Delrin plastic

[Tyrkon Lawson]

Recently I made a small knife and used Delrin plastic for handles. I was told that delrin does not stick to the handles well as the plastic has a chemical reaction with glues that does not allow for good bonding. I tried it anyway using something called gurilla glue and then pinned them. I have to tell you though that grinding the gandles was hell as even with a respirator I still felt the effects o the plastic on my skin.

Now i have gotten lots of input on this ths far. So my question to you guys is: What is a safe handle material to work with butis still pretty strong and durable? I want to get these knives ready for our seminars and shows a.s.a.p. but I can't take too much exposure to the delrin. So I need something more tollerable. Thanks.

 

[jhiggins]

Try Micarta or G-10, Tyrk. Wear a respirator - save your lungs.

 

[Steve Hayden]

I have found G-10 to be very irritating to the skin and also to the eyes if using safety glasses instead of goggles.

Do you really need plastic? Natural materials-wood, bone, horn and antler are much less unpleasant to work with and IMHO are better looking.

 

[R. Lemmen]

Originally posted by Tyrkon Lawson
Recently I made a small knife and used Delrin plastic for handles. I was told that delrin does not stick to the handles well as the plastic has a chemical reaction with glues that does not allow for good bonding. I tried it anyway using something called gurilla glue and then pinned them. I have to tell you though that grinding the gandles was hell as even with a respirator I still felt the effects o the plastic on my skin.

Delrin is the DuPont name for one of their Acetal Resins. It is very stable and chemical resistant. It is often used instead of polyamides (Nylon, Zytel...) or ABS when the end product is expected to encounter a lot of moisture and chemicals.

Plastics of any kind are finicky when it comes to glue. Specific plastics usually require specific formulations of adhesives in order to bond properly. Do a search on the DuPont website for Delrin's mechanical and chemical properties. I am sure they have a datasheet that will tell you which adhesives work.

I have cut an awful lot of plastics and I think that Nylon was the least annoying to work with. The finish and mechanical properties for a knife handle are another matter.