An absolute shameful act

Dennis Morland

KNIFE MAKER
When you tell yourself, do not tap that pin again. Don't ever tap the pin again!!!

I have been fighting this handle for a week now. It just would not go together easily. Fight, fight, fight. It was going to be worth the fight because this handle was going to look so good.

I am absolutely sickened by this boneheaded move that I accomplished. I split a really nice ironwood set of scales during glue up and setting the pins. Now I get to start fresh. I AM JUST SICKENED BY MYSELF!!!!!

I could not sleep last night after doing this. I am still upset today.

Don't let this happen to you. Listen to that little voice inside of you. Follow that easy direction. DO NOT TAP THAT PIN AGAIN!!!

Duh.

DeMo

DSC04492.jpg
 
LOL! Not at you....but at myself... I can't count the number of times that Little Voice has told me "DON'T!".....but I did it anyway, and landed myself in a pickle....or worse.

That picture totally sums up the reason I've not peened a pin in anything other then synthetics in years. The last straw for me was when I split a really nice piece of Sambar.......from that point on, pins get "glued" into anything other then micarta or G10...those are the only things I still feel safe peening pins.
 
Feel your pain.

I don't peen anymore. For a nice looking pin finish I use a doming set that produces a very nice look. It's called a pin spinner. After cracking a set of mammoth molar scales I found them on YouTube searching for a better way.
 
Bummer - I can feel your hurt.

I'm with Ed on pins - glue them in. I do rough up the pins where it's down in the scale to provide "tooth" for the epoxy, but I don't peen pins. Not even when they are in center of handle.

George has a good idea there on the pin spinner - been thinking that'd look nice, but not tried it....... yet.

Ken H>
 
I use Loveless bolts, But that doesn't stop me from mangling handle materials! LOL I ruined about $130.00 of handle materials yesterday so don't feel alone. Two sets of stabilized burl woods. I made four left sided scales! :s11779:ˇthis is how far I got yesterday!
 
LOL! Not at you....but at myself... I can't count the number of times that Little Voice has told me "DON'T!".....but I did it anyway, and landed myself in a pickle....or worse.

That picture totally sums up the reason I've not peened a pin in anything other then synthetics in years. The last straw for me was when I split a really nice piece of Sambar.......from that point on, pins get "glued" into anything other then micarta or G10...those are the only things I still feel safe peening pins.

Same here. I spin my pins VERY LIGHTLY against my running bandsaw blade, right in the center of the pin. It 'chews up' the pin a bit. Then I countersink the inside of my pin holes in the scales and blade. This makes a little 'pocket' of epoxy around the pin and with that roughed up bit in the center of the pin, you couldn't even drive those pins out with a punch if you wanted to. That little pocket of epoxy grabs that chewed up pin SO unbelievably well. It will NEVER come out and you don't ever have to peen another pin again.

Laurence- you made me laugh because I've done that before......TWICE also. :D
 
It is nice to know that I am not the only goofball.

However, it has been two (2) days and I am still mad at myself for doing this to these scales. This knife was going to look so good and now I do not want to even touch it.

I am sticking with this sentiment. I AM JUST SICKENED BY MYSELF!!!!! Forgiveness is going to be difficult.

DeMo
 
Its just "knife stuff", so don't be too hard on yourself. We're all in the same boat with you. Everyday I work in the shop, I learn something new....sometimes good, sometimes it goes the other way. All we can do is just keep on, keepin on. :)
 
Its just "knife stuff", so don't be too hard on yourself. We're all in the same boat with you. Everyday I work in the shop, I learn something new....sometimes good, sometimes it goes the other way. All we can do is just keep on, keepin on. :)

Ed that is great advice. Especially this part, "Its just "knife stuff"". Eventually, I will either forgive myself or most likely forget why I was at myself in the first place.

DeMo
 
I have cracked knife handle material twice before while Peening. Now I use corby screws with lock tite and this method seems easier and safer. In the end all you can do is grind away the material and start over to recover.
 
I went to the gluing thing when I was making knives with pins for the same reasons stated here.
A while back was making bolsters for a liner locking folder. I made two for one side and was past ant recovery. I wanted to get over that crappy feeling I got and phoned a maker friend to blow off. I hardly had said what I had done when he replied "just a minute, Frank, I was doing the same thing just now, but I can make a recovery. Thanks for the call."
Frank
 
When you tell yourself, do not tap that pin again. Don't ever tap the pin again!!!

I have been fighting this handle for a week now. It just would not go together easily. Fight, fight, fight. It was going to be worth the fight because this handle was going to look so good.

I am absolutely sickened by this boneheaded move that I accomplished. I split a really nice ironwood set of scales during glue up and setting the pins. Now I get to start fresh. I AM JUST SICKENED BY MYSELF!!!!!

I could not sleep last night after doing this. I am still upset today.

Don't let this happen to you. Listen to that little voice inside of you. Follow that easy direction. DO NOT TAP THAT PIN AGAIN!!!

Duh.

DeMo

DSC04492.jpg
Did the exact same thing with a set of exhibition walnut scales. The kind of scales that were selected specifically for a pattern that flowed absolutely perfectly with the blade profile. I was sick to my stomach brother. I feel ya!!
 
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