Thread: Drawknife handle

Most tang knife handles these days are held on with epoxy, even ones that use rivets. I'd use something other than the 5 minute stuff from the green shed. I use West System G/Flex epoxy. It's one of the most widely used. Your tangs should have some keys ground in and roughened to help with the bond and as you've said, a tight fit into the handle.

I make the odd knife handle and stabilise them first in cactus juice resin and a vacuum chamber to guard against moisture / humidity / sweat / oils movement effects. I can stabilise some for you if you want to post them down. It's not a quick process and if you're using hard wood, it'll take about 3-4 weeks. PM me if you want to give it a crack.

Cheers

Bryan

Thanks Bryan

When you say "knife" do you mean drawknife?

My concern was really just that wrenching force you get when you've drawknifing stuff for stock removal - if you hit knots and whatnot - it is like a little hammerblow applying pull-force in the direction of pulling the tang out of the handle. And can also have levering force when skewed. (I'm up to speed on notching the tang.)

Many thanks for offer - I think I'll be fine at least for a prototype but much appreciated.

This is a drawknife I made in 2007?
The handles are still tight.

It's made from a de tempered file, mild steel tangs and jarrah handles.
The ferrules are bras plumbing fittings
Whole.jpg
ferruke.jpg

The handles are just epoxied on with West Systems epoxy.

The important thing with handle timber is that it not be too dry before gluing because any subsequent expansion may see it detach, usually between any steel part of teh handle and the epoxy.
I've had this happened on a turning chisel handle and suspect that it came from timber stored under the house for decades where things are super dry.
Scrupulous cleaning of metal surfaces is important before gluing.
Nothing teh tangs is a good idea but didn't do that on mine.