# setting new handle



## chinacats (Aug 12, 2016)

Hi, this I know has been covered but I'm having a hard time finding it...I'm setting a new handle on my Tanaka from James and have the old handle fit...just need to figure out what to use to lock it in place...I'd rather not use something permanent like epoxy if I don't need to...thanks!


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## pkjames (Aug 12, 2016)

if it is now fixed and pretty secure, just some beewax or silicone (which I prefer).


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## chinacats (Aug 13, 2016)

Thanks James! It was snug but would loosen when using the knife (I'm usually a bit rougher than necessary) so I did as you suggested. I put a bit down the tang but mostly just tried to secure it good around the opening which I figure will keep out moisture and should be enough to hold it together...if not, then I'll know to use more next time. 

BTW, this knife ROCKS! It's all I loved about the Blue 2 dammy without the crazy reactivity. I'll give it a further review at some point but these are incredible knives for the $$.


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## pkjames (Aug 13, 2016)

Thanks Jim. In this case you can always just use silicone (stuff a bit more into the hole). If some sort of glue is needed, then you can always use some hot glue flakes, and do the heat / burn in method, the hot glue will melt and you have plenty of time to set the blade correctly. When you need to remove it, heat the blade in oven (100C) for about 10 to 15 minutes, it will just slide out.

This is how all K&S handles are installed.


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## CPD (Aug 16, 2016)

pkjames said:


> If some sort of glue is needed, then you can always use some hot glue flakes, and do the heat / burn in method, the hot glue will melt and you have plenty of time to set the blade correctly. When you need to remove it, heat the blade in oven (100C) for about 10 to 15 minutes, it will just slide out. This is how all K&S handles are installed.



Looks like you've got this settled by now but I'll add a second to James' approach with hot glue for removable handles for future reference. I will sometimes cut a few wedges of a hot glue stick and put them into the tang hole. Heat the tang and slide it in....glue melts right around it and hardens back up within a minute or two. I'll then seal the top opening with either wax, or if I want extra insurance and protection, a very tiny bit of epoxy that I can scratch off if I ever need to remove the handle. This method works well if it's a tight fit to begin with.

For handles where the fit is looser, or if I'm worried about problems caused by a hot tang (some exotics do not respond well to high heat inside. Ebony and blackwood, for instance, are so dense that burn-in's can cause cracks or worse)...In these cases i use a mix of liquid hide glue and saw dust to make a paste. Hide glue is safe, super strong but reversible with heat. Ages back here in the shoptalk section I put up a post detailing this method.


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## chinacats (Aug 17, 2016)

CPD said:


> Looks like you've got this settled by now but I'll add a second to James' approach with hot glue for removable handles for future reference. I will sometimes cut a few wedges of a hot glue stick and put them into the tang hole. Heat the tang and slide it in....glue melts right around it and hardens back up within a minute or two. I'll then seal the top opening with either wax, or if I want extra insurance and protection, a very tiny bit of epoxy that I can scratch off if I ever need to remove the handle. This method works well if it's a tight fit to begin with.
> 
> For handles where the fit is looser, or if I'm worried about problems caused by a hot tang (some exotics do not respond well to high heat inside. Ebony and blackwood, for instance, are so dense that burn-in's can cause cracks or worse)...In these cases i use a mix of liquid hide glue and saw dust to make a paste. Hide glue is safe, super strong but reversible with heat. Ages back here in the shoptalk section I put up a post detailing this method.



Thanks! I really like the idea of adding the glue to the mix but if it holds the way it is now I doubt I will mess with it...I really do like the idea of keeping it semi-permanent as opposed to using the epoxy method.

Anyway, here are a couple of shots...I still need to go back and clean it up a bit but so far so good.


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## toddnmd (Aug 17, 2016)

Chinacats, looks like you are pretty much set, sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. 
Here are a couple of Maksim's videos that I followed to do a couple rehandles. They are probably posted in other places, but I thought people might find them helpful to have in this thread. It worked just fine to burn in new handles, and it was kind of fun. One key when burning in is to heat the tang by holding the blade. The blade won't/shouldn't get too hot, and you can be assured that it isn't overheating (which could affect the temper) if you're still able to hold it in your hand. I finished by sealing with beeswax. So far, so good.

[video=youtube;ZajZh8aps6Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZajZh8aps6Q[/video]

[video=youtube;AFTkCmPnIN8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFTkCmPnIN8[/video]


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## pkjames (Aug 17, 2016)

have to say Maxim's video is suitable for softwood not for hardwood. If one is rehandling ebony handle or any exotic handles using this method, with no prior experience, it can damage the handle.


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## CPD (Aug 18, 2016)

pkjames said:


> have to say Maxim's video is suitable for softwood not for hardwood. If one is rehandling ebony handle or any exotic handles using this method, with no prior experience, it can damage the handle.



yep, exactly what I was thinking of, James. I've shattered (as in blown up with wood chips flying) African blackwood from friction heat on a drill press when I got careless.....And I've cracked a doweled ebony handle from the heat expansion that happens in a burn in. Now, if I put a handle on and it doesn't have a horn ferrule (which helps control heat expansion, I think), or if it has multiple spacers and components (where glue joints may fail from heat), I won't go anywhere near it with a burn in. I use hot glue like you on some (for a fast result), or if I'm really paranoid about heat, I'll go with my hide glue method to be extra careful. 

chinacats - looks like you're totally all set.... but for future reference found the old link on the liquid hide glue process. I had posted pics way back then of new shoes and sayas on some Heiji's and they're still going strong. More than a year since those posts, the mounts haven't moved at all (with home and pro kitchen use). Also, in the string, John of Japanese Knife Imports had a great idea about using a sous vide circulator as a heat source for removing the handles. I've tried that on another knife and he was spot on with the idea.... the sous vide method works well for removal if you have one to use.

liquid hide glue is my go to anytime I need removability or with valuable exotics I don't want to put at risk. I put up pics of a handle/saya set in the handiwork forum the other day - the ebony handle is mounted this way and the saya halves are joined with hide glue too. The hide glue on the sayas means I can re-open the halves in the future if I want to adjust the fit - which can be necessary for friction fitters.


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## pkjames (Aug 18, 2016)

Thanks for the insight, Seth


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## chinacats (Aug 25, 2016)

Figured I should update this thread for those who find it looking for a solid method...updating because I found that the silicon by itself wound up not holding so I went with the combination of glue stick pieces/heated tang and silicon...has held up perfectly so far...


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