Loveless bolt question

M

Michael Minto

Guest
I've used loveless bolts on oh, 2 knives now i think. i like them, but have had a difficult time installing them properly. i have a factory made, correctly sized "step drill" - it's just when i go to screw the things together, they don't want to pull together, and often just rotate, not screwing in. Help! :)
 
It to me is like putting a 1/8 pin in a 1/8 hole. It really doesn't want to go smooth. If you break the corners of the nuts just a little bit then it is more apt to enter the hole you have drilled in your handle slabs.
That is just my opinion. Take it apart and break that corner.
 
mike, i will try that. have any idea how i can keep the "nut" on the side opposite the bolt head from spinning, so it screws down and seats fully? mike
 
Once you get it tight should stay in place. If not you can always use some needle nose pliers to hold what is not buried.
 
Two "tricks" to loveless bolts..... the counterbore needs to be just a few thousandths larger then the "nuts". I have no idea why, but those who provide the "step drill" bits must not know what their doing....they send you a 5/16" step drill for a 5/16" loveless bolt.....like Mike said.....it just doesn't work, because the hole is the exact same size as the "nut" on the loveless bolt.

To keep them from "free turning", put one of the nuts snug against the screw head, then put the screw through your handle material/knife, thread on, and tighten down the other one.

It also helps to lightly "butter" the nuts with whatever epoxy you're using.
 
thanks, ed...that is pretty much what i'm doing, but i must not be drilling my hole depth correctly - i'll work on that. and i agree - the step drills should be just a couple of thousands bigger than the 'nut'.
 
Take a flat blade scewdriver and cut a slot in it wide enough to fit across the bolt. Tighten the opposite nut to the head and use the slotted driver to screw on the other side?
TJ
 
Just like tightening a corby

hi. again, sounds interesting, and i'll look into it, but i'm thinking there might be 2 issues with the idea - one, it would take a pretty big screwdriver (not that big of an issue) and second, the "nuts" on a set of loveless bolts have no slot - i could cut one in, i guess. i'll look in to that. thanks, mike
 
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