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Through Tang Construction Contact Wheels

A through tang knife handle is durable and can showcase a beautiful piece of wood.

The general construction looks like this:

I like to make my handles Product - 300*50*25mm (12 inch x 2 inch)

about 4 to 4-1/2" in length. aluminum wheel with diagonal rubber contact
area
Before we get too far we need to look at the tang of the blade. It's going to have a keyhole cut into
it before the blade is heat treated. I used stainless steel and have found this to be quite difficult to
Knifemaking Info Pages
make this hole and cuts after heat treatment.
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Knife Patterns
The end of the tang has 3/16" hole drilled in it. Then I cut a
slit about 1/8" wide into the hole. A 10-32 x 2-1/2" stainless Knife Patterns II
steel machine screw is shaped on the grinder to just about Knife Patterns III
tolerance fit into the hole and slit. This should need some Knife Patterns IV
pressure, a vise for example, or tapping with a hammer in Knife Patterns V
the anvil to fit in. Gallery
BG-272 DIY 2 x 72" Belt Grinder
Don't worry if the screw seems too long, we're going to cut BG-272 Gallery of Builds
the excess off later.
BG-272 Small Wheel Attachment Set
BG-272 DIY Contact Wheel
You may now heat treat the blade as per your usual method.
BG-272 Adjustable Tool Rest
BG-272 Belt Release Lever
Front Bolster Heat Treatment Oven Project
The front bolster is usually made from stainless steel or Shop Jigs & Fixtures
brass. I like stainless as I usually have some pieces left Knife Edge Geometry Tips
over from cutting the blade profile from the stock. Beginner's Tool Set
DIY Micarta
I lay the tang on the stainless and mark where the bolster Belt Grinder Motor Guide
needs to be slotted out. Here I center punch and drill about 5
Wood Stabilization
holes in a line.
Hidden Bolster Pins
Product Review: Ruixin Pro Angle Knife
Sharpener
Fixed Blade Anatomy
These holes have to be smaller than the thickness of the tang at the shoulder. I like to use 5/64"
DIY Leather Stamps
or 3/32" drill bits depending on the thickness of the slot. You can file the slot a little bit larger, but
you cannot make the slot smaller at any time. DIY Sharpening Wheel
Knife Sharpening Example - Honesuki
Here I am using needle files to connect the holes to make a Hydraulic Pin Press
slot. Winding a Kanthal A1 Element
Acid Etch Stainless Steel
Basic Sheath
Gas Mini Forge
Knifemaker's Documentation
Basic Filework: Vine
Basic Filework: S Pattern
Poor Man's Etching Power Supply
Test fitting the tang. It is always better to go slowly and fit
Drill Press Block #3
the tang. File a little more and try fitting the tang again.
Full Tang Bolster Tutorial
Gallery of Submitted Photos
VFDs: Part 1- About Your Power
VFDs: Part 2 - Can You Feed a VFD?
VFDs: Part 3 - Three Phase Induction Motor
VFDs: Part 4 - Single-Phase Input VFD
VFDs: Part 5 - Remote Control
Eventually the bolster will slide 99% of the way up the VFDs: Part 6 - Ingress Protection
shoulder. I put the taped blade in a vise with a piece of wood Porta-Band 725 Conversion
on each side. Clamp it tight. 12" DIY Disc Sander
Making a Saya (Laminate Method)
Slip a short section of pipe over the tang and gently tap with Gas Forge Build 1: Concepts and Burner
a hammer. This will drive the bolster on that last 1% of the Tube
way. This should create a gapless joint. Gas Forge Build 2: Gas System
Gas Forge Build 3: Forge Body
Gas Forge Build 4: Insulation
Here I only have to shape the bolster where the shoulders Gas Forge Build 5: Intial Burn
go. Leather Stropping Wheel
Dirt Cheap 2 x 72 Belt Grinder Build
Make a Wooden Drive Wheel
Dirt Cheap Post Anvil
Hidden Tang Construction: Pinned
Through Tang Construction
Hidden Tang Construction: Plugged
Mokume Gane - Copper & Brass
The Stack What Belts are Best?
The stack refers to all of the pieces that make up the handle. A mix of steel, brass, spacers, Knifemaker Supply Links
gemstone composite, leather, wood, Micarta, horn or any other suitable materials can be used. Octagonal Wa Build
The requirement here is they are larger than your finished handle is going to be. Introduction to Japanese Kitchen Cutlery
DIY 20 ton Forging Press: Part 1 - Intro and
Fram...
Here I am cutting a piece of Russian Lavender composite DIY 20 Ton Forging Press: Part 2 -
gemstone. The piece is about 1" x 1-1/4". Pneumatic Contr...
Two Pole vs Four Pole Motors
Static Dissipation Brush for Belt Grinder
Horizontal & Vertical Quench Tank
Motors and VFDs for Belt Grinder
Applications
OSG 12" Serrated Contact Wheel
KBAC VFD Line (ON/OFF) Switch
Installation
Now with the tang laid on the block, I mark where the slot
has to be. This slot can be much cruder than the front KBAC VFD Forward Reverse Switch
Installation
bolster as this slot will be unseen in the finished product.
Replacing Bearings in Baldor M3558T
Motor
I use the drill press to drill three holes. The holes are
typically 9/32" and they extend into the block just enough to
fit the tang. Again, testing, drilling testing. Search This Blog

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You can, to some extent, wiggle the block on the drill bit
while it's spinning and shape the slot. Be careful though, bits Blog Archive
can and will break with too much lateral force on them. ▼ 2018 (12)
▼ Aug (2)
From the opposite side, drill a 3/16" hole. This hole will meet
Stabilized Maple Burl Scales
up with the slotted region inside the block.
KN41 in Nitro-V and Amboyna Burl and
304 Stainless...

