Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Best Epoxy

We probably been over this before, but I just went to Home D. for epoxy and had few choices. Attaching Axis antler to carbon steel knife. I have done many with the Defcon? brand. I bought the JBWeld Epoxy. I have never used that brand. If I have to order off internet, I would like to know what you guys use. Thanks!

I use Devcon for the hobby knives I put together..

I've done 20+ over the years without any problems....

JB makes good stuff for sure but I haven't tried their epoxy....sorry....

Luck

W.E.S.T

good enough for boats, airplanes and wind turbine blades

Devcon or J.B. Weld will do fine Poboy. If you read Bob Lovelace's book on how to make knives, he used Devcon and some of his knives are selling for mega bucks now and they were not cheap even 35 or 40 years ago. Don't get caught up in the minor details like glue. If the blade design is correct for what you are going to use the knife for, if the steel is good and the heat treat correct, then you are going to have a good knife. If any of those are wrong, nothing else matters because your knife is not going to work well.

All the best. BTW, love your selection for the handle material.

...unless you care about quality and long service life.

This is something of a worthy topic for debate.

I have,have had and have seen many ,many knives well over 100 years old. Some folders with scales shrunk back,curled up,cracks. Blades wobbling,but still can be used,and still fold and work. Straight knives with nothing but compression rivets on the non stabilized wood handles,bone & stag too,with other construction methods.


In either case,there was no newfangled 2 part epoxies.


In the modern world knifemakers try their best efforts using all types of superior construction & materials.

Bottom line is though , sometimes it is overkill. Great to have it,but don't over think it

Just sayin'

With man made materials such as micarta, G-10, etc and corby or loveless fasteners, the glue/epoxy needs are minimal to none.
With organic materials some form of stabilizing and a good epoxy help them not deform with age, use and abuse, especially when plain straight pins are used.

I am currently repairing some old knives (for friends) like Vince mentions above. Some with totally deteriorated handles. I use 2 part epoxy to assist in the assembly of the repair parts.

But to each his own.
Tim

West Systems G/Flex, hands down. It won't fail you even if the knife gets wet, as it's a marine epoxy. I've made many knives with it and it's never failed me. Go you youtube and you can find a video of a guy who glues up scales on a knife then beats it with a sledge. The scales failed, but not the epoxy. It's made to flex slightly and is super strong.

Thanks for all comments. I usually use the compression rivets, like Old Hickory etc. This knife has two pins about 3\32s.

T88, but you have to need a LOT of glue. Made for gluing up airplanes so it should be strong and have lasting strength.

I have some handle I glued on in the 70s and they are still there on kitchen use knives. Glue only, no pins.

I continue to be amazed by the everyday evidence of the failings of the public school system. It has created a whole cadre of internet trolls, all of whom are experts on everything even though they don't own a tool box, nor ever built so much as a bird house.

I wouldn't say the type of epoxy doesn't matter but I'd venture to say most adhesive failures on scales have more to do with how the adhesive was used than what brand was used.

Epoxy needs to be mixed in the proper proportions and thoroughly, the scales need to be sanded and cleaned and if a material that is oily de-greased. The tang has to be cleaned an any scale removed. And the clamping pressure needs to be sufficient to keep the scales in place, but no so great as to squeeze all the epoxy out of the joint.

The tang is like sanded with 20grit. I like that. The Axis antler has all kinds of pores etc. I drill extra holes for the epoxy to go scale to scale thru the tang. I'll put little notches in the pins for the epoxy. I've done many, none have come back yet. Thanks for all replies.

I do a lot of hidden tangs with antlers. For that application Accraglass is hard to beat. You want the old style,not the jel. I remove all the pith and even heat the epoxy in some hot water so it fills the inside completely.

Thanks R H. At one time I had some Devcon(?) that dried to an off-white that was pretty close to pith color. Drilling the caveman way there was some sloppiness. Sometimes I save
some antler dust also.

Glue sucks azz. That's what pin's are 4

Best folders ever made were in the 30's. No glue was used

I'm only talking hidden tangs here where you won't see any epoxy. I like the accraglass because of it's nearly non existent shrinkage and it's history of holding up for decades. Accraglass drys clear.

Mixed West epoxy has a very slightly amber hue. The normal (205 and 206) uncured hardeners turn reddish, with age, if you keep them long enough.

You can mix dye in some of the epoxy on the market. Sometimes I'll mix black if I am doing a black liner.