Help with hidden pins

Keith Willis

Keith Willis

Well-Known Member
I have never tried a handle like this,and it may not work for me.This is the knife I am making for Steve,I still need to heattreat this blade.The slabs are cow legbone and Walnut.They will be stabilized with CA.
I have never tried hidden pins,I have also never tried a 2 piece slab.
My question is,How do I do the hidden pins?
Any other suggestions or advice,would be appreciated.Thanks for your help.

God bless,Keith
 
I will try to explain how I do hidden pins, I don't do them very often. I clamp one side of the scale to the tang, and using the holes in the tang as a drill guide, drill into the scale at least an 1/8" deep, just make sure that your holes and pins won't be exposed during the shaping and finishing of the handle, repeat on the other scale, then use short pins to align the scales, and put them back to back and shape the front edge and finish sand and polish the front edge, also the back edge of the front scales, need to be sanded even, when using two pieces on one side, then you can cut pins to the proper length and epoxy and clamp it all up, and finish as usual. On this type of handle with two piece scales, I would attach the front two pieces first, then do the back two. I like your choice of cow bone and walnut, it will look very nice and clean with hidden pins.
I hope this helps, if you need more clear info just email me and I will try to explain it better. Dale
 
Thanks Dale,that explains it well.I see you said you would attach the front pieces then the back pieces.I may have messed up,I have already glued up the two halves,and started to profile them.
Will I be ok? Thanks for the reply.

God bless,Keith
 
That should work just fine, just make sure that they are sanded flat to fit tight against the tang.
Glad that I could help.
Dale
 
Keith,
I actually find it easier to fit everything together first like you did and flatten the back all together to make it even. I find that my fit is cleaner and there are less gaps this way. Of course, with metal bolsters you have to do them separately, but for wood or composite material I always do it like you did.
 
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