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At what temperature does Laha melt?
- Thread starter JUSTRIGHT
- Start date
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- Mar 5, 1999
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It softens at 212 degrees but is not liquid yet. I'd guess it will take 250 or 275 degrees to get it to run.
and if a guy who hammers hot steel all day handles it "gingerly", well the rest us would likely find it quite warn indeed. 
Funny, I was just watching that un-named video myself about a week ago. Gotta watch when the wife's not home, the hammering drives her banannas 
Pat
Funny, I was just watching that un-named video myself about a week ago. Gotta watch when the wife's not home, the hammering drives her banannas Pat
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- May 18, 1999
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Originally posted by JUSTRIGHT
Will a propane torch do guys? Will it be hot enough?
Frank, what are you gonna do with it? Are you wanting to take something apart, put something back together, or just reset a loose butt-cap or handle?
It depends on whether you want to melt it completely or just soften it.
If you can use modern epoxy instead of the laha it would probably do a better job for you in the long run.
Depending on application of course.
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Here is a pic of what i did.First i set the butt and screw cap.Peaned it abit.I drilled two small pilot holes 1/32nds or s
ne near the diamond edge and one alittle further away(1/4 inch).Then I found two small screws to fit and slowly screwed them in until it was tight.Not all the way though.I grinded the tops of the screw heads but not absolutely flat.I then sanded with 250 to 600 grit paper.(needs more sanding)..... We'll see......frank
ne near the diamond edge and one alittle further away(1/4 inch).Then I found two small screws to fit and slowly screwed them in until it was tight.Not all the way though.I grinded the tops of the screw heads but not absolutely flat.I then sanded with 250 to 600 grit paper.(needs more sanding)..... We'll see......frank
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Frank are you saying your butt-
cap was loose?
And what do you mean by "Screw Cap?"
If so there is no guarantee that melting the laha would have fixed it.
Much to my surprise- and anxiety- I found that the butt-cap of the Foxy Folly, with the blade softness issue, was epoxied on with what looked to be JB Weld!!!!
Fortunately for me and all concerned the handle was assembled using laha. There was just a small diameter of it around the tang where it came through the handle.
I was sure glad to see that tiny bit of laha!!!!
The first clue though was the little dark specks floating in the near boiling water.
Anytime you can see that you know the laha is heating up close to melting.
And to repair a loose butt-cap you don't have to have it to melting heat.
Just soft enough to run a little and move around a bit. That is usually enough to fix most butt-cap problems, that is if indeed laha was used to set it rather than JB Weld or other epoxy.
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.SCREW CAP The diamond shaped plate that went on top of the butt cap.I was able to turn it clockwise to tighten and it would work for awhile.Then it would become lose again.I peaned it and it would also losen up again.So thats when I decided set brass screws in it.I don't know if u can see the screws in that picture I took (the screws were a silver color after grinding).One screw set at 12 o'clock and one at 6 o'clock Can u see it YVSA? Thanks, FRANK
Thanks, FRANK
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Yes I can see the screws Frank.
But the keeper isn't a "screw cap." Since it tightened up by twisting it was just a fluke somehow. The keeper is just like the butt-cap and isn't threaded.
Peening it probably done more good than anything, or at least that's been my experience.
You really need to have the point of the kukri embeded in a really solid thick piece of wood so you can get pretty heavy handed with the ball-peen hammer!!!!
And one of the tricks is to hit around the diameter of the tang instead of smack dab in the middle, like the chocolate chip cookie's stuffing.
But the keeper isn't a "screw cap." Since it tightened up by twisting it was just a fluke somehow. The keeper is just like the butt-cap and isn't threaded.
Peening it probably done more good than anything, or at least that's been my experience.
You really need to have the point of the kukri embeded in a really solid thick piece of wood so you can get pretty heavy handed with the ball-peen hammer!!!!
And one of the tricks is to hit around the diameter of the tang instead of smack dab in the middle, like the chocolate chip cookie's stuffing.
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- Feb 14, 2003
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- 1,710
Originally posted by Yvsa
And to repair a loose butt-cap you don't have to have it to melting heat.
Just soft enough to run a little and move around a bit. That is usually enough to fix most butt-cap problems, that is if indeed laha was used to set it rather than JB Weld or other epoxy.
The handle on my AC bhojpure is a bit wobbly. Is there any way I can reset the century-old laha withough damaging the handle?
Or should I leave well enough alone? It's not like I'm planning to down trees with this old geezer, anyway, so I'd like it to be intact.
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D/R I don't know what I would do in such a case, but if I were desperate I might try it wilth the boiling water, but I think I would put some Murphy's Oil Soap in the water as long as it isn't flammable..
I think I would make a seperate post so to be sure that John Powell and some other knowledgable guys like N2S might see it and answer your question.
What I might do and what someone else might do may be worlds apart.
I think I would make a seperate post so to be sure that John Powell and some other knowledgable guys like N2S might see it and answer your question.
What I might do and what someone else might do may be worlds apart.
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- Feb 12, 2001
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Doesn't superglue melt laha as well? Donutsrule-- this might be a potentially less damaging approach if the buttcap is loose enough to get some superglue in there. I might be wrong on the superglue thing (there's a first time for everything ) so do a search on the forums or wait for some expert opinions before trying it.
--Josh
) so do a search on the forums or wait for some expert opinions before trying it.--Josh
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It doesn't have a buttcap: It's one of the old one-piece wood handles. The blade moves a little laterally. The bolster is still secure to the handle.
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Well, clearly you'll need to add a buttcap and then loosen it so you can squirt superglue underneath
--Josh
--Josh
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donutsrule,
Try looking up some old posts here by Federico--
Search for pitch, maybe black pitch.
He talks about gently heating the spine with a propane torch which gets the laha soft enough without heating up the hardened edge enough to cause problems.
In fact, he's purchased pitch used by jewelery-makers and reglued partial-tang blades to wooden handles. Mostly Filipino stuff, I think, but same idea.
BTW, How is Fed??? Don't recall seeing him around lately.
Try looking up some old posts here by Federico--
Search for pitch, maybe black pitch.
He talks about gently heating the spine with a propane torch which gets the laha soft enough without heating up the hardened edge enough to cause problems.
In fact, he's purchased pitch used by jewelery-makers and reglued partial-tang blades to wooden handles. Mostly Filipino stuff, I think, but same idea.
BTW, How is Fed??? Don't recall seeing him around lately.