Brass staining on light-colored wood scales

WinDancer

WinDancer

Joined
May 15, 1999
Messages
720
I am having a problem with finishing lighter-colored wood handle material.

After the knife is finished and epoxied and dried, the pins are a little bit proud of the scales.

I am sanding them flush and finding it impossible to removed the stained area around the pins. No amount of sanding helps.... the pin material just keeps staining the wood.

Someone suggested finishing the scales, but the finish wears off along with everything else when the pins are sanded flush.

I have seen hundreds of knives with light wood scales and brass pins. None of them have the darkening from the brass.

I am all ears and at the end of my rope [now THERE is a picture!].

TIA,

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA

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Are you using a belt grinder. I did that and if the pins got to hot the epoxy turned dark.
Use a sharp new belt on a grinder. If it makes the metal shiney it's dull.
If you are hand sanding some of the grit is being caught by the epoxy. Don't have a solution. Have you tried clean up with Alcohol?
Take Care
TJ
 
Howdy There....!
Have the same advice about not getting the expoxy too hot. I have had the same thing happen before due to heat from grinding the pins down. Try cutting them with a hacksaw close to the handle material before doing your shaping and see if that will keep the expoxy from burning. Take your time in this process.
Thomas Clegg

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Thomas Clegg
 
Dave, I had the same pbroblem with some cherry handles I was finishing and posted the exact same question about two months ago.

Variuos suggestions were as you were told, to pre-finish the wood. Jerry Hossom suggested having light woods stabilized, thereby filling the pores so the brass and steel dust doesn't clog them up causing the staining.

I found that by carefully sanding around the pins, without touching them I could take most of the staining off. This is a royal pain and I can't help but feel we have missed something. Do a search and you'll find my prior post on this.-Guy Thomas

Hey Dave, that post is under the topic "Handle sanding problem...", from back in June, let me know if you figure something out!

[This message has been edited by Silent (edited 07-20-2000).]
 
I would recommend havning any porous wood stabilized. This would alleviate any "staining".
If you are finding that your pins are higher than your handle material always ensure that while removing any material in the area of the pins with your belt grinder to always maintain contact with one of the pins. I learned this the hard way a number of years ago when all my pins were higher than the surrounding handle material. Do not use one of those orbital sander things, it will surely happen. Over buffing can do the same thing.
One thing to be careful when using brass is that it will REALLY blacken your buffing wheel. Sand the area as much as you possibly can to limit the amount of buffing you do. That goes with anything actually. The less time you spend at the buffer the better off you are. I find myself using it less and less.


C Wilkins

[This message has been edited by C L Wilkins (edited 07-20-2000).]
 
Thanks, guys. I appreciate ytou sharing your experiences.

I have been working on Buck 110s for a little over a year now, and had given up on lighter woods.

Now that I am actaully making a few knives I just got my neck bowed and decided to figure out how to usae the lighter woods.

I think you are right- I think taking the pins down to flush all in one or two passes is the culprit. And I was leaving them too long since they were so easy to get flush [oooops].

I will give this a try next week and post again.

My sincere thanks!

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA
 
To add to what Running Dog stated, Texas Knifemaker's Supply has a product called Fix-It that would work. Actually, any that will "fix" fired clay will work. You can find some acrylic "fixing" spray for pottery in the crafts section at Wal-Mart of all places. You know, over there by the sewing material!
 
I just finished another knife with Maple scales.

I followed suggestions and was careful to get a good tight fit on the pins and kept the epoxy on the inside only. After the epoxy dried overnight I cut the brass pins as close to the scales as I could, and then sanded the flush with very light pressure and several passes.

All six brass pins are perfect and there is NO staining on the maple.

Thanks to all for the help!

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA
 
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