Degreasing the inside of a hidden tang handle block

[Hengelo_77]

How do you guys do it?
Pour in accetone, pour it out and let it dry?
I use mostly wood

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I don't think I ever heard of anyone degreasing the hole in a wooden hidden tang block.

I have degreased Micarta slabs and oily wood scales with acetone.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I was thinking, rosewood like cocobolo is oily from itself. Won't that natural oil on the surface of the inside-wood prefent good adhsion?

 

[Jesenius]

I was thinking, rosewood like cocobolo is oily from itself. Won't that natural oil on the surface of the inside-wood prefent good adhsion?

You could use a brake cleaner / degreaser like that. If it is not enough You can make grooves inside block with rotary bit like here and make several grooves on tang of course.

 

[john april]

you could try to rough up the inside of the slot with a jig saw blade or something to increase holding.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have made hundreds of hidden tang knives and tools with cocobolo, rosewood, and other waxy/oily woods. There has never been an issue.

I feel you are overthinking this.
The slot is irregular and has all sorts of imperfections that will allow a good grip. In all my experience I have never had a hidden tang come loose from the epoxy not adhering to the wood. If you really worry about it, just wiggle your drill bit or broach a bit so the hole is slightly wider inside than outside. This is normally the case anyway. With the extra space, the resin will wedge lock the tang in place.

A few holes or "saw teeth" on the tang are all that is usually needed to hold the blade very tight.

 

[Hengelo_77]

thnx guys

 

[Darrin Sanders]

I fill the slot half full of denatured alcohol, put my thumb over the opening, slosh it back & forth a few times, & drain. I di this until the alcohol comes out clear. It may be overkill but that's the way I've always done it. I think it more of a wash out the dust thing than a degrease thing. Anyway, that's how I do it.

 

[JTknives]

Your pin will hold it in place and the epoxy will fill the gaps between the tang and wood.

 

[AVigil]

I fill the slot half full of denatured alcohol, put my thumb over the opening, slosh it back & forth a few times, & drain. I di this until the alcohol comes out clear. It may be overkill but that's the way I've always done it. I think it more of a wash out the dust thing than a degrease thing. Anyway, that's how I do it.

I do the same Darrin, but I use a long q tip until it comes out clean

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Pouring solvent in won't really do anything. The solvemt disolves the pil "and honestly it disolves very little oil" bit as soon as the solvent dries the pil gets wicked right back in

 

[Natlek]

How do you guys do it?
Pour in accetone, pour it out and let it dry?
I use mostly wood

I use acetone for that , and I always for hidden tang mix epoxy with sawdust - shavings from file work . . .. . .