Please Educate Me on Pins for Handles...

FlyBye

FlyBye

Member
I just ordered a pair of full tang knife blanks that I hope to attach some wood scales on soon. This will be a father/son project.

I wanted to attach the scales with Corby rivets, but I couldn't find the correct size for the blank holes that are already cut out. I went with regular brass pins.

1) What is the best/correct way to attach them? Do you lightly tap them to slightly expand/mushroom them out or do you just glue them in? I've read where some "first timers" have split the scales while taping and expanding them. If you just glue them, what keeps them from eventually working their way out?

2) The hole size is 5/32. The brass pins I ordered are also 5/32. Do I drill the holes in the scales with a 5/32 bit or do I use a slightly larger bit and tap the pins to expand them?
 
I use a slightly larger drill bit on handle materials. This allows for expansion of pin when peening. Some materials will also expand a bit in the area of the holes. I've had that happen with curly maple before. I redrill them just before installing the pins.
 
I don't peen my pins. I just glue them in place. They are only there to protect the glue joint between the scales and the tang from a shearing force that might pop a scale off. You may find that the pin material might not fit into the hole in the tang or you may find that the holes were already drilled slightly over sized to accept the pin stock. Dry fit to find out first before assembling anything. If the holes are too small the way I handle it is to use my Dremmel with a small carbide bit and grind the hole a little large. You have to keep the bit moving and you don't need a lot of pressure. A couple of time around the hole is all that it take, generally.

After the pins are installed and the epoxy dried in the handles I finish shaping the scale blanks at which time the pins are ground down flush with the surface of the scales.

Doug
 
One thing I suggest thats just as important is the Epoxy that you use and that you ruff things up to say. 120 grit or less so the epoxy has something to hang onto! I prefer G-flex epoxy. Youc an buy some up about ay Midwest/USA knife maker.

If you are going with Devcon, I suggest you use the 30 min cure 2 ton, pass on the 5min stuff.
 
I would also suggest that you not use a store brand epoxy. I've used some in the past that I couldn't get to cure. Stick with the brand name stuff. Acraglas would also be an alternative to G-flex.

Doug
 
I'm not sure on the brand of epoxy I ordered, but I do remember that it is the 30 minute type.
 
West Systems, G-flex, and Acraglass are all very good. I used Bondo once on a through-tang that I peened. I carefully countersink just a bare fraction with a hand countersink tool, and then peen just a few taps. Just enough to swell the pin a fraction and help pull scales in. Then, grind everything flat lengthwise on the platen or on a disc sander. When you hand sand, be sure to use a hard block that is big enough to keep from dishing out the area between the pins.
Be sure and take the same precaution when you are sanding from a bolster to a handle slab, too. '
 
One other thought I use on my loveless bolts to get a precise fit, is I'll chuck them up in my drill press, and sand them down a few thousandths, maybe .001-.003". You've got some good advice here.
 
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