ive tried to make handles before, but i cant rivet them. how do you rivet it without a fly press. do you just use brass or copper pieces?

You can use copper or brass rod or even go fancy! I know a lot of folk who use brazing rod.

Been knifemaking about 29 years now and have never used a flypress for riviting---a hammer seems to work fine for me.

Some delicate materials folks don't even swage the ends of the rivets but coat them with epoxy and gently push them in place.

Various knifemaker's suppliers sell fasteners that you might be interested in, that are used as "rivets" for knife handles, such as:
- Handle Fasteners & Tang Nuts
- Pops Knife Supplies

With these fasteners you should be able to easily install them without a press, or other expensive tool. :D

thomas,
ive tried a brazing rod, and i still couldn't do it! my wood cracked and the rod just bent in the middle. what are you talkin about epoxy?

unicorn forge,
i looked at texaas knife supply and saw some i might order and try. im realy good at wrapping stuff with cord or string, if i do say so myself. where do you guys get your cord, if you even get it?

"Bent in the middle" How? there should only be about a 1/16" sticking out on both sides to hammer on! (It should not have to be hammered into the hole, a snug sliding fit is what you are trying for; the swaging of the ends is what holds it in place.)

sounds like he may have had to small a rod for to big a hole.

Edited October 7, 200916 yr by meinhoutexas
sp

that may be it. the rod bein too small for the hole.i had it break the handle before too. why di dthat happen?

I just use a good quality epoxy for the pins, I make them a few thou smaller than the hole, and rough up the outside of the pin with some emery paper.

If the epoxy is good enough to hold aeroplanes together its good enough for my knives ;)

Edited October 12, 200916 yr by John N

what is the best rivet to use on a knife handle? i have swather blade rivets and baler belt rivets.

my last one I riveted, I used Wrought Iron rivets I made from the bar I had folded to make the guard from... No press here, yet

I rivet my handle scales on with copper or steel, usually copper grounding wire of the kind that is used on power poles. I drill a hole the exact size of the wire, I cut a section of wire about 1/4" longer than the entire handle (tang included) is wide. I then begin peening out one side of the wire, I haven't put the wire through the handle yet. I am just freehand peening on side, then I taper the opposite end back down to the original size.

Then I insert the wire through the handle/tang/handle cut it off maybe 1/8" from the outside handle scale, if there is too much material on the second peen you can crack the handle scales.

I have never had any of my handles slip or shift, even though I don't epoxy. But the downside of the way I do this is it looks rather old fashioned.

I have attached an image, I apologize in advance for the poor image quality I took the image on a webcam.

Edited December 8, 200916 yr by Rhyfelwr

You may try annealing the ends of the rivet, if you are really having to whack them to get them to upset. Upset one end before putting it together. Then use the ball end of a ball peen hammer , and start upsetting the rivet. Tap in a circular motion starting on the outer edge. This should spread the rivet until it fills the hole tightly.

You say it better than me BigGunDoctor person.. Except for annealing the ends what you describe is what I usually do.