show me your homemade knife press for stacked leather handles (photos & question)

[scotchleaf]

I've seen a few photos of knife presses, but I haven't been able to find one showing how to keep the press from pushing the blade down so a part of the tang is exposed at the base of the blade. See attached photos. How do you keep your blades from pushing down? Look at these photos, please. The blade is secured somehow, but how?

Here is the same guy's diagram and photos, but notice that notice that in his photo (#3), the direction of the blade is reversed from the diagram.

How do you secure the blade against moving relative to the guard?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You can do the same thing on a faux-tang and shape the handle before installing it on the actual knife tang. This is a great advantage if there is a full guard.

Just shape a piece of steel to a close copy of the tang and wax well with car wax or paraffin. Glue up the handle as you show, shape it on the grinder using the faux-tang as a grip, and when done, you can drive out the mandrel easily by setting the wide end loosely between the jaws of a vise and hitting the narrow end with a mallet.

 

[scotchleaf]

Great idea! Thanks. I've seen some people who use contact cement between the leather layers, and others who use epoxy for the leather - what's your preference?

Also, the guy over at British Blades specified that the leather squares all have to be equal sized - I don't see why they can't be evened out after being stuck together- do you?

 

[Salolan]

Here is how I've done the 2 I have made. There are better ways I'm sure so take it however you like.

I started by making my washers and adding the center hole. I then soaked all the washers in warm water until they were saturated. Next I threaded them on an all thread(5/16" is the size i think I used), be sure to put them on in the order you intend on using them on the knife, including any spacers. Then with nuts backed with washers large enough to cover the stack, I started cranking down on the stack. I tightened the stack about twice a day for a week as the leather dried out. After a week of tightening, I prepared the blade for the install and I removed the leather from the all thread. I had mentioned using the spacers as everywhere it was leather to leather, it was bound together and I couldn't pull it apart by hand. It had to be cut apart. I then assembled the knife, using epoxy to fill the hole around the tang(round hole in the stack with a rectangular tang). I had threaded the end of the tang so I added the nut to the end and tightened it as much as it would allow.

I did all the shaping after assembly but you could easily do your primary shaping on the all thread if you so desired. You would just need be sure and assemble in the same order as on the all thread.

Good luck,
Chris