Using Wooden Pins for Knife Handles

[me2]

This seems a good place to post this, as I've never tried it before and haven't seen anyone who has. I have an old knife that I want to put a new handle on and spice up some, and wanted to try wooded pins. Has anyone tried this before? It's basically an old Green River pattern Cold Steel Scalper, or Long Hunter, when they were made from Carbon V steel in the mid 90's. I have a handle on it now, but it has some flaws, so I'd like to remove it and try again. I'd use wooden pins to match the holes in the tang, maybe sanded a little, and epoxy. The knife is used as a utility knife in the kitchen, and can see anything from slicing meat and fruit to sharpening pencils, and will occasionally see use in the yard for trimming sprouting limbs and such. I say all that to say I'm not worried about strength in terms of wood pins breaking, but there may be other reasons people don't use wooden pins besides just strength. The current handle is a cherry wood handle with flared brass tubing. If, for some reason wood won't work well, I'll redo the handle the same, but with more polish and care, and not use scrap with cuts in it that can't be sanded out.

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

There's several reasons that you don't see wooden handle pins, here are just a couple. From an appearance/building standpoint, it's extremely difficult/time consuming to find or make a wooden pin that fits correctly, without showing "glue gaps". Structural wise, wooden pins will expand/contract differently then the handle material (even if they are made of the same type wood), and even though you mentioned you don't care about strength, it's a vital consideration versus metal pins.

If none of that matters, then go for it and see how things pan out. If it's a knife that you just use around your place, and something fails, you'll be able to figure out why, and learn something to boot!

 

[me2]

Sounds like I should just redo the handles that are on it unless I just have to see for myself. It would be more work to do it with the wooden pins, but if there isn't an advantage other than the appearance I want, it sounds like I'll be doing the flared brass tubes later anyway with no return.

 

[scott.livesey]

I have used oak dowel as pins twice. they have held up ok

 

[Dennis Morland]

I used oak pins - one time. It was a chore to get them tight. I will not do it again.

DeMo

 

[Entropy762]

I used bamboo skewers once. They weren't perfectly round and left gaps around the holes. I did like the contrast against the black canvas micarta. I don't think I'll do it again.

Jake