Stabilized wood failure

R Dockrell

R Dockrell

Joined
Mar 26, 2000
Messages
658
Help me guys!!!!!
I cut the wood from a standing dead tree in July, 1999 blocked it then had it sitting on a rack above my forge for 2 months. Then I sent it out to be "professionally" stabilized. I have had this peice of stabilized wood in my shop for about one year.
I ground the block to 95% shape then attached it to the blade with 24 hr epoxy. Let it sit 48 hrs then drilled a 6.4 mm (.253 in.) hole for the .250 thong hole tube and installed it with 24 hr epoxy and finished and polished the handle.
I picked the finished knife up last night, 3 weeks after it was finished to find the handle split as per photos. For three weeks the blade has been in the house. It was ok 4 days ago. This is the one you saw Rob.
The hole in the handle was not a tight fit on the tang. and the side walls of the wood are at least .200 thick with the tang going about 1/2 the way up the handle.
Any Ideas as to why the stabilized wood split???? This is the first time I have seen this happen.
View

View




------------------
Robert
Flat Land Knife Works
rdblad@telusplanet.net
http://members.tripod.com/knifeworks/index.html
 
Boggles the mind, or at least mine. Tang tolerance, thong hole, properly aged. What kind of wood is this and where did it get stablized? You may have knife gremlins.
smile.gif
Terry
 
from the picture I would say my first impression would be that the thong hole liner was too snug in the hole you drilled for it......have you miked it....did it slide in by hand or did you have to tap it in?
 
Robert,
From the looks of the picture, as much as it hurts to do it, I have to agree with Tom Mayo on this one. It appears that the crack is due to the tubing or a result of drilling the hole for the tubing. I can't think of any other reason why it "chose" that particular place to crack.

One good thing. At least it wasn't ivory.

Craig

[This message has been edited by C L Wilkins (edited 02-18-2001).]
 
Tom / Craig / Anyone
Had a customer phone and order anouther knife this is good,BUT!!!!
While we were talking he told me that his other knife experienced "chipping" around the thong liner. He has had this knife two years and has had no problems untill this winter when the knife was exposed to extreme cold -35F for a 12 hour period. He left it stuck in a log over night on a winter survival training trip. The chips of MICARTA were laying in the frost on top of the log beside the knife.
What am I doing wrong? Is not .003 clearance enough in a hole. The liner tubes always push in with thumb pressure.
Cold seems to be the common thing bettween these two knive defects as the one pictured above did spend the night in the trunk of the car at -20F. But I never noticed the crack when I brought it in the next morning.
Give me some sugjestions. I am afraid if I drill larger holes there will be a noticable glue line.


------------------
Robert
Flat Land Knife Works
rdblad@telusplanet.net
http://members.tripod.com/knifeworks/index.html
 
I use a letter "F" drill for a 1/4" thong tube hole- it gives you a little more breathing room.

Don Cowles
 

A Letter F size drill bit is .257 (the same caliber as a .257 Weatherby, .257 Roberts or 25.06) Who needs a drill!
smile.gif


Minus 35 degrees! That's close to crossover! There is no telling. Things go a little awry when it gets that cold.

The ONLY suggestion I may have is to mike your tubing and your bit. Remember that drill bits are made to tolerances. For a more precise size hole (if in fact this the problem) is a precision reamer. Like you, I use a 6.4 mm bit on 1/4 inch tubing but an extremely cold day in this part of Texas is only 25 degrees.

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