► Jul (2)
I've cut and drilled or punched some spacers to go between ► May (2)
the steel and wood. These are vulcanized fiber spacers. See ► Apr (2)
you knifemaker supply house. A heavy-duty paper punch
► Mar (1)
works ok for making the holes. Again, all hidden so the
holes don't need to be exact. ► Feb (2)
► Jan (1)

► 2017 (12)
► 2016 (16)

Finally, the rear bolster can be cut, drilled and tapped to 10- ► 2015 (63)
32. I make this hole right in the middle so it lines up with the ► 2014 (53)
single hole in the back of the block. ► 2013 (27)

A drop of tap fluid or oil will help with tapping any steel,
especially brass or copper which tend to gum up taps. Mini-Bio

D. Comeau

Modern day Renaissance

Guy, D.I.Y. and re-purposing
Here I have the stack and have test fitted. Fitting prior to Jedi, crafting knives and
gluing is called "dry fitting." tools and finding new uses
for old junk along the way. Passionate about
making things and sharing knowledge.
View my complete profile

Great Belts

ALEKO 4-Inch x 36-Inch 80 Grit Aluminum

Oxide Sanding Belt, 10-Pack

The Glue Up Fellow Knifemaker's Sites

Now I tape up the blade, tight to the front bolster and arrange
the stack with everything in the correct order. KC Knives Sept-Îles
Noon's Knives
I mix up 10ml (2 TBSP) of G/flex and start by coating the Walter White Knives
back of the front bolster. Then add the next piece of the Tombstone Knives
stack. Girvas - Handmade Knives and Jewelry
Poppa Bear Knives
Wilson Knifeworks

Make sure enough epoxy is added. It will squeeze out. This

Cutlery Stainless Steel Datasheets
is good.
Sandvik 13C26
AEB-L
CPM S35VN
CPM S30V
CPM154
154CM
Elmax
When you get to the point where the block is to be added we
need to do two things. 1: fill the slot with lots of epoxy and
2: press the machine screw into the tang. Knife Making Links

Some Slideshows I've Made

Push the block on to the tang until the screw sticks out the
$50 Knife Shop
hole. Add any spacers here, each with their own coating of
Canadian Knifemaker (forum)
epoxy.
Anvil Fire - Heat Treating
Knife Network - Newbies
Ray Rogers Handcrafted Knives
The last step is to screw the rear bolster on and turn it to
Canadian Knifemaker Supply
tighten the stack. Being a fine thread you will be able to find
Gough Customs (Videos)
a position that is just right. We want to squeeze everything
in the stack and ooze a little epoxy, but we don't want too
much compressive force to eject all the epoxy. Sites of Interest to Knifemakers

5 to 10 pounds force is what I use. Melting Temperatures of Metals

Blacksmithing Info (PDFs)
The Engineering Toolbox
Wipe up the excess epoxy as best you can. Clean around Wood Database
the blade and front bolster. Armor All wipes seem to work well for this.

Now we wait for the epoxy to cure. With G/flex, I always wait over night. Other Blogs I Read

Fry Custom Knives

Shaping the Handle Forged Tomahawks
Before rounding anything, I like to square up the four faces
of the handle to make a sort of rectangular prism. The flat Blog — Haburn Knives - Handmade
Stainless & Carbon Steel Knives and
plated works longways for three of the sides. The fourth
Tools
side, the belly, needs to go across the platen. I use a 36 grit Full Tang Integral Damascus Gyuto w/
belt for this. Mammoth tooth and Koa Available October
12th

Bitjärn Knives Blog (Sweden)

Även två kockknivar som skall göras
klart...

I keep a bucket of water handy. Grinding the steel can build Japanese Knife Sharpening Blog
up a lot of heat. This heat will easily melt epoxy. Shun Meiji - Before & After

Wabocho
Small Gyuto for my trip to Japan

Tai Goo Studio

New Video Trailer

Blackwood Custom Knives

Tanto Grind on a Mini Skirmish Blade - WIP
Pics
Once the faces are squared, I shape the angle on the rear
bolster. This is optional, but I think it gives the overall
handle shape more interest. I'll use a 60 grit belt for this.

Now I start knocking off the corners at 45° angles. Focus on

the hard materials (stainless steel) and glide across the
softer materials. We don't want to apply even pressure all
the way across or we'll end up with a depression where the
softer wood is.

Again dunking to keep the steel cool. Rounding the handle

out. Checking the shape of the front and rear bolsters and
holding the handle in your hands to check the feel.

Using the slack portion of the belt lightly shape by holding

the blade and rotating the handle around and 'round. I move
to a 220 grit aluminum oxide belt for this. Followed by a 400
grit aluminum oxide belt.

One last step will be to oil the handle with a buff with a clean
cotton wheel. Wax or other sealants can be applied here.

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