Hidden Tang Construction, my way

I know this is "old hat" for some but may be useful for others. This is how I do a hidden tang knife.

I've had this blade for some time and decided to mill the slot and file it to fit the tang. I wish I would have taken a picture of that but this will have to start here:

I made sure there are no gaps by applying pressure to the back side with these automotive valve springs and a small tool makers vice. These vices cost only a few bucks and come in handy for other procedures too.




The springs hold the guard very tight against the shoulders while the JB weld tries. This works good if you like to solder the guard on too.


After the JB weld dries I fit the spacers and fiber washers and glue them on the same way being sure to fill any spaces with epoxy.




I use a piece of waxed paper and a brass spacer to help keep everything flat when clamped. The wax paper keeps the brass spacer from sticking to the stack of spacers/fiber washers.

I trace the blade shape on paper complete with the tang and then trace the square block too. I draw a handle shape and may erase it several times until I like the shape and flow of the handle to the blade. Simply cut it out and elmers glue the paper to the block of wood. I use my metal cutting bandsaw to cut the handle shape exactly.


I use a long 3/16 or 1/4" drill bit and drill 2 holes as deep as possible so I can keep the tang as long as I can. It will get shortend a little later.

I made this broach by grinding an old wood planer blade and fitted a micarta handle on it. It is small and fits into the hole and drags wood out. I can connect the two holes and make the hole rectangular shaped with it.

This broach is handy for making the tang fit and not taking out too much material. It works on antler handle just as well.


Face the front of the block so there are no gaps anywhere when dry fit together.


Because the paper is still glued to the handle I can locate where the tang is inside the handle. I simply drill a pin hole in the block where I want the pin, put the tang in place and scribe through the hole onto the tang. I sprayed the tang with tool makers dye to help see the scribed line. ( I forgot to tell you I shortened the tang about 1")


Drill the tang where the pin will go through it and oblong the tang hole so the guard spacers can be tight against the block with no gaps. The pin should have no contact with the tang if all is well. Epoxy will fill around the pin and the tang hole.



Next I grind a series of crude notches just for epoxy to grip inside the handle. Probally dont need them but I do it anyway.


Next comes the epoxy mixing. I use black pigment powder because a JB grey line wouldnt look good. I do however leave the JB grey on the front of the guard because grey looks better than black there.
Simply fill the handle and push it together, push the 1/8" pin in place and clamp it all together to dry overnight.


I made this clamp at least 15 years ago. I still use it today. Cheap and easy to make and does a great job. Just be sure all the joints are square and no gaps.

Double check alignment with a straight edge and put it away until tomorrow.

I like the valve spring trick. Notice I have a double spring on the guard picture but only a single spring for the spacers? They fit inside of each other for different tensions.
The tool makers vice is nice but it could be substituted for a washer and vice grips for a more modest budget. Be sure to tape the blade and wear gloves to prevent stabbing your palm with the tip while compressing the spring. Also hold onto the blade when releasing the vice to prevent missile launch.



OK its out of the clamps and I take it to the metal cutting bandsaw to remove pin excess and some excess from the guard. The belt grinder would work too but slower and builds heat. Heat is bad.




Now to the belt grinder with a new 60 belt. A new belt wont build heat. Heat is bad, I said that already.




I like to get the contours of the guard and handle very close to finish shape but take care because that new belt takes off the soft wood very fast.

Here I am checking the oval shape of the guard


I use a height guage to see if both sides are the same. A set of calipers would do the same thing. Simply lay the knife on one side and measure the height of the handle, then flip it over and the handle should measure the same. A bannana shaped knife is noticeable so this is an important step. Another trick it to use a mirror on the flat of the guard so the reflection of the handle is visible in the mirror. If the handle is straight it will show up in the mirror. The mirror trick was taught at Josh's hammer-in by Tim Hancock. It works great for squaring a guard to the blade too.

I sand the handle and guard down to 320 grit and pour thin super glue on the wood. It soaks in deep and needs a couple more applications letting it dry for awhile in between coats. I put 3 coats on this one. I just flood it on and rotate the knife so it covers the entire handle. It is pretty thick by the 3rd coat and the surface is very bumpy and irregular so I sand the high spots off with the 320 and flood it with Debonder and use my finger to smooth it out. I do this 3 or 4 times before it starts looking good. I put it away for the night so it can dry completely and in the morning it should be very hard and dry. It will still need some light sanding with finer grits and polish to get that deep look.

Sorry these pictures are not the best.

Thanks Bruce as a newer maker I can use all the tips I can get.

Here is the finished knife and handle.
I do like this finish because it is rock hard and can be polished or satin finished all depending on the disired look. It may be slippery when bloody but the design of the handle and a finger guard will keep the hand safe from the sharp blade. The full beauty and depth of the grain is visible.
I dont think its as difficult to do on wood as most of the other finishes. There is some question whether it needs any added finish on a stabilized wood and I think with this particular piece with the stabilizing process used it benefitted from the added hardness. I dont like the fact that my finger nail could leave an impression as it was. Some hardwoods are so hard they cant easily be scratched but this buckeye burl was light in weight and too soft for me.

Anyway thanks for looking and listening to my ramblings.

Thanks Bruce. I learned a lot from this and I am going to try one. This will be great to look back on.

jawilliams0425 said:

Thanks Bruce. I learned a lot from this and I am going to try one. This will be great to look back on.

Click to expand...

Please ask questions if something doesnt look right or make sense. I didnt show pics of bandsawing the block, dremeling the guard and shaping the handle but I think the basics are there and if you try it you will see some advantages especially the valve spring trick.

Cooool BB

loved it

I am really working on my stick tangs now, and I need all the help i can get!!

thanks a bunch!

Excellent tutorial Mr. Bump. Thank you for taking the time make it and share with us. I've never made a hidden tang before, so this is especially informative for me.cool 1

I appreciate the kind words guys. Thanks for looking.

Bruce

One thing that kinda intrigues me or maybe i missed something

when you dremel the guard??

is there a trick to making it fit with the handle?? err does that make sense?

another great tutorial pictorial Bruce.

Great tutorial Mr. Bump. Lots of very helpful info there with the pictures to really help us see what it's supposed to look like. Especially like your valve spring set-up and the clamp fixture. This will really help me with my hidden tang projects. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Much appreciated!
Bruce Myers

Great job...thanks mang!

Love the valve spring trick....hmm I have a few dozen of those laying around for sure.

Thanks Bruce.

Bruce

I really like that knife, pretty - yet practical and comfortable looking.

Do you have any size specs on lit like

Blade length
Overall length
Stock thickness

and where would you say the balance point is ?