to listen to Keith's idea.

Wonder if he could wrap the blade with a wet rag to preserve the temper, then heat the tang with a torch and lengthen the channel by burning through? I know it would STINK!but I'll bet it could be done. Just a thought in case he has some reason we're not aware of for not wanting to cut off the tang.
 
I'm not sure how much the stag would stink, but other than that the heat idea is a good one. You could maybe try boiling it in water for a bit and see if the epoxy loosens up; if that's not hot enough pop it in the oven. Temps up to 400F shouldn't harm the temper of the steel, but start lower in case your oven runs hotter than the dial says. Take all this with a grain of salt, because I haven't worked with antler much and I don't know how much heat is too much! I do know it stinks to high heaven when you grind it so watch out for that. Maybe the kitchen oven isn't such a good idea... take a cheap toaster oven outside?

If you can get it apart, but don't want to cut down the tang, it would be fairly simple to make a guard and/or spacer to fill up the space.

OR you just take it as it is and make a two-piece spacer to "sandwich" around the exposed tang. Just carve a groove into the inside of each piece to fit half the thickness of the tang and epoxy them together. If the front of the antler is reasonbly square it shouldn't be too difficult.
 
You don't want to try burning the tang into the antler. Antler can crack if it gets too hot. Not sure how you'll get the epoxy to let go. If you can get it off, maybe you could work the hole you drilled into a slot to fit the tang with a small file or chisel. If you can lay your hands on another piece of antler, you could smash that piece with a hammer until the blade comes out and start over, checking your fit until you're happy.
I don't know how much work you have in making that blade, but I'd try to mount it as nicely as I was capable of. I'd hate to spend the time forging, and more importantly, filing a blade only to stick it in a handle and call it good.
 
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