Epoxy and filework

B

bunghole

Joined
Jul 6, 2005
Messages
206
I'm working on my third knife and plan on doing some filework on the tang. How do you all keep the epoxy from squeezing into the filework when assembling the scales/bolsters, etc? If some does get in there, are there any methods for cleaning it out after it sets, or is prevention the key?

As a backup plan, if I do get some in there that I can't get out, I might just fill the filework with some black tinted epoxy.

Thanks for any tips or advice for a noob!
 
Prevention is best, if possible. How to not have any, I haven't figured it out yet. :)

Invariably, there will probably be a little that oozes out no matter what, unless you just use too little epoxy in the first place which I don't personally recommend.

Some guys (maybe most) say to clean it up immediately and I think that works fine. Use rubbing alcohol or WD-40 or something similar.

I've always found that trying to clean it up immediately smears it all over the rest of the filework, just making more clean up. Maybe I'm not careful enough.

What works great for me is to let it set up as is until it's firm but not smear-able. Maybe the consistency of a gummy bear. I then take a steel dental pick and start at one end and it pulls right off of steel and handle materials cleanly and leaves no residue whatsoever. You really have a pretty sizeable window of time to do this with most epoxies. The dental pick can get right in tight next to the materials and gets right down into tight corners so there's no scratching.

I also use the same method for cleaning up the ooze at the front of my scales onto the ricasso on my full tang knives.

Just my method, not necessarily right but it works for me.
 
Actually I fill the file work with colored epoxy and sand it and the handle material flush. For me, leaving it open allows junk to get in there and that requires cleaning later.

On a hunting knife the unfilled file work would fill with blood and junk and make the next use of it on an animal bio hazardous if not completely cleaned out...
 
Thanks....


so my next question :)

what is your method for filling the filework with colored epoxy.

This is going to be a kitchen knife, so the filling might be the best route for me.
 
When I epoxy the scales they are usually 1/4" longer than the knife's metal handle and when putting on the 2nd scale I make sure the file work is covered. On the first scale I put enuf epoxy on so that it flows out with the pressing of it onto the knife.

When their both clamped up I just eyeball it to make sure the epoxy is fully filling the space between the scales. Then sand flush when dry. Sometimes there is a bit of a gap, lightly sand and fill with more epoxy, and I have used super glue too.
 
It also depends on the type of filework. I fill my thorny vine filework but filling twisted rope filework would look horrible and defeat the purpose of it.
 
An old friend of my grandpa's that got me started on filework,(He had some of the coolest old Barlow's I've ever seen) once told me he filled the filework with Bee's Wax before gluing everything together. You can form it and swuare it up nicely first, and when you clean it all up the wax comes out very easily with steam/hot water.
I havn't tried it but... that's what worked for him.
 
I haven't tried it but I read awhile back that you can put some vaseline on the filework to keep the epoxy out.
 
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