putting in pins?

[Joetrain]

My shipment of steel is supposed to arrive on monday (YAAAAY) so i was wondering if I could get some advice on puting the pins in the handle. I'm pretty sure that the way I did it last time, (drilling out holes a little larger than the pins and striking them with a hammer, then grinding down) probably isn't the best way to do it. Does anyone have a simple recipe for getting this part done? I really want this next knife to turn out better. Thanks!

 

[Frank Hunter]

Yes, you'll find that in most materials you'll either need to use a slightly larger drill bit, or open the holes with a round file to get the pins to slide through readily. I do the fit up dry with clamps holding the scales on, and test fit everything to make sure it fits easily so I have no issues when I go to epoxy everything. Or, you can do the scales first, drilling your holes as you go, then after they cure install the pins last in a separate operation. Even with cured epoxy holding the scales to the tang striking the pins can cause some troubles, I make sure to round the end of the pin slightly before I push them through.