Loose drawknife handle

[Ron Conlon]

I have an old drawknife that has a loose handle. It is not in danger of slipping off under use, as the washer and peened end of the tang are in good shape, but the ferrule close to the business end of the knife is loose. This allows the handle to migrate up and down on the tang, and to spin also. What would be the best way to tighten the ferrule to the tang? Does anyone know how these are originally seated? Crimped?

[Bill Houghton]

The ferrule is likely loose because the wood on which it's placed has shrunk or worn away.

I've never tried "Chair Doctor" (I think that's right) glue, which supposedly expands the wood cells and then dries in place, but, short of pulling off the handle and remaking it, I'd think about that kind of solution.

Funkiest approach: if you've got room between ferrule and metal shank, drive bamboo skewers or something similar in until the handle's seated more firmly and then chop them off.

[Tony Sade]

I've used epoxy carefully dripped down into the tang recess on a couple of mine. Works well.

Tony

[Jim Nardi]

And how to get it down there is simple. Get the wife to show you how to make a little cone out of wax paper. The kind they use to put little thin bead of icing on a cake.

[j.e.mike tobey]

A 2ML syringe with a 20 ga. needle- medium vis CA. Have to be quick so it doesn't harden in the needle. If you keep it flowing steadily it won't set iin the needle until you are done.mt

[Bob Smalser]

I've used epoxy carefully dripped down into the tang recess on a couple of mine. Works well.

Tony

It does.

And it works even better if you apply the heat gun gently to thin the epoxy so it seeps deep into the recesses you are trying to fill. Wax all the parts you don't want the epoxy to stick to.

[Ron Conlon]

Thanks all- I'll give the epoxy a shot and see if it tightens things up.