Removing material from the tang to better balance a blade?

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

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Mar 19, 2007
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I have finished my first blade (3/16th O1 - about 8.5 inches long) with a jig and files. The shape has been cut, the grind is done - and the blade has been sanded back to 220 and is at a proper thickness for heat treat (I live fairly close to Texas Knife Makers - so I will drop it there).

I need to drill a few holes in the tang for the pins - and take a little off the tang to make the blade balance properly after it has slabs attached to it (full tang).

I am wondering if you can give any advice as to how many holes to make - or rather - how much material to remove.

It is decently balanced right now (a little behind where my index finger will rest) and I will likely be using wood scales so I wont be adding a ton of weight to it - but I don't want to reinvent the wheel if you all have some suggestions for me.

Have I overthought this process - and does it really not matter - or should I go about weighing my scale material and trying to take off an equal amount of steel. (???)

Any advice would be great.

TF
 
For most of my blades, I drill four to five 1/2in holes in the tang and that works for the micarta and G10 I normally use.
 
I used to drill all sorts of 3/16" all over the tang but with consideration not to weaken it. Most of my hunters were made with 5/32" stock. Frank
 
if you drill too many holes you can fill them with epoxy mixed with steel shavings, or small ball bearings, etc. to add weight back. Weight added near the butt will counterbalance the blade more than weight added nearer to the hilt. I'd say make some extra holes. But the blade will also be a bit lighter once you grind a sharp edge on it.
 
I did not know Texas Knife Makers Supply would HT oil hardening steel. I think they only do air hardening types.
 
LRB said:
I did not know Texas Knife Makers Supply would HT oil hardening steel. I think they only do air hardening types.
Click to expand...

I noticed that too, but I just read their website and it still only mentions air hardening steels.
 
Count -

My fault. I was under the impression they did.

I have found another avenue for heat treat from a great member on this board.

Thanks!

TF
 
I have done it much the same as Will52100 on some knives, also O-1 blade/edge quenched only. Remember that taking the weight out of the butt end does most for balance while reducing strength the least. When I don't want to saw out sections, I use 8mm drill holes, since I have 8mm drills, but 3/8ths would work too.

For judging how I am doing getting my balance right, there is a trick that I use. It is pretty rough, but it seems to work for me. Most of my handles finish up at 7/8th to 1" wide with quite a lot of sculpting. I reckon that a single rectangular handle scale in micarta or dense hardwood is approximately the same mass as my whole finished handle in the same material, ignoring pins/bolts. I just lay the one scale flat on the bare tang and feel around for how the blade is balancing out. Very crude, and open to refinement, but a good start.

Best of luck :D
 
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