Best tool/method for drilling and hollowing out the handles for Japanese handles?

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
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miserycockydoody

miserycockydoody

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What is the best and easiest way to get a nice rectangular hole to fit the tang.

Everyone says "drill multiple holes" but that is a terrible idea and method.

Any experience will be appreciated.
 
Maybe people go with the terrible idea and method because a better one hasn't been discovered? ;)
 
Really? Should I just buy a nice drill press vice ... Look at this classic Japanese factory. He uses a (wood lathe) and it takes seconds.


What is the name of these tools or anything similar people use? I would appreciate it.



Cool video.
 
miserycockydoody said:
Really? Should I just buy a nice drill press vice ... Look at this classic Japanese factory. He uses a (wood lathe) and it takes seconds.


What is the name of these tools or anything similar people use? I would appreciate it.



Cool video.
Click to expand...

As you can see in the video they don't make "nice rectangular hole to fit the tang". They just drill a single pilot hole. And then burn in tang. Wood is very soft and burns easily. It does takes seconds.
 
Can you recommend drill bit size? I'm just looking into tools I should buy. Someone said he uses a rikon 12" sander for most of his knife handles.

The video:
That sideways drill /laith seems nice. I only have an old craftsman 12inch drill press.
 
miserycockydoody said:
Can you recommend drill bit size? I'm just looking into tools I should buy. Someone said he uses a rikon 12" sander for most of his knife handles.

The video:
That sideways drill /laith seems nice. I only have an old craftsman 12inch drill press.
Click to expand...
Most kitchen knives has a spine/tang of around 3mm. I'd drill a bit wider 4mm and then use a handle broach to turn pilot hole into rectangular one. Without a decent handle broach you'd need to drill multiple holes.
There are makers who makes very thick spines. The largest I've seen was close to 10mm. Obviously you'd need a bigger drill bit for such monsters.

Drill press makes things easier, but it's possible to do without one.
 
Check out www.coltonhandcrafted.com. Colton has a great how-to. You have to buy it but I've found it well worth it. He also has blog posts you can look at. however, whereas many use a slotted wood dowel in the handle, Colton's approach is a shorter wood dowel with a hole drilled in it.

Just a thought.
 
Ive made a number of handles without a drill press. Here's some tools I use for tang hole. Needle files, tang broach, mini rasps.
195972-PXL-20221101-023433150.jpg
PXL_20221027_194923318.jpg
 
I always make my japanese handles in two parts:
-The long and back one, I drill a long hole with a 5 or 6mm drill. And then burn in the tang.
-The small front element that needs to be precisely fit to the tang, I use a groove cutter (Or slotting cutter? sorry, I dont know the exact term) that I use on my drill press. This way, I can make super proper rectangle holes. I dont urn in the tang on this part, I dont want to see that the wood has been burned.
 
tostadas said:
Made by John perry. Not cheap but well worth it.
Click to expand...
I have a bunch of handle broaches made from reciprocating saw blades, then some made from jigsaw blades, then few made by local makers. And one made by John. And that one made by John is better than all the rest combined. A tool that gives pleasure and satisfaction every time I use it.
 
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