Adhering Stingray Skin to knife tang? (non-traditional)

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coldsteelburns

Joined
Aug 2, 2010
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Hey guys, I recently ordered and received some dyed stingray leather (not rawhide) and was wondering what type of adhesive guys here use to adhere it to their tangs as an underwrap.

I searched around a bit but didn't find much, if any discussion about it. I will be wrapping a knife I recently forged, in the same manner that a lot of modern "kwaiken" are wrapped in the tsukamaki style with a stingray underwrap. A few-frequent-forum members who come to mind, at least who I'm personally aware of doing this (and doing it very well), would be Ben Tendick, Matt Gregory & Josh Mason.

I think some guys use contact cement and other guys have used epoxy. It probably doesn't matter too much in this case, especially since the 'ito' wrap will be soaked with epoxy (while being careful to not get any on the exposed ray skin), but I'm curious anyway as to what is the preferred, most reliable method/adhesive for doing this, or really in any leather adhering to steel situation.

FWIW, I would be using G-flex if I use epoxy, so it won't cure rock hard, which I know is no bueno for any typical leather work. Also, if I use the contact cement it'll be some generic brand I picked up from Home depot some years ago.

Anyway, your thoughts and suggestions are always appreciated. :)

~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
I have used super glue, contact cement. You just need to get it on there. THe epoxy will seal everything
 
Can't believe I forgot about your knives, Adam! You're another guy that belongs on the list on names above :thumbsup: ;) . And thanks, it's good to know it's not critical to use something specific. So it sounds like G-flex would be good to go then, yea?

~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
coldsteelburns said:
Can't believe I forgot about your knives, Adam! You're another guy that belongs on the list on names above :thumbsup: ;) . And thanks, it's good to know it's not critical to use something specific. So it sounds like G-flex would be good to go then, yea?

~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
Click to expand...

Something like contact cement, super glue, 3m super 77 will get you going much faster.

I often use a thick super glue, clamp and let set for a couple of minutes and you can then wrap. If you use contact cement or 77 apply to both surfaces let dry to tacky and put on.

Works great :)

qqbdMB3.jpg
 
I use carpet tape.

Bonds instantly and not messy.

It also gives you the option to remove the stingray prior to wrapping if you need to.
 
Double sided tape, dude. I just have to get it stuck just enough to get the cord around it. Epoxy seals it all in. This is the stuff. I cut it around the tang hole with a razor blade, peel off the top layer, slap on the rayskin and trim around the profile with some flush cutters or straight nail clippers.

ox63Wmo.jpg
 
Thanks Johnathon and Josh, looks like I'll be picking some tape up!

I finished the one I was working on not that long ago and I accidentally made the mistake of using my super thin super glue so it set waaay too fast, but it worked out in the end.

~~~~~~~

I do have another question for your guys that use stingray often, and I was just thinking about starting a new thread, but since this once popped back up...

Do you guys ever encounter problems with the tops of the stingray nodes breaking/chipping off?

As I was working with it I couldn't help notice how seemingly delicate the tops of the individual nodes were, at least for what I had imagined before buying it. If I simply scratched it with my fingernail, the calcium chipped right off the top of it, leaving a dull spot where that node was.

I tried various things to get the shine back on the nodes to help them better blend in, but nothing quite did it. This made me wonder just how people use the stuff for wallets, purses etc, that potentially get a lot of wear. I know a lot of people also use it pre-sanded for furniture and such, but I have seen many wallets with the classic (in my mind at least) "caviar" look that we tend to use under our handle wraps.

Unless I just happened to get a bad quality skin or something. FWIW, I got it from Roje' Leather, which seems like good place to buy from.

Anyway, any help with this is much appreciated. Thanks again guys.

~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
I've never had any issues with the nodes being brittle. The skin should be extremely tough and resilient.

I get most of my ray skin from Ostrich Market if that matters.

I put epoxy on both the cord and the ray skin itself. Maybe that would help the brittleness issue in your case?
 
Thanks for the souce Johnathan, I may try them next time I order more. I only got a smaller ray skin to start out with.

Hey Karl, if you don't mind me asking, what do you use to seal the leather with?

Also, have you ever experience the top of the nodes breaking/chipping off your stingray, especially if you simple scratch them with your finger nail? I asked this about it in my previous post above.

When I applied the System Three clear coat epoxy, I used an acid brush cut at an angle and kept applying it until the wrap lace wouldn't soak up anymore, and I was very careful to make sure I didn't get any only the stingray as I thought it might give it that "wet" look, like when guys slather it on their hemp or paracord wraps etc.

Anyway, here is a picture of the first one I've made using stingray leather. This side turned out fine:

20170628_210200(1) by Paul Loran, on Flickr


This is the side on which they chipped off a bit while I was wrapping it, which I had to fiddle a bit with to get it the way I wanted:

20170626_194111 by Paul Loran, on Flickr


~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
Last edited:
Thanks man I appreciate it :)



Anybody else have an opinion regarding the tops of the stingray nodes chipping?

Trying to figure out if that's normal or if I should buy it from a different supplier next time.

~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
I use a very sharp zero chisel grind and it cuts cleanly. You will still get some chipping.

That is its nature, remember the skin is dyed and when you cut a node some of that dye can come off.
 
Thanks for the input, Adam.

It's really not the cut edges chipping that I'm wondering about as I kind of expected that, but it'smore so the center of the skin actually chipping. If you look at the bottom picture in my above post, you can see the dull areas around the center on the handle where they chipped.

I've looked at many other pictures of knives with ray skin recently and just over the years, as well as pictures of wallets etc. and haven't seen any other showing these chips.

I can literally used my finder nail to chip off any node I want. I tested on a few scrap pieces after cutting it up and they pretty much 'scratch' right off by dragging my finger nail over it not even trying my hardest. The ones on my handle above simply chipped during the wrapping, not bumping against anything other than the wrap rubbing on it.

Is this normal behavior for the nodes to break off this easily?

Since this is my first time ordering it I'm trying to find out if I should bother getting my next from from the same place if mine happens to bit abnormal in how easily the node tops come off.

Thanks again :)

~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
No, that is not normal. Ray skin is tough and you should have no loss of the color anywhere on the skin except when cutting and then only a tiny bit
 
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