How to secure handel

G

Gib Guignard

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
849
I am building some Fokos(see knives 2002) The
question is how do you install the handle and keep
it tight. If you live in Arizona or some place with
a simler climent you can appericate the problum,
hammer handles do not stay tight unless thay live in
water or anti frezze even if thay have been here
several years. A Fokos is a cain with a small hawk
head for a handle so it buts up to a sholder and is
finished off with a plate over the hole secured with
a bolt or screws, this is not enough to keep it
tight. I have thought of using epoxy but will the
wood shrink and losen. Help Gib
 
I'm not sure why there's a problem Gib, but I don't live there. As a rule dry is good. Most hammer, Etc. handles loosen because they have gotten wet and then dried. This crushes the fibers and they will never get tight again. I guess the best recommendation I could come up with is to fit the thing and then stabalize it before putting it on. This should prevent any changes at all. Epoxy will help until you have to replace it. You will have to use heat so don't use any of the high heat epoxies like JB weld. Good luck and show some pic's when you finish.
 
Gib,I am gouing to make the cane part then turn down the top only to fit the shape of the hawk head,then split it with a saw a little and set in a wood wedge.Fill with epoxy then drive the wedge in then make the cap with a screw brazed on the inside so it could be removed later by just unscrewing it and that way more epoxy could be added to fill in any gaps if the wood happens to shrink anymore..
I was toying with the thought of drilling two pin holes through the eye and cane and back out the other side then peening them in and smothing them off that way the head would be secure no matter what,but it would be a pain if the cane ever broke...
Lets see one when you get it done,A friend of mine is making one of these out of a head forged for him,He is wanting the cane out of Osage Orange though and is having a hard time finding any long enough locally...
Bruce
 
If wood shrinkage becomes a problem, Ace hardware sells a product in a squeeze bottle, can't remember the name, it's for chair rungs, axe handles etc. You apply the stuff and it swells the wood, permanently, I believe.
 
I have never made a fokos, or a hawk, but why don't you just put a couple of pin holes in it, like you would on a regular knife handle. Just fit the handle, and then drill through everything, slide a couple of bolts, or rivets, or pins through it.
IF this wouldn't work, will somebody explain why? It seems too easy.
Kyle
 
Not sure exactly what a Fokos is, I'm thinking a tomahawk with a decorative cap covering the top of the handle eye. Maybe I just need to get some sleep.:confused:

If this is what you are refering to here's a trick I learned about hammer handles, get the handle fit as tight as you can with the eye as clean(no rideges)and smooth and soak in tung oil for a week or two. The tung oil will soak into the handl and prevent shrinking and expanding from humidity changes. This may work for you if your makeing what I think you are. Then again I may be way off base.

Hope this helps.
 
LaMess has a good suggestion but if you use the System Three epoxy put a final coat of Marine Poly over it. System three is NOT UV stabalized and will degrade rather quickly. People use it as the base coat for spars and other woodwork on boats. This is how they get that deep look to sparwork.
 
Kyle, In Arizona where I live the wood will shrink
away from the metal and the pines and be lose. I
replaced a hammer handle a couple of weeks ago with
one I had for several years, I had a good fit, it
stayed tight for one week out of water.
Bruce, are you setting the head on a sholder so
down pressure won't make it come loose. I have played
with the idea of using a wedge and will probaley
use one, I am using a bolt that I found at the
hardware store that has lag threads on one end and
1/4 20 threads on the other end, with a acorn nut
to hold the eye plate on and add some strength to
the cain. Thanks for the input. Gib
 
Yes Gib..That was the idea,That way the cap could be tightened down tighter if neededjust in case the wood shrank..This was the only way I could figure to attach it.Because if you made the cane tappered like a hawk handle you would just push the head off as you used it...By putting it on a shoulder it couldn't get loose from downward pressuer and by screwing on the cap you could keep it tight to the cane even if it shrank a little..
Just my idea of securing this,I am still open to any suggestions myself.This is a great thread..
Does anybody know of anyone on the forums that has already made one of these walking sticks???We could ask them.
Bruce
 
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