hi all. so I may be getting in a bit over my head as a beginner, but... I'm a firm believer in jumping in and trying things to find your limitations and learning by experiences. so I ordered some steel from Rob and it was longer then order by a bit (likely had it on the self). bonus! and with the thinness of the bar I had a instant vision and started sketching. After some rough grinding on the biggest pcs I've worked on, I think it feels a little on the thin side in the handle, oopsies .. So... I've never tried a hidden tang and have been reading and watching vids this week, was going to try on a 6'' hunt knife first. but since this is on the small side, to save it think I'm gonna try two firsts, first hidden tang and first camp knife, 12" Question is., is this going to be to big/heavy of a blade for that and is it gonna be strong and info on how to make it the best it can be, would be appreciated,. going for a full bevel grind 1084 3/16" steel
I am planning on a brass bolster and some red fiber spacers with brass shims. I had g flex epoxy on the way (soon I hope) and plan on a pinned handle, I also have a nice thong tube mosaic pin I wanted to add in the but of the handle,but will this make the tang to short?
Ya that's true. I was thinking on taking about 3/8" off the width but my old band saw needs some maintenance and didn't want to push it last night. Any suggestions on how to get some width in the handle. Maybe a spacer cut out in the shape of where your fingers go and sandwiched in between the scales or is that gonna be weak or cheat looking... or maybe I'll just get it together and dry fit it and see how it feels first. Haha. Thanks for the help
If you really like the looks of hidden tang and want strength of full tang then you could do a hybrid of sorts. Cut out a handle profile in material of choice G10 is nice and strong and make it a 1/4-3/8" wide all the way around. This will give you a 95% tang that is hidden in the handle with no significant loss of strength. Of course over sanding may expose the tang but if you are careful it should work out
I was playing with it this morning and I think if I take some of the width out and then the bevels of course. Lightning it up may help with the feel and balance in the handle. Will then decide it the 95% tang will be needed. Think I'm gonna defenatly take the advice and not do a hidden tang and wait for a smaller knife. Just scored some beauty planks of spalted maple that are a few years dry and have gotten everything to do the stabilizing. Should make for a nice handle material one day. I bought the stick fast that dan suggested to use. And going to try and use the hand pump. But have a festo phenumatic vacuum generator valve that goes to - 24 inch Hg. Might work
Go with the most vacuum you can get and run it for a few hours then soak for a day or two. Spalted is easier than clean hardwoods but soaking longer than needed never hurt anything.
How about instead of a G10 spacer where your fingers go, you could make a one piece handle with a slot that the handle could slide in from the top... Kind of a C shpe that would wrap around from the bottom. You could flatten the finger grooves on the bottom of the knife blank, and then if you had the right table saw blade width, you could make a nice straight slice the through the handle blank and slide the handle right in. From the top it would look like a full tang, and from the bottom it would look like a hidden tang but the tang would likely be about 80% with a one piece wooden handle...
John noon, i am currently doing a hybrid like you mentionned for a small dagger...makes it easier to get everithing straight if you have limited handle thickness from your materials...in .my case i had some precut scales i wanted to usr for this
