Getting a Handle On It Part 3 etc...

This is the final entry about rehandling drawknives, but first, I'd like to show a few recent events here around the homestead. Before he left for Alabama, Seth turned some new mauls from my hickory log. I couldn't resist setting a new one amongst the mauls that I've been beating on for the last few years. I don't think of myself as nostalgic, but I can't bring myself to burn the old ones after their service.


Here is Bill Burslem with a chair that he made with me a few weeks back. Bill is a retired doctor who spends his time making stuff and volunteering in Ethiopia and the Gulf Coast. It's a pleasure to work with someone so accomplished and generous.


Below is our little goat Maggie who is very pregnant and has us on the edge of our seats. It's no exaggeration to say that I check on her every few hours (she's happy to see me at 3 a.m.).
She's quite a trooper carrying all that extra weight on her little frame, we think it might be twins!


Back to the drawknife. After the peening to remove the cap, the end of the tang is work hardened and would be difficult to repeen. So I anneal it with a torch (a gas stovetop would also work). Get the end cherry hot and let it cool slowly, certainly don't quench it, which would harden it.


Next is driving the handle on. If you've sized the holes right, you should be concerned about it splitting. I use a board with a hole in it to pound it into position.


Use the end cap to check if the tang is sticking out enough.


And finally peen over the softened end to hold the cap and handle in place.

Here is the finished handle. I replaced the other one and am happy to have this old tool back in service. All that's left is to peel the protective tape (it's there to protect me, not the blade!) and get back to work.


I've got lots of new stuff happening in the shop that I'm excited to share, from fluorescent glue to diamond paste, so check back soon.