"Tennessee" Bowie handle.

[Frank Perricone]

With Pommel. Fuggeddaboutit! Two attempts brought nothing but Arghhhh.... Getting to the nitty gritty, I have a lot of trouble with hidden tangs. Thought I could be very deliberate and get it right. Nope! Twice. Number one, a knife that size seems to need a beefy handle. Heavy large blade. Visually not good! How do we get a 4.5" rectangle dead center into a block of hardwood? Gotta be straight. Right! Well after lots of frustration I cried "uncle". Treated it (please don't cringe) like a full tang. Macassar Ebony looks great. Used "Coffin" style without Pommel. Niiice!! For my future projects, any advice for hidden tang holes?

 

[daizee]

Got any pictures, Frank?

As far as centering and straight go, you can start with a LOT more wood than necessary, then remove material until it's symmetrical. Fitting a hidden tang to *exactly* the right size block is fraught...

 

[DanF]

Any pics?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You glue the block onto the tang and grind/file/sand it to dead straight. it isn't rocket science

That way, you also can adjust the handle as you go to fit the blade in length and size.

Additionally, you need to make a handle glue-up clamp. It is two long pieces of 1/4" threaded rod ,four 1/4" nuts, six 1/4" washers, and two wing nuts. Make two slats of wood about 4X1X1 and drill 17/64" holes about 3/4" from the ends so they go on the rods. With the slats together on the rods, drill a 1/4" hole through both slats exactly in the center. Use the nuts and washers to permanently attach one slat near the end of the rods. Slip the other slat on and put on the other washers and wing nuts. You can now adjust the nuts to apply pressure on the handle holding it snugly against the blade/guard while you adjust the handle so it lines up straight .. and let it cure while clamped straight.

In use, place the tip in the center hole of one slat and put the butt near the center of the other. Snug down the wing nuts, moving the handle and angling the slat as needed to hold everything straight. Dry fit it a couple times before doing it with the epoxy in the tang hole. Use 24 hour epoxy to allow plenty of time for clean up and adjustments before it sets.
These are also the right tool for the job in making stacked or multi-piece handes
Here are some examples in use.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...2beca4c463b9c994fbe1e6c0f5a047b0&action=click

https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...=5eaf85dbafe8db07a26e022669f0d1ed&action=view

 

[Hengelo_77]

I made a plywood vertical stand.
(One laying flat, two standing up straight 90degrees from the flat one and 90from eachother)
I clamp a block to it, check the correct angle and place it under my drill press. Easy after that

 

[Frank Perricone]

You glue the block onto the tang and grind/file/sand it to dead straight. it isn't rocket science

That way, you also can adjust the handle as you go to fit the blade in length and size.

Additionally, you need to make a handle glue-up clamp. It is two long pieces of 1/4" threaded rod ,four 1/4" nuts, six 1/4" washers, and two wing nuts. Make two slats of wood about 4X1X1 and drill 17/64" holes about 3/4" from the ends so they go on the rods. With the slats together on the rods, drill a 1/4" hole through both slats exactly in the center. Use the nuts and washers to permanently attach one slat near the end of the rods. Slip the other slat on and put on the other washers and wing nuts. You can now adjust the nuts to apply pressure on the handle holding it snugly against the blade/guard while you adjust the handle so it lines up straight .. and let it cure while clamped straight.

In use, place the tip in the center hole of one slat and put the butt near the center of the other. Snug down the wing nuts, moving the handle and angling the slat as needed to hold everything straight. Dry fit it a couple times before doing it with the epoxy in the tang hole. Use 24 hour epoxy to allow plenty of time for clean up and adjustments before it sets.
These are also the right tool for the job in making stacked or multi-piece handes
Here are some examples in use.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...2beca4c463b9c994fbe1e6c0f5a047b0&action=click

https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...=5eaf85dbafe8db07a26e022669f0d1ed&action=view

Thanks very much. gonna be a big help in the future. Frank