Tang extension on Mora blank?

[ndtinker]

I'm not a knife maker, so if I'm not supposed to be in this forum feel free to erase the thread.

I bought 3 Mora carbon steel blanks that I was hoping to put birch bark handles on. When I received them, I realized that the tangs were too short (I know, major brain fart on my part) to be able to peen them. Is it feasible to weld extensions to the tangs so this could be done? I have a friend who's been a welder his whole life so I'm hoping if it can be done he could do it. Would it require any special steel? Would it potentially ruin the heat treat?

My second alternative is to make some sort of wooden handle, but I'd much rather do the birch bark if it's possible. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

 

[Danke42]

Do you mean something like this?

https://www.instructables.com/Birch-Bark-Knife-Handle/

Post a picture of the blanks you have and someone will be able to give you more advice.

 

[ndtinker]

That is the type of handle I was planning on making. My Blanks look identical to what is shown in that first picture. The tang is only about 3" long though, so too short for a normal sized handle.

 

[Danke42]

That is the type of handle I was planning on making. My Blanks look identical to what is shown in that first picture

. The tang is only about 3" long though, so too short for a normal sized handle. Apparently I'm too challenged to post a pic right now. I'll try getting one up.

Upload them to a site like Imgur and copy the BB code link over to here.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Yes, you can weld an extension on. I would cut the tang off just beyond the thin place and weld a piece of mild steel on. Make it longer than you want and once you are done with making the handle, cut it off and peen it on the end washer.

 

[ndtinker]

Thanks Stacy, appreciate the advice.

 

[Hengelo_77]

or weld on allthread and screw the endcap on

 

[FredyCro]

Another idea without welding is to do half bark, half wood handle, for example 2 inches bark then then a 2 inch piece of hardwood (epoxied and pinned in place).

 

[ndtinker]

Thanks, 2 solutions I hadn't thought of.

 

[Natlek]

Another idea without welding is to do half bark, half wood handle, for example 2 inches bark then then a 2 inch piece of hardwood (epoxied and pinned in place).

The tang is only about 3" long though

 

[FredyCro]

The tang is only about 3" long though

Yeah, so he would have one inch tang in wood, i meant not to peen it like pommel but to insert a cross pin, like in normal full tang. Probably wouldn't need it if everything is epoxied and tang roughened or slots cut for epoxy.