Any epoxy recommendations?

S

samwereb

Joined
Aug 3, 1999
Messages
441
Can you tell me more about T-88 epoxy and the others? I have had it up to my ears with the syringe-type stuff.

A secondary question I have is whether you think bolsters can be epoxied (and pinned) to the tangs of knives. I don't know how to solder yet, and I think this might make sense. When I try to solder I get the same sort of problem I get with Devcon epoxy: too much uneven solder between the bolster and tang. Since no one is going to be puncturing car-doors, or fighting bears with these knives whhat do you think?

Thank you very much, guys.

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-21-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-21-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-21-2000).]
 
I have been using t88 for almost 16 years.. have tried everything else and always come back to it....as for epoxying bolsters... bad idea....when you grind them....and I dont care how slow you go...the epoxy gets hot and turns black underneath...ugly... just pin them on and grind them to shape BEFORE you put the handles on.... the epoxy that K&G sells is probably the best stuff on the market but you cant buy it in bulk like t88 and therefore its much more expensive
smile.gif


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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Thanks Mr. Mayo.

I worked the phone book pretty hard today and cannot find anyone who carries T-88. Any referrals or further suggestions?

Thanks again.
 
Howdy There.....!
Must agree with Mr. Mayo about the bolsters, don't epoxy them. Shape and grind as much as you can before pinning them to the blade. After peining them to the blade then shape as reguired before putting the slabs on. Hope this info will help. I do know that if you pein them correctly that they will stay put and you will have to drill them out to remove them from the blade. Good Luck..!
"Possum"

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Thomas Clegg
 
I will tell you
somthing that works well
and you can get it cheap
and that is auto body fiberglass
with the hardner it work
and you have to cut the scales of
 
There have been extensive discussions of this on the forum in the past. A search of the archives will yield quite a bit of information.

Every knifemaker seems to have his favorite, but T-88 and golf club head epoxy seem to be especially popular. I use golf club head epoxy with good results. I think I paid somewhere around $25 for a quart and that is enough for a LOT of knives.

Here's the web site for getting this epoxy: http://www.golfsmith.com/plsqln/plsql/banner?p_style_num=995&p_intrans_id=100000001568938&web_id=PD

Hope this helps.

Carl
 
Of course I searched the archives before posting the question. I still couldn't find what I need to know about <font color=red>T88</font>: <ol>Where to buy it? Retailers I've contacted have never heard of it.</l><l>I am not as concerned with its bonding strength as I am with other properties such as:</l> Does it need to be "mixed" like the Devcon,SuperGlue,CrazyGlue and other syringe-type epoxies? If so I don't want it. That stuff is impossible to mix properly and the "pot life" is too variable resulting in clumps of epoxy between the spacer and tang or uneven curing,etc.

I just want to know this before I buy it, and where to buy it. I don't think I have any interest in the "golf club" epoxy as it, also, comes in two seperate containers and must be mixed.

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-22-2000).]
 
Hi Sam....

Umm I think you are going to have to get over your 2 part epoxy Hangup...

No 1 part glue is going to be even close to being strong enough to do the job you want it to do...

All you have to do is learn how to mix properly and quickly. Once you do,, you won't have these problems anymore.

It's something you'll just have to get over or you'll have parts falling off your blades and things loosening up..

Measure,,mix properly and work Fast..
smile.gif


ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom,Quality, Concealex Sheaths.

Leading The Way In Synthetic Sheathing.
 
<< Does it need to be "mixed"..... That stuff is impossible to mix properly and the "pot life" is too variable resulting in clumps of epoxy between the spacer and tang or uneven curing,etc. >>

That puzzles me. I've used half a dozen different kinds of epoxy, all needed to be mixed, and all except the Devon 5-minute stuff had a pot life of at least half an hour. The golf club stuff I use is easy to mix and stays useable about 45 minutes. I just squirt some of each in a paper cup (takes a little practice to get the amounts of each correct) and stir well with a popsicle stick (buy 1000 of them for $3.50 at a craft store... they are very handy.) Pot life doesn't vary more than a few minutes with the stuff I use. I let the glued item sit at least a day or two for curing.

If the epoxy is fresh, at room temperature, measured reasonably close to the recommended ratio, stirred well, applied within 20 minutes or so, and cured a few days, there should be no problem with clumping or uneven curing.

Incidentally, ketchup bottles ($1.50 at Walmart) make good epoxy dispensers.
 
