Epoxy and mineral spirits

V

vaquero57

Joined
Nov 12, 2000
Messages
131
This is a little late but I still need to know. I foinished my brotyher in laws knife last night with Mahogany handle. I use Devcon 2 ton epoxy and epoxy my pins. I soaked it last night and all day in boiled linseed oil thinned down with Sunnyside brand mineral spirits as the oil said to thin down with this to allow full penetration into wood. It did not occur to me until after work tonight that what if the mineral spirits in the oil affect the epoxy. It is still soaking cause I fiugure I cannot do anymore damage if there is any. The handle is beautiful and still solid but I do not know if the epoxcy will be weakened from soaking in this mixture. Can anyone tell me if I have anything to worry about.

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" I am a shootist."
Clay Allison
" Does this mean we are bladists?"
Vaquero57
McAlpin Bladesmithing
 
i use mineral spirits and linseed oil too,
genrally I warm the wood (lightbulb) rub it down let it sit under the lightbulb and rub it down again in an hour or so, keep that up until I'm satisfied with the results.

Linseed oil has a tendancy to mellow/darken with age.


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Sola Fide
 
Thanks guys. How long should I let it sit in the oil? I want complete penetration to help cur my handle shrinkage problem. What do you mean yellow with age. How much age?

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" I am a shootist."
Clay Allison
" Does this mean we are bladists?"
Vaquero57
McAlpin Bladesmithing
 
I agree that if the epoxy was dried long enough you shouldn't have a problem with it soaking.
As for the length of time I always soak for a while and then take it out of the mixture and wipe it off and let it dry and then keep repeating this process until the wood will not soak in any more oil which you will know because the oil will not soak in and dry without you rubbing it down untill the oil quits seaping back out of the pores of the wood...
Bruce

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Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society
 
For the last coats of linseed oil I rub in with the grey "Scotch brite" type pads. I used to use steel wool but the pads do the same job easier, cheaper (reuseable), and cleaner (no steel splinters).
Lynn
 
"Mineral spirits" can have many different solvents in them. I would not generally recommend soaking any adhesive in oils or solvents for an extended period of time. Epoxies are intended to resist chemicals better than most adhesives. They resist the solvents best if they have been properly mixed and cured. "Properly cured" means more than 24 hours at normal room temperature (check the epoxy box or tube, it may say something like 72 hours for maximum chemical resistance). Using elevated temperature (such as under a light bulb or in warm oven) can reduce the time to under 8 hours.

If you are worried, you could do a test. Epoxy a piece of similar wood to a clean scrap of metal. Cure the epoxy the same way that you did your original blade. Soak the combination in your oil and mineral spirits combination the same way as your knife. See if you can break the test joint apart easily using a pair of plyers. Let us hear how it works for you.
 
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