w2, full tang, almost done, w/hamon, need advice

[kevin -the professor]

Hello Everyone,

I have gotten everything done for this one, except assembly. I am posting what I have, and I will explain in a sec.

ok - 8" camp knife, convex edge, scale in spine. This is a beast of a knife.

W2, hopes to have black walnut handle and copper bolsters.

Really lovely hamon, with what I think are Utsuri. I am not good with hamon speak.

The problem - I have everything drilled, etc. Since this is my first time making a full-tang knife, I did something that is stupid in hindsight. I just assumed that my 1/8" copper nails would be very close to the same size as my 1/8" drill bit. (the nails are .111", the drill bit is .133"). This difference may not seem like much, but it turns out that it is a lot. That is, when you want to peen the pins so that they bond completely with the copper in the bolster and can't be seen. Same with holes in the wood.

So - where do you fine folks suggest I find genuing 1/8" copper pins? (otherwise, I have to buy some brass to go with my brass pin stock). Also, I guess I should invest in precision reamers...

Take a look at what I have so far, and please advise about getting drill/reamers and pins that match closely so I can finish this. It already has mistakes, but I want to finish it.

thanks,

Kevin

follow the link to see more pics, trying to save some forum space.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113752&id=1407177569&l=20eb076201

 

[ED4406]

copper roofing nails ?

 

[gga357]

I would go to your local True Value with a pair of calipers or the knife blank (if people won't over react) and browse their electrical wire section where it is often cut to length. Solid copper wire somewhere in the 14g-10g should be very close.

 

[kevin -the professor]

I already tried copper roofing nails.

I think that 8 guage wire is closest, because someone sent me a wire chart from another forum with the same idea.

I should have taken my calipers with me. That would have solved it.

kc

 

[gga357]

I already tried copper roofing nails.

I think that 8 guage wire is closest, because someone sent me a wire chart from another forum with the same idea.

I should have taken my calipers with me. That would have solved it.

kc

Just looked it up. 8g sounds right. You will be looking for solid ground(grounding) wire. Or service wire, but that (service) is hard to find in do it yourself stores. Service meaning the wire that brings power to your meter from the transformer.

Ground (GND) usually comes bare 10awg - 4awg

 

[woodzman]

Once you have determined the size you need you can go to a box store or electrical supply and just buy a foot of the size you need. Get the 8/2 (if that's the size) Romex type solid wire, strip out what you need and you should have some left over.

 

[Rick Marchand]

I would try copper rivets...
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/11280-006.aspx

The post dia on the #12's is .133"
The post dia on the #9's is .158"

They are both available in a 1" length... I have used them for handle pins(just grind the head down). If you don't want to invest in a pack, I will send you some if you pm me your address.

Rick

 

[kevin -the professor]

thanks everyone - I tried to buy 8 guage wire online, to no avail.

Mcmaster Carr sells 1/8" diameter copper rods with tolerance of 1.5/1000"

I am buying 6 feet of that for about $8.00.

That will be enough. I wanted copper since it is so malleable, and because I love the way it looks.

I also bought a lot of brass, so I can use that, too.

My full-tang knives are not in the same league as what you folks make, but I still want to finish this one.

thanks,
kc