I hate to agree with Tom, but never put anything under a bolster. You want a no-line fit and anything in the middle will just get in the way of that. You might find it easier if you use 3 pins rather than 2. It holds the parts together better while you're hammering the pins. I use a 4lb. sledge hammer to set the pins. Don't just peen them or they will show when you grind off the excess. You want to cold forge them into the bolsters. Also, don't use a #30 drill, like lots of folks tell you to do. That is too large to get good fits with 1/8" pins. If the 1/8" pin stock you get is too large to fit in 1/8" holes, sand it down a little until it fits. On my tactical knives, I use a 2/0 reamer to taper the holes for added strength. (I think I get those from Travers).

Here's where Tom and I disagree. I got to thinking about this epoxy issue a few years ago and read some specs on holding capacity of the various types. I use Devcon 2-Ton Epoxy, because it's cheap and easy to use. At 2 tons per square inch of bonding strength, that means my average handle would take about 6 tons of force to pull apart, and that's ignoring the additional few tons I get from the pins. Even 5-Minute Epoxy gives you 1500 lbs/sq. in. so that's probably sufficient.

I think good fit and surface preparation is more important. I roughen the tang surface with very heavy emery cloth, and clean it with denatured alcohol before epoxying.

Works for me.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
The Tom & Jerry Show
 
ah what does he know....if he had any brains he wouldnt be living in georgia.....I think the best place to find t88 (and from what I understand its the same thing as the golf club stuff) is to call around to woodworking supply houses and fiberglass supply places (thats where i get mine- I buy the half gallon size- two quart bottles- costs about $45 and last for over a year...doesnt go bad either. its easy to mix...i just pour equal amounts out on a piece of newspaper and stir it all up......doesnt get hard for hours so you have plenty of time......if its cold, you might have too much time....think it works best around 70-80 degrees.
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http://www.mayoknives.com




[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 08-22-2000).]
 
Okay guys. I am apparently not mixing this stuff properly. That's what I should expect for actually following the instructions on the package!

I called all the woodworking shops, etc. around and no one has heard of T88. One guy thought, for a moment, that I was trying to buy a Soviet tank.

All I need is something that starts with a lower viscosity and doesn't cure at a very fast rate. Good makers swear by this T88 and the fact the I can't find any of it makes it all the more desireable for me. Since, I am loath to use anything designed for golfers (those pansies!) I will buy the golf club stuff and simply cover the label with masking tape and handwrite "T-88" on it.

I imagine you are all having a good laugh about my proposal to epoxy my bolsters on, and I don't blame you. I'm a little embarrassed about it too. All I wanted to do was make knives! I never had any desire to learn how to weld, braze, or solder let alone learn metallurgy, thermochemistry and or how to build my own freakin' belt sander! What am I supposed to do with all this knowledge now that I have it? It pretty much conscripts me into knifemaking now. Otherwise I've squandered all the time you guys have spent helping me.


I once stated that Tom Mayo was an intolerable prick. I'd like to apologize for that. I'm not saying he isn't its just that I've come to appreciate that anyone who can actually turn out a couple of good knives per week is certainly entitled to act like anything he wants! Thanks, Tom.

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-23-2000).]

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-23-2000).]
 
<< I imagine you are all having a good laugh about my proposal to epoxy my bolsters on, and I don't blame you. I'm a little embarrassed about it too. >>

Sam, you asked a reasonable question and nobody's laughing. Absolutely nothing to be embarassed about.

 
OK, maybe we should get something straight. Cjensema is absolutely right; nobody is laughing. I, IN FACT, did put epoxy behind my bolsters for a few knives early on. I know for a FACT that some very good makers have made knives with the bolsters totally soldered on - no pins. FACT is, I have done some pretty silly things while making knives (I don't need to elaborate on those), and the one thing that will never be funny is an honest effort to make a knife the best way you know how, even if it's not maybe the best way.

Sam you should be commended for caring enough about what you are doing that you asked, even though it made you uncomfortable. That shows a lot of character. Keep doing it.

OH, and FACT is, I'm sitting here bleeding because I just did something REAL stupid. Tom, don't laugh...

------------------
Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
The Tom & Jerry Show
 
Thanks so much guys. Especially Mayo, Hossom and cjensema. I honestly feel encouraged by your comments.

I have been trying to conceal my utter lack of talent with hard work, determination, and bullheaded-ness. I think if I can drop the latter I might be actually get somewhere.


By the way, how do you do those smiley-thingies? :-)

[This message has been edited by samwereb (edited 08-28-2000).]
 
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