Wood dowels for pins?

[YAMAMA]

I was wondering if anybody has tried using wood dowels as pins for handles. I know they are not as strong as metal pins but with all the epoxy really holding things together could there really be much risk in using wooden pins (say Oak)?

I think it might add a unique look to the handle if one was to use different wood for the handles than the pins.

I've got some ideas that I might just have to try out.

What's your take on it?

Jerid

[fitzo]

Unpeened (not mushroomed) pins are essentially not a retaining mechanism. Thus, if you don't peen metal pins, there's probably no reason you couldn't use wood as a decorative device too.

[Chuck Burrows]

Note: Japanese swords are held together with nothing more than a well fitted wooden pin.

[Don Robinson]

Originally posted by YAMAMA
I was wondering if anybody has tried using wood dowels as pins for handles. I know they are not as strong as metal pins but with all the epoxy really holding things together could there really be much risk in using wooden pins (say Oak)?

I think it might add a unique look to the handle if one was to use different wood for the handles than the pins.

I've got some ideas that I might just have to try out.

What's your take on it?

Jerid

I think that's a very innovative idea. I had never thought of it myself. I like the idea.

If handle scales are epoxied correctly, the pins are only necessary to prevent shearing the epoxy.

This ought to work fine.

[Don Cowles]

Several years ago I made a number of knives using pieces of bamboo fly rod as pins. Because of their heagonal cross section, and my inability to drill hexagonal holes , I wound up epoxying the bamboo inside pieces of brass tubing. The effect was quite attractive.

[Florian P.]

I've seen wood dowels for pins at several knives made by a guy from germany. It looks very interessting and seems to be sturdy enough.
This guy has also made some quite weird wooden "coverages" for pins. These wooden coverages consist of woodsticks that are glued together to chessboard-pattern. He told me that is quite hard to make them round - the only way is handsanding. And he made 'em fit perfectly.


btw: The blade is made of handpolished S90V...

[fitzo]

I'm sorry, I should have qualified my earlier post to say I was speaking with respect to slab handles on fulltang knives. I'm one of those who believe pins should be peened, but I am old school.

Sorry if i was unclear. My comments do not pertain to rabbit or stick tang knives.

[flashinthepan]

A couple of years back I bought 6 of those little drop point skinners from Kovals..
Used some curly maple I had left over from a gunstock..Used hardwood dowels I bought from the hardware store..
Worked very well ..
Just be sure to rough up the pins so they hold some epoxy.. also rough up the sides of the tang.
Oak will work, or get yerself a wooden ramrod ( hickory ); they make a nice contrast if you use a lighter wood for the the slabs..
Sand em up; stain em up; wax em up; and get ready for the ooohs and ahhhs..
I try not to peen pins ever since I screwed up a $ 25 pair of stabilized burl handle slabs.. It broke out little pieces from the opposite side, and I had to junk em..
Never thought about saving them for miniture knives .. DUH !!!
How do ya prevent these slabs from cracking ?? Any ideas ??
Thom

push on the chain ???