Take-down stick tang knives: How to avoid handle rotation

David Schott

David Schott

Joined
Sep 27, 2004
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Anyone who does take-down knives, how do you avoid handle rotation when chopping or heavy usage? Are you using indexing pins? I am making an integral take-down and Im worried that under heavy use, the handle could theoretically turn since it will only be held in line based on the pressure caused by the threaded nut at the end of the handle. My idea was to drill holes on all four sides of both the back of the integral bolster and the front of the handle, and have pins between them that would prevent this....any other way? I want a pinless handle but have never done a takedown knife before to know. Im also worried a bit about how hard i will need to crank down the tang nut to achieve real stability and strength.

Anything anyone can offer would be fantastic.
 
Yep, you got it index pins. Do a search for take down knives on this forum and you will get all the info that you you'll need.

Jerry
 
Cant find any on stick tangs....didnt think itd be quite the same as with a standard pinned tang where the pin-tang intersection and epoxy prevents handle rotation. Are small indexing pins enough to not rip out when someone chops hard and hits a glancing blow with a take-down setup? Maybe im over-thinking things here...
 
Here is an easy way to get a rock solid stick tang handle. Leave at least 1/2 of the tang rectangular,say 1/4X3/8, making sure that the tang tapers toward the threaded end.Thread the tip as usual, threading about 3/4" max. Fit everything for the final fit. When all is ready,coat the tang with paraffin or some type of wax.Wax all the metal surfaces involved in the handle configuration (guard, nut bolster,etc). Fill the core hole of the handle with a thickened quick-set epoxy or something like JB weld.Push in the waxed tang in , wipe off run out,and screw on the end nut( a temporary nut works fine).Wipe off excess with an acetone soaked rag or WD-40. Check the extra epoxy on the mixing board, when it gets stiff but not hard, quickly take the nut off, and work the handle off the tang. It may take a little light twisting and pulling,but if the tang was shaped so that it tapers toward the threads, it should come out without any problem.Wipe the tang off with acetone, spray with WD-40, and reinsert repeatedly as the epoxy sets up.Clean all the metal parts off by soaking in acetone, if needed.Let dry, checking occasionally to make sure the tang is still free.Now the handle will slip on and off the tang but is an exact fit with no play or rotation. You can reassemble it and finish the knife as you would if you had glued the handle up permanently. Avoid overheating when sanding.
Stacy
 
Forge your tang out with a pronounced rectangular crosssection. Drill your through hole undersized and burn the tang in for a tight but removable fit. Hidden indexing pins in the bolster and butt cap will work but heavy chopping action may cause premature cracking/splitting failure if not done with care.

Stacy's way sounds very secure and tight. Paste wax will work as a release agent without the oily mess of WD40 and won't soak into the wood (if you goof).
 
Thaks for the info. Stacy that is a good idea! i can modify that idea slightly to suit my needs...should be very interesting. This knife is my third true forged blade, first integral, first stick tang and first takedown. it will also feature my first usage of checkering on the handle. It will be a miracle if all those firsts come together in harmony and the knife is still a good one. i see a bleak future of it on my shop wall, but so far its lookin pretty sweet forged from 1" round W2:
8.JPG
 
David, Nice job. Next time, leave a little more tang behind the ricasso. It does not need to be a round rod all the way down. Better if the first three inches be rectangular.As you have forged it there is an inherent weak ( relatively speaking) spot 1" back from the ricasso. After the guard is fitted that spot will be 3/4" back. Since it will be a take down model, the stress will carry back a bit. Think of the guard as a fulcrum. The blade is one long arm of the lever, and the 1" behind it (the distance to the weakest area) is the short arm. When a force is applied at 5" from the guard (as in a hard chop on a 2X4), the effort is multiplied FIVE times at the weak spot.A five pound blow becomes a twenty-five pound shock at the spot. See where the extra metal would come in handy!
There is plenty of meat in that tang,so it is not a high risk, but it would be stronger with the tang wider in the direction of the applied force.
Still, It is a nice blade.
Stacy
 
Thanks for the info! This will have no guard, but it wont be sold so it will become a big testing knife. Makes sense now to have it flat. Since even the weak spot is pretty thick (at least 3/8X3/8), i can just forge it flat.
 
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