CA finish question

A

Andorian

Joined
Jul 11, 2020
Messages
4
Hello all. Been browsing the forums for a while but first time posting. I just finished making my second knife and I'm about to give it a high gloss CA finish. It's a full tang knife with purpleheart scales. My question is, should I coat the entire handle including the exposed edge of the tang? Should I mask the tang? Or is it more a matter of preference?
I'm leaning more towards coating the whole thing because I feel like there might be a noticable ridge where the finish stops at the tang. I also think that it might be stronger since it would be one unbroken coating all the way around instead of two separate halves.
That's just my inexperienced thoughts. I'm curious what you all think. Also if you have any pictures of your CA finished full tang knives I'd love to see!
 
Have done many a CA finish but on Bone
Have you tried taking it to 800-1000 grit and buff? CA may not be needed
 
I think that if you put CA on the metal tang there might be a risk of it chipping over time, but I haven't done it so can't be sure
 
A CA finish is "IN" the wood, not "ON" it. You flood the handle and let it partly cure, then sand it off using Debonder or nail polish remover and fine paper. Repeat may times and when it has completely filled and sealed the wood, buff to a glass like shine. The king of CA finished handles is Bruce Bump. In this thread he gives his method at post #39. The whole thread is wort a good read, too.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/a-couple-tips-on-hidden-tang-construction.659442/page-2
 
That was a good read Stacy.
The thread mentions using CA on stabilized wood. I use Tru-oil right now. I know some people just buff without any finish...I guess I wonder what ca looks like now. I am going to have to try it.

My CA story...my buddy split his eyebrow open out in the bush on a multi day trip. It was pretty bad, gaping with lots of blood. We cleaned it as best we could and used CA to close the cut. Worked like a charm until we discovered I had glued my fingers to Brad's eyebrow. Ripped the wound open pulling my fingers off his eyebrow. We used a sandwich bag as a make shift glove and managed to avoid the problem a second time. CA works in a pinch like that but infection has to be watched for...he went to the doctors when we got out of the bush a few days later to make sure everything was good.
 
I've glued up many a cut in the shop. DON'T use the accelerator! Kinda intense.
 
When I want to apply a finish to a knife I use pin striping tape from an automotive paint shop that is the same thickness as the exposed edge of the tang and remove it right after applying the finish so that the edge that would be left will level out before drying. I hate to finish wood and would much rather polish untreated wood but sometimes a maker wants a certain gloss and some protection from hand smudges. I have applied spray on finish a few times to keep the light colors of wood from smudging and then have rubbed the finish with powdered rottenstone and a little lemon oil before hand buffing or carefully using 0000 steel wool lightly on the cured finish. I always let the finish cure for two days first. Larry
 
This is a CA finish on a dyed maple handle. Applied to the scales only. Using very thin coats and sanding with 800 grit. Keep coating and sanding until you have a nice uniform dull finish. Any shiny spots are low spots and will look like a divet when polished. Final steps were to polish with white compound and then no-scratch pink.
 
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