Question on Kitchen knife handle hardware

BRad704

BRad704

Well-Known Member
I've been approached by someone looking for a pair of kitchen knives with a little "more tactical look" than most kitchen knives. 1 utility (6" blade) and 1 paring (3.5" blade), and the design and materials are all up to me (although he did request carbon steel).

In my mind, I'm looking at:
1095 steel (0.094" for the util and 0.072" for the parer) Will be sending to Peter's for heat treating.
Probably a forced patina to darken the blades
Mostly black/OD/dark materials for the scales. (leaning toward CF bolster and OD green scales)

Real questions are:
1 - For a kitchen knife that will be wet/washed very often... Are fibrous materials like Linen/burlap micarta ok? I am worried about the fibers soaking up blood/chicken juice/etc.

2 - Hardware... As long as I seal the threads and around the head, would there be any forseeable sanitation or washing issues with using 6-32 or 8-32 button head screws (along with threaded tubes, of course)? I think the bolt-on handle appearance could work well on these.

3 - Any other pro-tips from our kitchen knife masters? :)

Thanks guys!
BRad
 
Hello Brad,
All micartas work well for culinary knives. The fiber is sealed in the resin.
I use stabilized wood a lot as well.

I like Loveless style bolts and corby's in Stainless for culinary and Gel Flex epoxy for a excellent sealant so the moisture won't get under the scales. Others use nickle silver pins with good results.

Does that help answer your question?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
If you use a carbon steel, such as 1095, tell your client to use, wash, dry, and put the knife away and keep it out of the dish washer and no soaking in a sink full of water. Make sure that the epoxy that you use is water proof. I'm sure that the Gel Flex that Laurence suggested would be or he wouldn't have suggested it. I use the West epoxy system and Acraglass is also water proof.

Doug
 
Thanks Laurence and Doug.

I just needed a double-check of approval on the micarta. Just placed my largest order ever with Boss. :)

Not a fan of lovelace bolts, and I want to honor his request of slightly 'tactical' looking... so I have some 6-32 and 4-40 button heads (all black) ordered also. As long as moisture can't get under the head, I should be good to go.

I'll check into the Gel Flex, West and Acraglass also.

Thanks again guys!
 
Consider using Cutler's rivets which is what nearly every commercial kitchen knife maker uses or some variation. A screw or lovelass rivet is going to leave a place for food to lodge and be a health issue. A pin, corby bolt or cutlers rivet that is countersunk and ground flush is the way to go for a kitchen knife...

A traditional cutlers rivet has a hollow tube on one side, and a solid part on the other side. You pound them together and they are stuck together holding the scales on. Most of the time these are counter sunk slightly and then sanded smooth. A cutlers rivet has a thicker than normal head to give a little room for sanding them flush with the scales.
I just got in one size in Brass late last week. We've never carried them before but will have a full assortment in different sizes and metals by year end. I think a couple of the other larger supply houses may carry some. (I can't type their name(s) because my fingers would explode.) We will be getting another size in for brass next week and then will be bringing in a stainless version in a couple sizes.

I've searched for a supplier for years and never could find one until recently. We had to buy some big quantities to get these in. Cutlers rivets are easy, fast and cheap. These are way cheaper than any other mechanical lock type fastener out there. In use, they will look exactly like a pin when sanded flush with the benefit of having a mechanical lock holding the scales in place.

I would guess very few makers have ever used a Culters Rivet as they are a bit of a bugger to find. I am going to work on that. Give me a bit and I'll make sure anyone that wants to try them can. In the mean time:

>click here Cutlers Rivet in Brass<

The picture shows two sets of rivets hammered together. This demonstrates the range of handle thicknesses this size rivet can fit. The longer one can't be pulled apart with out a hammer and some pliers. They are joined together. Note the deformation on the tube side of the rivet shows how oversize the solid part is and how firmly they will be fastened.

brass-cutler-rivet-half-inch.jpg
 
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Why you hijackin' my thread, eh? :)

I really like the idea of those cutler's rivets. I can certainly see these being preferred (by myself) over Corby's and certainly over Lovelace bolts.

I guess with some Brass Black, they could be finished off pretty dark after sanding.
 
Brad,
I meant to type G Flex epoxy. Its made by the one west folks and bossdog sells it.

I put a big glob of the epoxy of the Loveless bolt threads on the tip, the base and in the countersunk hole. It seals up fine against water & food by doing this. Corbys work well,

It sound like Bossdog is on to something with these new cutlers rivets, The ones I was able to find years ago were not very well made and stretched out easily so I stopped using them after a few knives.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Now I see it on the USAKM site, but it's out of stock. There is a local custom woodworkers supply store, so I may check there this week for it also. I know they have a large section of adhesives.
 
FWIW I just used some stainless cutlers rivets on a pair of steak knives.

They were a breeze to use and look great. No clamps needed for glue up.

I put the rivet halfs in one scale and epoxied up then set the rivets with my arbor press. Too Easy and look clean just like a corby.

I totally agree with Boss on these as they worked out really well for me.

Steaksingle_zpsddd8ddab.jpg


Steakknives_zpsb2ffa1a5.jpg


-Josh
 
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Looks good Josh. I've got a sample pair coming from USAKM with my order :)

How did you decide how far to countersink if you pressed them in during glue up?
 
I counter sunk roughly .015 LESS than the thickness of the head. This way the heads are still sticking up a teeny bit when bottomed out in the hole.

I didn't attempt and wouldn't recommend a hammer for installation.

Without an Arbor press I would close the jaws of the drill press chuck and use that to push the rivets together. They go together pretty easily. I could dry run the drill press thing for you if you want. I've got a few extra sets on hand.

-Josh
 
The drill press makes good sense (since I don't have an arbor press). I actually flare my kydex rivets that way by chucking the punch and just putting the anvil under the material.
 
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