Tips for assembly please? Scales on full tang with pins

S

Sebspeed

Member
Hi all, I'm almost ready to assemble this knife for the final time. I'd like to reach out and see what tips you can offer before I just go with whatever I think makes sense (and then regret it).

Tomorrow I will finish polishing my blade. The G10 scales are finished. I have brass that I plan to turn down to size for the pins. I can make the pins a press fit, or loose, what is best?

What makes sense to me is to cut them long, press fit/peen them, then sand down flush. I also plan to use 2 part epoxy between the scales and the blade.

Does that sound like a good approach?

Thanks!

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Sebspeed said:
Hi all, I'm almost ready to assemble this knife for the final time. I'd like to reach out and see what tips you can offer before I just go with whatever I think makes sense (and then regret it).

Tomorrow I will finish polishing my blade. The G10 scales are finished. I have brass that I plan to turn down to size for the pins. I can make the pins a press fit, or loose, what is best?

A press fit pin with epoxy gets my vote out of the two!
I use the Bob loveless type Bolts & epoxy and those scales are there for the next 100 years plus!

Also, it is super important that you get a good Respirator mask as the fibers in G-10 Grind & Sand off like little Fish hooks and can only be removed from your Lungs by the Coroner after you have assumed ambient temper-cheer!:biggrin:

Keep up the great work.

Laurence Segal
www.westsidesharpening/
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Laurence. I discovered the loveless bolts after I placed my order of supplies for this build; they look great and I am looking forward to trying them on a future knife.

I do use masks(and safety glasses and faceshields sometimes), I have a few different types that I use for different types of work.

Thanks again!
 
First off, Thats a very cool looking design..

As far as pinning the handle.
The 2 part epoxy is a great way to go. your idea to pin and peen is a good one. I personally done like Loveless fasteners. But agree that some mechanical fasteners would be best on this material. I prefer Corby bolts. But either will work for ya.

If you do pin it like your thinking, The method your suggesting sounds right on! and by peening etc. your securing the scales.. I chanfer the holes slightly on knives I peen.. this gives the pin somewhere to expand to.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Some suggestions, first go for a snug fit for the pins, even if you plan to peen them over. If you pean bevel the openings of the pin holes so that there is something to peen the pin material into then sand to pins flush with the scales. If you don't peen a loose fit will leave an unsightly gap around the pin. I would rough up the scales before glueing to increase the surface area for bonding and clean with acetone (which just reminded me of something that I need to get for two knives sitting on my bench). When I clean up my tangs after heat treating I leave any part that will not show at 110 grit, maybe even 40 if I have to go back and flatten a bit.

Also be aware that not all epoxies are created equal. Some have some seriously short shelf lives, as in months not years. Others are not water proof and some may break down over time, years not decades. Tracy sells two systems in his store that have a good reputation for a long shelf life and forms a long lasting glue joint, decades not years. The one that I have used is regular Acraglass bedding compound and there is are marine quality epoxies that are used in boat construction and repair.
 
All in all, you have it figured out.

Peened pins and epoxy will certainly work, especially if you chamfer the holes in the scales a bit first like the other gents mentioned. You don't need to peen the pins a heckuva lot, in fact over-peening could make the pins swell too much and push the scales away from the tang.

Drilling several shallow divots on the insides of the scales gives extra area for the epoxy to grab onto. When you clamp it all up, don't over-tighten things, you will just squeeze out all the epoxy. Naturally some will ooze out, but you want a thin layer left in there to seal out moisture and help bond the material.

Your design is an interesting one. I'm curious, is it meant for a tough utility/tactical knife or a hunter? If the former, the bevels are probably fine the way they are. If it's a hunter I would grind the bevels thinner (further up the blade) so it will cut better.
 
Sebspeed said:
Thanks Laurence. I discovered the loveless bolts after I placed my order of supplies for this build; they look great and I am looking forward to trying them on a future knife.

I do use masks(and safety glasses and faceshields sometimes), I have a few different types that I use for different types of work.

You can still use Loveless bolts on this one if you like? Don't forget the step drill for them, The bit is about $25.00 plus , But I get about a 1000 sets of scales before replacement is nessasary!

Also I agree with Terrio that if this is a hunter? it will cut more efficiently if you bring the flat grind at least half way up to the spine.

Quick note! The loveless bolts will come in yellow Brass nuts and SS bolts or White brass & SS bolts.
Yellow Brass looks great! But I have found that the White brass don't oxidize as easy!

Laurence
www.westsidesharpening.com/
Click to expand...
 
Hi all, thanks again for all the tips. I finished the knife today,will follow up with nice pics tomorrow.

I had intended for the knife to be used for my father's butchering chores, so it could use more of a grind like you guys said. On the other hand, now that it's finished it looks really nice and it almost doesn't deserve to get dirty again! lol I'll let my Dad decide what he wants to do with it after he gets it. If he wants to use it for butchering, I'll alter the grind. I admit it is more of a chopper/defense blade at the moment.

As for the pins, and the assembly - I used a high strength Loctite 2-part epoxy. Clear stuff. Came from Home Depot and I know it's not the best, but, as I progress and make nicer stuff I'll up my materials accordingly. Tang was roughed to 120 grit, the inside of the scales I scuffed with a coarse scotch brite pad. Lightly clamped for 20 min; I peened the pins over while the clamp was on. I did not counter sink the holes in the scales, I did this on purpose as I wanted a uniform and symmetrical pin showing. After it sat a bit longer I did just a little touch up grinding on the edged where the scales meet the tang, then I sanded the pins down and lapped the faces with 800 grit wet on my granite surface plate.

I'm really, really pleased with how it turned out, I think pops will be surprised when he unwraps it. :)
 
Regarding the Loveless vs Corby designs - you'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge here - I was actually thinking of the Corby style bolts earlier. However, now that I've actually looked both of them up, I think I'd use either one without hesitation. They appear to do the same thing, and with some Loctite neither should have any issues with staying tight.

The difference then, is that the Corby will appear uniform and solid where the Loveless can do the same or add a second color to the mix. I like having those options - I used both on this knife! I used 2 solid brass pins up front and a brass pin inside an aluminum tube at the rear. Could have saved myself some time by mixing up some Corby & LL bolts! :)
 
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