Epoxy help

I

Inthewind

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Nov 5, 2012
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279
Im looking for a large quantity cheap epoxy that i can get locally like at the hardware store or auto store. It will be used on hidden tang as well as slab handled knives. I cant afford any of the good stuff like west systems. Any suggestions?
 
Do yourself a favor and use top quality epoxy. This is one area where you don't want to be cheap. Find a marina store nearby and see if they have the West Systems G/flex. It is well worth the $20 and can be used for other projects.

Aside from using the best, most slow cure epoxies will work, though not optimal.
 
I had a couple Epoxy failures before I started using G-Flex. I will use nothing but now. Like said before, use good steel and good epoxy.
 
I buy the cheap Locktite epoxy you can get at Lowes in bulk. I use it for fixturing because I like how it has a very reliable, predictable low bond strength that allows me to peal thin parts off sacrificial plates after machining without distorting them.

I'd never use this on a knife.

Don't skimp on the epoxy. Like steel and heat treat, this is not a good area to cut corners.

I like Brownells Acraglas.
 
I'm an Acraglas user as well. Bought the big bottle and I can't tell that the level has hardly went down and this is after about 30+ knives. This stuff should last years! When I first started, I used the cheap epoxy. Got tired of paying $5 to $10 per package. Each syringe full of epoxy lasted about 3 knives or so. In the long run, I'm saving a load of money by buying the big bottle of Acraglas plus I have a top notch epoxy to boot! Going cheap rarely saves you money in the long run!
 
Mudbug007 said:
I'm an Acraglas user as well. Bought the big bottle and I can't tell that the level has hardly went down and this is after about 30+ knives. This stuff should last years! When I first started, I used the cheap epoxy. Got tired of paying $5 to $10 per package. Each syringe full of epoxy lasted about 3 knives or so. In the long run, I'm saving a load of money by buying the big bottle of Acraglas plus I have a top notch epoxy to boot! Going cheap rarely saves you money in the long run!
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This is exactly right. When you consider the price of Acraglas divided by the number of knives you get out of a batch, its probably less than 25 cents per knife. And the shelf life of Acraglas is 5 years compared to about a year for the cheap junk which could sit on the shelf for that long before you even buy it.
 
Get G flex or Acraglas. Buy the large containers from Alpha Knife Supply. They will last many, many knives and the cost is worth the peace of mind. You don't want lay awake in bed at night worrying if one of the knives you made is going to have a catastrophic failure during use.
 
Another good epoxy at a fairly reasonable price is System Three T-88. You can get it at Woodcraft, and many other woodworking stores. Like everything else today, it is easily ordered online. An 8oz. kit runs about $18. Another plus for T-88 and the other good resins mentioned above is they have a very long shelf life. The tubes of faster curing resin go bad in about a year.

In epoxy, for most makers 4-8 oz. is a good size bottle. Larger quantities are not the best idea unless you are running production runs. Try and avoid any of the hardware store resins that cure in less than 1 hour. You want a very slow cure resin for handles.
 
Ive been using Golfsmith Shafting Epoxy for a while now and am happy with it.
 
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