DANG! ( being polite)

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I glued up a big bowie with a complex handle before heading out to dinner at a friends. I double and triple checked the bolsters and handle alignment as well as the fit against the guard. Unfortunately, I didn't notice that the clamp jig cocked the guard against the blade.There is a noticeable gap on the choil side. I had considered soldering it, but the fit was so tight, I decided to just pressure fit everything. Oh well, tomorrow I'll be warming this until the epoxy will come apart and taking everything back down to a smooth surface. Then I'll solder the guard and blade before attaching the handle and fittings.

Sometimes the short cut is the long path.
 
Well, now you know what you have planned for tomorrow. Just have an extra Glen Fiddich tonight and you'll forget all about it.


-Xander
 
Sorry to hear you had trouble, buy I'm glad to hear that stuff happens to other people too, I'm not the only one:) what temp does epoxy let go? Did you have a wood handle on it? Would that be salvageable if you did? We might as well learn something from your bad fortune. Hope you don't mind the ???s
 
I think something like this happens to everybody every now and then. But I still feel dumb when something like this happens to me.
I did something simular lately on a non-knife project.
Correcring your own mistakes is part of learning a trade I think.
 
Well, it all came apart with no damage.

Here is how I take down a bad epoxy job:

Clean everything, and clamp the blade up to the ricasso in a vice with copper jaws.
Wrap a thin cotton cloth around the ivory handle right up to the bolster. Secure this wrap with some binding wire. Wet cloth.
Using a small flame on the torch, start heating the guard and ricasso. Go slow, and remove the flame for 5-10 seconds every now and then to let the heat soak up the tang. Don't apply any heat to the bolster. Let it absorb heat from the tang and guard.
Drip more water on the cloth as needed to keep the ivory cool and protected from the flame.
After a minute or two, things will heat up to 250 or so. Grasp the handle and pull while twisting. As the epoxy starts to break down, you will feel it start to give a little. Apply only a little more heat and let it sit for a minute. The handle will probably pull off. If not, keep heating and pulling until it does.
Let everything cool and then clean well with acetone,
Re-sand , re-etch, re-glue.
This will work for wood, ivory, stag, etc. It won't work well with any plastic/synthetic materials.
 
bladsmth said:
This will work for wood, ivory, stag, etc. It won't work well with any plastic/synthetic materials.
Click to expand...

Hrm, what do you think for G10, Stacy?
I have a handle I over-tapered last year and want to re-handle the thing. It's full-tang with pins, and I was just gonna throw it in the toaster and then man-handle it with inappropriate tools. :-)

-Daizee
 
that is both funny and sad at the same time good on ya for knowing how to undo it all and correct it.even though no has asked for it i offer this advise.use "Brownells" release agent when you glue everything up .i know you probably never intended to take the knife apart but just in case that stuff would be saving you risking a nice piece of ivory. the only down side if you will is you need to use a cross pin to secure the tang into the handle..
 
Thanks for the post, Stacy. I don't enjoy the fact that you had the problem, but it does allows us all to see that even the really experienced makers occasionally get caught in the short cut trap.
 
haha tryppyr said what i was about to, makes me feel better knowing that even the best make mistakes....... seems an easy fix im sure a few words other then dang came out when you have come back to inspect it ;)
 
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