Cord darkening from epoxy

[Tin.Man]

Any solution to this? A friend wants some brighter colors on their wrapped handle but as soon as I use system 3 clear coat or wear systems clear, the beautiful royal blue turns to dark navy or the crimson to oxblood. Maybe a material that doesn't absorb the epoxy? But then would it hold up as well if it doesn't absorb?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

First, you apply a very small amount of resin when finishing a cord wrapped handle. Use a small flux brush and dab/wipe it on sparingly. It should soak in almost immediately and look like you didn't put any on at all. If you add it until the cord looks wet, you have used about five times too much epoxy.
I like to take a clean piece of cotton cloth ( no lint, use an old tee shirt) and wrap it around the handle when done applying the resin. I squeeze the handle as hard as I can letting the cotton absorb any excess. When dried, the handle looks like plain wrapped cord, but is permanently in place and can't unravel. I use black, white, red, blue, green, and mixed colors together - I have never seen any cord bleed color or change shades.

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Paracord may darken slightly, but most other cotton or silk cords darken significantly, especially traditional cotton or silk tsukaito. I had burgundy stuff that went black, and even gold that went to such a dark brown it was nearly black. Didn't matter how much or how little resin you applied, the moment the resin came in contact, it was darker.

I saturate the fibers. Completely. The results may not look like it, but I apply resin until the wrap won't take anymore. I'm not just looking to make the handle wrap stiff, I'm looking to make it bulletproof. If you dig way back in my Instagram feed you can see one of my early kwaiken that the customer has beaten and mutilated by using it like a trowel on his property.

Seriously.

Digs rocks out of his gardens and planters with it.

The blade barely looks like a blade, anymore, but the handle is immaculate.

 

[AVigil]

Paracord may darken slightly, but most other cotton or silk cords darken significantly, especially traditional cotton or silk tsukaito. I had burgundy stuff that went black, and even gold that went to such a dark brown it was nearly black. Didn't matter how much or how little resin you applied, the moment the resin came in contact, it was darker.

I saturate the fibers. Completely. The results may not look like it, but I apply resin until the wrap won't take anymore. I'm not just looking to make the handle wrap stiff, I'm looking to make it bulletproof. If you dig way back in my Instagram feed you can see one of my early kwaiken that the customer has beaten and mutilated by using it like a trowel on his property.

Seriously.

Digs rocks out of his gardens and planters with it.

The blade barely looks like a blade, anymore, but the handle is immaculate.

Matt is spot on.

I do as he does and have the same experience.

I use System 3 clear coat.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I probably put more in than I realize, and as Matt says, it is rock solid when cured. I also use System-three clear coat.

The main point I was making is that you don't paint it on like you were fiber glassing a boat.

 

[AVigil]

I use a tooth brush and dab it in over the entire grip until it literally is weeping. I let it set for several minutes and use a terry cloth towel and gently squeeze out the excess. Then I go over it again until super saturated, cloth it again and let it set to cure.

I come back in 30 minutes and dab off any weepage and do this for until it becomes tacky .

Clear Coat system 3 does have an amber tint to it, a perfectly colorless option is out there because I have seen it on older Hartsfield blades where the white cord is still white after decades.

 

[Natlek]

Any solution to this? A friend wants some brighter colors on their wrapped handle but as soon as I use system 3 clear coat or wear systems clear, the beautiful royal blue turns to dark navy or the crimson to oxblood. Maybe a material that doesn't absorb the epoxy? But then would it hold up as well if it doesn't absorb?

In fishing rod building we use . . .Color Preservers for Guide Wrapping Thread ..............I did not try this for wrapped handle so I don t know how will it turn out

Color preservers are used on your guide wrapping thread (before the epoxy finish is applied) to preserve the original thread color