Standoffs to small.

Tod Lowe

Tod Lowe

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys.
Im using standoffs and torx heads to hold the scales on my current projects.
I ordered 3/16 x 3/16 standoffs to go with the 3/16 steel im using.
I drilled my holes at 3/16 figuring the 3/16 standoffs would have to be pressed in a little but I have a few that are loose.

Do I just epoxy the standoffs in place on the loose ones?
The steel is hardened ats 34 so it will be very difficult to drill out to use .25 standoffs.
Any suggestions welcome!
 
Hey Todd! When I run into that I just rough 'em up a bit with a file or coarse paper and then epoxy them in. Just out of curiosity, where do you purchase your standoffs?
 
I got the standoffs from USAknifemaker.com Torx head screws also.
The standoffs werent too small I just drilled the holes too big.
Ill use smaller bit next time and try to drive them in. I think I may use .25 inch standoffs in the future also. The 3/16 look a little small though I havent put them on yet.
Thanks for the info Curtis...ill give it a try.
 
Why are standoffs being pressed into steel?

Generally they are for spacers in folders.

Are you using them on a fixed blade to screw the handles on?
 
If you are using them for handle connectors, just tighten things up and tap the on scale to see if it slides. If it does, you can "bed" the stand off in a little epoxy and it lock it into place. Easy fix. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
 
Thanks Boss!
Yes they are for holding handles on a fixed blade.
Ill roll with it then! And thanks for the quick delivery on my order.
 
I use some bigger, longer standoffs on my ECS knives to do the same thing.
I want them longer, because otherwise, I might as well just tap the tang.
I want more screw engagement than is possible by just being tang thickness.
However, I make them slip fit on purpose, then they aren't in my way, ever.
I just cut them a little shorter than the length between my screw head counterbores and drill a clearance hole through everything.
 
Fellhoelter said:
I use some bigger, longer standoffs on my ECS knives to do the same thing.
I want them longer, because otherwise, I might as well just tap the tang.
I want more screw engagement than is possible by just being tang thickness.
However, I make them slip fit on purpose, then they aren't in my way, ever.
I just cut them a little shorter than the length between my screw head counterbores and drill a clearance hole through everything.
Click to expand...

Try using pivots instead of stand off.
 
Thanks Guys!

Ill check those binding screws out Fellhoelter. These 3/16 are a little too small for this application. I may try them on some 1/8 steel.
Im going to just pin these knives and try the standoffs or the binding screws on my next batch.
 
I spend about $5 per knife on the binding screws...

But I buy my pivots from Alpha, they are $5 - $6 each.

I do forget that folks are selling barrel pivots with decent threads in them nowadays.
By that I mean you can have screws with heads larger than the pivot diameter.
5 years ago, I had to make 3/16 pivots with a 6-32 in them, because everyone insisted on selling them with #4 screws.
A #4 screw head is barely larger than the pivot diameter.
The 1/4" pivots I see only have a #8 in them too.
#10 would be better.
I want more than .030 per side holding my stuff together, especially handles, where the head is not binding on metal.
A #8 in a 1/4" barell is too small in my opinion to hold a handle on a knife.

But I also drill 1/4" all the way through everything to maximize thread engagement.
If you don't do this, but only drill clearance for the screw, you get much more contact between head and handle, at the expense of thread enagement.
 
Fellhoelter said:
I spend about $5 per knife on the binding screws...

But I buy my pivots from Alpha, they are $5 - $6 each.

I do forget that folks are selling barrel pivots with decent threads in them nowadays.
By that I mean you can have screws with heads larger than the pivot diameter.
5 years ago, I had to make 3/16 pivots with a 6-32 in them, because everyone insisted on selling them with #4 screws.
A #4 screw head is barely larger than the pivot diameter.
The 1/4" pivots I see only have a #8 in them too.
#10 would be better.
I want more than .030 per side holding my stuff together, especially handles, where the head is not binding on metal.
A #8 in a 1/4" barell is too small in my opinion to hold a handle on a knife.

But I also drill 1/4" all the way through everything to maximize thread engagement.
If you don't do this, but only drill clearance for the screw, you get much more contact between head and handle, at the expense of thread enagement.
Click to expand...

Just a suggestion USA Knifemaker has pivots for 1.68. They could be drill to a difference size very easily and retapped. I understand that you only buy your pivots from Alpha, but that is not the only supplier. You could also drill and tap tubing very easily.
 
If your going to drill and tap, you can just buy precision ground 416 stainless at about $4 a foot from McMaster.
That's how I made my 1st batch of pivots and stop pins.
I prefer to buy them nowadays.
The most I want to do is trim to length.
I'm a lazy SOB...
 
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