Abstract A knife handle is molded from plastic to have formed therein a blade tang-receiving socket and a plurality of venting holes formed in the walls of the socket. To assemble the knife handle and blade, the tang of the knife blade is heated and then thrust into the tang-receiving socket causing the plastic walls of the receiving socket to become viscous such that the viscous plastic flows around the blade tang and positively grips the knife blade within the knife handle upon hardening of the plastic. The venting holes allow for the escape from the receiving socket of any gases and heat generated incident to the assembly operation. After sufficient cooling, the venting holes are plugged with self-tapping pins.
A method of assembling a plastic knife handle and a knife blade having a blade tang formed at one end thereof, which comprises the steps of molding the knife handle and forming a blade tang-receiving socket therein, forming vent holes in the walls of said tang-receiving socket, heating said blade tang, inserting said heated blade tang into said tang-receiving socket, said insertion generating gases within said tang-receiving socket which are vented through said vent holes and plugging said vent holes after said gases have dissipated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of assembling a plastic knife handle and a knife blade having a blade tang formed at one end thereof, which comprises the steps of molding the knife handle and forming a blade tang-receiving socket therein, forming vent holes in the walls of said tang-receiving socket, heating said blade tang, inserting said heated blade tang into said tang-receiving socket, said insertion generating gases within said tang-receiving socket which are vented through said vent holes and plugging said vent holes after said gases have dissipated.