Pins, Rivets and Bolts - which do you use?

[BMK]

Knife makers use different mechanical fasteners with epoxy. Is there anyone who (exclusively) uses only pins and/or non-flared tubing with epoxy to attach scales to the tang?

 

[ctaylorjr]

To date I have only used pins WITH epoxy, never just pins alone.

I have corby bolts, loveless style, and lots of other fasteners, but have never used them.

Charlie

 

[silver_pilate]

A fastener that provides a clamping force to the scale (peened pins, flared tubing, corby bolts, loveless bolts, etc) will just create an extra bit of toughness above an un-flared pin/tube alone.

I still make some EDC knives with mosaic pins and un-flared thong hold tubing, but those are designed mostly for cutting use, not for heavy use or chopping. I very much prefer corby bolts currently.

A quality epoxy and an un-flared pin or tube can make a very strong knife, no doubt. Most will require destroying the handle to remove the scales. But I do like the thought of having some type of mechanical fastening of the scale in addition to the epoxy.

--nathan

 

[james terrio]

Nathan nailed it. I include at least one corby or peened pin on every handle, whether full or narrow tang.

If you're wondering if they're worth the extra effort, YES. It only takes seconds to countersink enough to peen your pins, and holes for corbies can be drilled in a single pass with a stepped bit.

 

[BMK]

Some good comments, thank you. The loveless bolt is a more versatile fastener in that it can be used on thinner handle stock and is probably stronger than the corby bolt. Compression rivets are worthy of mention but I don't know how often they are used. I would think that the thickness and therefore flex of the tang would also be a consideration when deciding on how to fasten the handle to the tang.

 

[jdm61]

I used pins for my handles. I use ground down corby bolts and a threaded tang for stainless buttcaps. I pretty much make hidden tang knives exclusively. if I am not using a buttcap, i will file or cut some saw teeth type grooves into the last 1'2 inch or so of the end of the tang for an extra "mechanical" connection.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

All my knives have pinned handles. I make mostly folders, but even my fixed blades have pinned scales. I seldom use epoxy.
Of course, I actually peen my rivets and flare tubing when I use it.

 

[BMK]

Is there any data on pins vs bolts vs rivets vs whatever else is out there? Shear strength difference is negligible but when tension comes into play, bolts, rivets and flared tubing most likely rule. Can tension be introduced into the equation by any other means than the bending force of the tang?

 

[wolffbite]

I've only made 2, and used straight mosaic/tubes with a good quality epoxy. I think if I do make a chopper, or something that may get batonned with I would go with a mechanical fastener... but with tightly fitted tubes in the handle material and quality adhesive I don't see you could take my handles off short of destroying them completely.

 

[kevin -the professor]

I used peened pins, steel, nickel silver, brass or copper. Never done Loveless or corby bolts just because they don't fit the historically-inspired look I am going for. I usually peen the tang as one huge rivet in through-tang constructions. I epoxy everything, EVERYTHING!. I am a firm believer that the epoxy should be primarily a sealant and secondarily a backup for attachment. So, I try to make everything with careful fit (i.e., carefully-mortised channel for tang with little or no play and pins with a slight countersink or reverse taper to the hole for peening). Of course, everyone else does all of this stuff, too. Probably better. Just want to mention that the people who taught me emphasized mechanical connections with epoxy as sealant that just happens to also hold stuff together. If I ever get into more modern looking knives, the Loveless bolts seem like they are just right.

just my ideas.
kc

 

[james terrio]

I epoxy everything, EVERYTHING!. I am a firm believer that the epoxy should be primarily a sealant and secondarily a backup for attachment.

I completely agree. The only times I haven't used some sort of epoxy was on custom re-handle jobs where the client insisted the new scales be removable. For any knife that may actually be used, refusing to seal the handle/tang joint is just plain lazy and/or cheap. It costs only minutes and merely pennies to ensure the joint is fully sealed. It may never be an issue... but I sleep better knowing it will never be an issue.

The loveless bolt is a more versatile fastener in that it can be used on thinner handle stock and is probably stronger than the corby bolt.

Not true. Corbies are available in many sizes and materials, and can be fitted to any thickness handle you like. I doubt very much that there's any difference at all in strength between corbies and Loveless-style bolts, they both rely on the same concept. The major difference to me is that no matter how you grind or polish a Loveless bolt, the very end of the thread will show as a gap and that's not acceptable to me.

 

[BMK]

I don't think Corby bolts are available with 1/4" heads that will snug up when using 3/16 or thinner scales and 1/8" tang - loveless bolts will.

 

[james terrio]

I don't think Corby bolts are available with 1/4" heads that will snug up when using 3/16 or thinner scales and 1/8" tang - loveless bolts will.

They certainly are, I use them all the time. You may need to file a little off the shoulders, so neither piece extends too far through the tang. It's not a big deal.

 

[Robber58]

I don't think Corby bolts are available with 1/4" heads that will snug up when using 3/16 or thinner scales and 1/8" tang - loveless bolts will.

Actually they are. I am using some right now to rehandle a Gerber chef knife for a friend. They fit just fine and the steel is only about .090.

 

[BMK]

I stand corrected. Where did you find them - are they the micro corby? How much stock remains between the shoulder of the corby hole and the tang?

Actually they are. I am using some right now to rehandle a Gerber chef knife for a friend. They fit just fine and the steel is only about .090.

 

[pixelhack]

I have used these to rehandle kitchen knives.

 

[Salem Straub]

BMK, standard 1/4" corbys can be bought and cut/ground down to size. Right now, I'm putting three of them into a handle with 1/8"-3/64" tapered tang, up front the scales are less than 3/16" thick.

One thing to watch out for when doing this- not all corby type bolts are machined the same, the female piece is sometimes bored significantly deeper than the actual shoulder of the head. I have some bolts right now that you can grind right down into the core on the female side and still have 3/32" of shoulder left. This can be ANNOYING. These rivets in particular are from USA knifemaker, I like the company a lot and their supplies are quality, but these ones IMO could be a little better engineered.

Alpha had some great stainless corbys that did not have this problem, but it looks like right now they are only carrying TI corbys.

Then you have to learn to fix a corby seamlessly. If you fail, usually the handle has to come off.

 

[james terrio]

I have some bolts right now that you can grind right down into the core on the female side and still have 3/32" of shoulder left.

That's happened to me too, it leaves a divot showing if you grind too far. I've learned to check the depth of the female with a toothpick each time I get a new batch in.

 

[Darrin Sanders]

Pop @ popsknifesupply sells corby's with short and long heads. Don't hold me to it but I think when they are tightened together completely they are .300" long. I use them all the time on kitchen type knives with 3/32" steel and 3/16" handle scales. If I have any excess I just trim it off with my bandsaw. I've never had a problem with them. And I've never found them cheaper anywhere else at a buck each.

 

[BMK]

Flared tubing looks like a very good attachment. Is there a reason more knife makers don't use flared tubing?