Removable handles

A

alexmin

Joined
Nov 16, 2005
Messages
513
Guys,

if someone makes fixed knives with removable handles what screws do you use? I know some are using pivot pins for folders. But they are almost $5 each and since they are small you'll need at least four of them.

I am currently using epoxy and it's messy. I want to try removable handles with screws.
 
For the full tang you can take a 1/4 inch piece of stainless or brass tubing and tap with a 6 mm 1.00 pitch in place of a pivot pin and then use 6 mm socket cap crews with counter sunk holes. I use these on some of my hunters and tactical knives with dovetail bolsters and handles.

You will probably need to grind the bushing and thread area of the screw down and take apart a few times for a good finished fit and look. But they will be centerd on both sides. The screws are about 60 cents each and the local hardware generally has them in stock. I use loc-tite for the final fit.
 
jim moyer said:
For the full tang you can take a 1/4 inch piece of stainless or brass tubing and tap with a 6 mm 1.00 pitch in place of a pivot pin and then use 6 mm socket cap crews with counter sunk holes. I use these on some of my hunters and tactical knives with dovetail bolsters and handles.

You will probably need to grind the bushing and thread area of the screw down and take apart a few times for a good finished fit and look. But they will be centerd on both sides. The screws are about 60 cents each and the local hardware generally has them in stock. I use loc-tite for the final fit.
Click to expand...

Jim,

Would you have any pics of this process and the finished product?

Thanks.
 
Not at this time. I will be starting a new batch of tacticals the end of next week and take some pic's of the process then.

I decided to do a quick illustration on how I do this.

It works on the same principle as using the Corby style rivets. Just extra work grinding and fitting to keep the allen screw in tact. I still use the epoxy on my handles as I am just going for looks. If I were making a removable handle I would probably solder the bushing in place after final fit.

BF44.jpg
 
jim moyer said:
I decided to do a quick illustration on how I do this.
Click to expand...
Thanks!!. Looks like it would work well.

jim moyer said:
It works on the same principle as using the Corby style rivets.
Click to expand...
Speaking of Corbys, couldn't you adapt them to work?

Bear with me here, I'm thinking out loud...
  • Fit the Corby rivets to the blade and handle slabs before contouring
  • Mark the rivets level with the surface of the handle slabs
  • Remove the rivets, cut the heads off at the mark
  • Cut a new screw slot in the shortened heads, making sure it's deeper than you intend to contour the handles
  • Reinstall shortened Corbys into the handle slabs
  • Contour the handles and Corby heads, taking care not to grind down away the screw slots you cut!
You would have to choose your tang and handle thickness to ensure that you leave enough head to cut the new screw slot, but it seems to me it should work...
 
That's been done before and works pretty well.Not always the prettiest thing,but very practical.When I did it,I tightened the Corbys up good and tight,then I cut the head off just above the scales,and cut a new slot until it was jut touching the wood.I made the slots on both sides vertical.Then I backed it out about 1/8" and cut the slot deeper until it was touching the wood again.I tightened them and ground the handle. As the slot got smaller,I would back it out and cut it a little deeper.By going deeper a little at a time and by starting with the slots all vertical,the final fit was not so bad.When all was done,I took the Corbys out and file worked them in an asterisks pattern,with the slot being one arm.This made them look pretty cool!
Stacy
 
Jim, your technical drawing skills are truely stunning.
Just kidding, but seriously: They make these machine screws and for the life of me I can not remember what they are used for, but they are finished in black and have a flat head and take a hex bit. They work like a dream because they are made for counter-sunk fittings and have a wide head on them, which I think will hold your handle material well.
 
I use 10-32 and 8-32 cap screws on my 1/4- and 3/16-thick blades.
 
Hey thanks, and I am a professional artist and still can't free hand a straight line. Theses screw in the drawing?? are referred to as cap screws with the hex head. Great find on the countersunk hex head screws. I have been looking for a source for these.

I might add - the hex head cap screws come in black and silver colors.

Stacy, thanks for adding the asterisks pattern tip, another look.
 
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