Question for knife makers

[skunkskinner]

Do I need to put a pin through the tang, or will the epoxy hold it together? This is my first knife, I am on a learning curve.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Norskie]

Epoxy is plenty. I use JB weld, which has fillers that strengthen any porous areas in the antler.

 

[Brasilikilt]

You can actually soak the antler tine in water for a week, or until it gets soft and then push the tang of your knife into the antler.
It's best to do this by wrapping your blade with leather or duct tape and clamping it in a vise to hold it in place.
Push your antler onto the tang being VERY careful that you have everything even and straight, because once you start you shouldn't pull it out and try again.

When you're finished set the knife someplace to dry and when it's done the blade will be set in the antler very firmly
I have knives which have held together for years using this method

Good luck

Iain

 

[chipper]

I use the clear 5 min expoxy. I would support the piece so the epoxy has a chance to run into the antler, it often runs out of and drips all over the place. Be sure to move the antler around in your hand for proper orientation to the blade pryor to glueing and be darn sure the blade doesn't move. There's nothing worse that picking up a knife that doesn't feel right in one's hand or having the blade be cockeyed.

I often use the opposite end of the antler to mount a knife and I then use a brass plate on the end to cover the saw marks. I finish the butt piece by drilling a small hole a installing a brass nail. This orientain has the widest part of the antler twords the back of ones hand and the point up near the blade.

Anyway, there's my two cents. I hope we get to see the finished product.
Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[Bountyhunter]

My experience is that these premade knife blanks have hard tangs, and are difficult to drill. I just use the corner of a grinding wheel and put several notches in the tang and then put it in the hole full of epoxy or JB Weld. The notches prevent it from pulling out. They dont have to be very deep, just enough to catch and hold the glue.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I think you will find that blade is a lot easier to use safely if you grind away a long notch in the bottom of the blade at the back of the edge where it butts against the crossguard. Give enough room to fit the thickness of your index finger, without pinching it, so that you can wrap one finger around the blade in front of the guard, and the rest of your fingers around the grip, behind the guard. This is called a " choil " by blade makers, or called a finger clip or finger cutout by some. Either way, making room for your index finger to wrap the blade in front of the guard will make it safer to use. With that long a blade, trust me that you will want to wrap your finger in front of the guard! It looks from your picture that you expect to use that flared end of the antler in lieu of a separate hilt or crossguard. That's okay, but you still will be safer grinding the finger cutout.

The other reason to do this is so you can sharpen that edge all the way back to the rear end of the blade, so you have a sharp, straight section of the blade for whittling work, and maybe shaving your chin! Most of the word done by a knife edge is on the curve or point of the blade. But, if you are trimming sticks for camp tent pegs, or cooking tools, you will be using that straight portion at the rear of the blade.

Think first, always, and last that a knife is a TOOL, and the better you make it, the more useful it will be for you. I have put three different angles of edges on a similar knife for a friend, based on what he told me he intended to use it to do, for him. He came back from his camping trip absolutely excited because his knife did everything he wanted to do effortlessly, and he had never had a knife work that well for him before.

 

[skunkskinner]

The epoxy is drying now,I"ll post a picture when I get the brass polished.

 

[skunkskinner]

Well, I got it done.

 

[musketman]

Impressive, it looks very eloquent... :thumbsup:

 

[mikee51848]

How difficult was it to drill out the antler? What type of bit did you use?

 

[skunkskinner]

It wasent to hard,I used a regular 3/16 bit.I drilled two holes side by side then reamed them together to make a slot for tang.

 

[musketman]

How difficult was it to drill out the antler? What type of bit did you use?

I should add that it smells like burning bone when an antler is drilled, keep this in mind if you do it indoors...

 

[crockett]

Good point, dust from bone, antler,and certain woods can cause health problems, wear a mask and work in a ventilated area.

 

[DrTimboone]

I have drilled some out and as Brasilikilt mentioned :bow: , soaked some and then pressed the blade in. The soaked antler with the blade pressed in has the advantage of no dust and no stink!! :nono: .

My patch knife gets some serious torque in use and it has not given the slightest hint of loosening.......