handle screws/rivets...?

[bj976]

Hi there,
I'm half way through making a nice little bush-bashin khukri and decided it a good idea to use screws of some description to fasten the scales to the handle - thereby making them removable for cleaning and whatever else i'd wanna remove them for. Problem is i've got no idea what kind of screws or rivets one uses. My supplier stocks acorn, corby, loveless and cutler's rivets. Could anyone enlighten me as to which would be best? (i plan to countersink them so they're flush with the handle)

Thanks, Brenton

[Jason Cutter]

GDay Brenton, the screwed type rivet systems (Loveless, Corby, Luke) are the most secure of any handle fastening method. However, they are designed to be ground flush with the handle and are not removable once attached in place. Cutlers rivets are also not removable.

The removable type handle screws are more difficult to achieve. Generally it can be done by tapping the tang to accept the screw threads. An alternative is to thread a bushing that sits in the tang to take the screws. You need to be familiar with or need to learn how to thread steel.

The drawbacks are that the removable screwed construction is the weakest of all the handle types, in my humble opinion. Also, to give sufficient thread purchase on the screws, the tang has to be thick enough to accept screws from both sides.

I hope this helps clarify for you this issue, from my perspective. Other makers might have more ideas. Jason.

[bj976]

...i see. Thanks for clarifying that for me Jason, the idea of removable scales had a bit of a novel kind of appeal . I'll put the order out for some corby rivets - do you think some epoxy or loctite would be required?

Brenton

[bj976]

btw, which rivets are regarded as the most heavy duty? From the image in my catalogue the corbys seem to be...but then, i have been misled by catalogue imagery before

Brenton

[Jason Cutter]

Brenton, I have found that the Loveless rivets are easy to use but the threaded rod in the centre is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Because it is a threaded and ground flush, it produces a "half-moon" arc as you grind across the threads in the centre. Hard to describe, but there is a tiny gap there that looks like a crescent moon.

The same applies to the Corby rivets. You have to be careful to not grind too far down as you will grind into the central screw post which comes up as a hole in the middle of your rivet. There are ways to ensure that that doesn't happen and you have a nice flat, flush rivet face but it simply involves experience in planning out the depths of your rivets and how you countersik the rivet holes.

You could fill these rivets in with with epoxy, or Locktite for security. But generally once screwed into place and ground down, those rivets are pretty well locked in anyway.

After considering all the types of rivets, I resort to Loveless bolts for the heaviest-use knives. (Eg.- my military knives, which I never show on the net.)

I am going to be trying out some new rivets I got from Uncle Al's Knife Supplies in the USA. They are turned from a single rod of steel, and could avoid the problem of grinding down into a hollow in the centre when forming the handle. I'll keep you updated if it works out. Jason.

[bj976]

thanks Jason

Brenton