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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Full sheets of micarta and g10 liners
- Thread starter Matt Rochester
- Start date
I have used Gorilla glue for liners, clamp it securely to a piece of 1/2" flat iron covered with 6 mil poly. After an hour it is ready to use. I have also used Gorilla glue for WA handles and wooden hidden tangs. It has to be clamped well because of the expansion, but holds great.
I messed up a hidden tang Pau ferro/bubinga, it came off in pieces and i had to grind the tang clean. It can also be colored grey/black by adding charcoal from the fire pit.
I messed up a hidden tang Pau ferro/bubinga, it came off in pieces and i had to grind the tang clean. It can also be colored grey/black by adding charcoal from the fire pit.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2020
- Messages
- 81
I used a couple of dabs of super glue to attach two scales together for a folding knife, I thought I could just tap them apart. That didn't work, I needed to stick a knife through the seam to get them apart. It's much stronger than I expected.
I got this stuff a few days ago. Glued two pieces of G10 together. Tried to hammer a knife into the joint the day after. Could not split it but managed to split/break one of the G10 pieces close to the joint.
A.McPherson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2,862
I know CA glue works GREAT on horn!! I glued some together to make a sheath one time, messed it up and tried to pry it back apart... The horn shredded before the glue ever gave way. Good stuff in the right application!
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 5,191
i use CA because steve johnson uses it. if its good enough for him... also online i see epoxy starts to weaken around 350 degrees, but ca is good up to 480 degrees. plus waiting until the next day to put your scales on is not much fun. i attach my liners to the scales with CA, and also the scales to the tang with CA. i made an alignment mistake once, i could not smash the scale off the tang, i had to use a heat gun. epoxy pops off much easier. both surfaces @ 120 grit.
I think I'm gonna try and use CA for scale-to-tang attachment on an upcoming project. How do you deal with the glue that squeezes out at the ricasso? With epoxy I just wipe clean with qtips+alcohol.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 37,815
Fresh CA squeeze-out wipes away with nitromethane or acetone. Nitromethane, aka racing fuel, is by far the best solvent for CA. Nitromethane is available in a small quantity at RC hobby shops as airplane fuel, and at auto/racing shops as a fuel booster additive.
Once cured, CA is best removed at the ricasso by using a brass graver and then cleaning with nitromethane/acetone. It may take a bit of scrubbing to get the last traces, depending on the CA brand. Don't overly soak the area or you may start to weaken the joint.
People often wonder why one CA brand is recommended over another. There are two answers.
One is, like other glues, CA is formulated to do different tasks for different people. The CA a woodworker uses may be different from the CA a machinist uses.
The other answer is that while the actual resin may not be that much different, the amount of solvent and carrier varies a lot.
You need different viscosity formulation for different tasks in knifemaking usage. Thin for wicking into joints and sealing under bolsters. Medium for many general tasks, and occasionally the thick stuff for looser joints or filling a crack/gap. Generally, the thicker it is, the slower it cures, and the stronger the bond (The Gel type is a different thing).
The cheaper CA is sold for usually indicates how "watered" down with solvent it is. There is a good reason the five packs at the dollar store are so cheap. They do have their uses, though.
Also, new makers need to remember what makes CA cure - moisture. If you are in Arizona at 20% humidity, you will need to use CA differently than someone in Seattle at 95%. Accelerator is very useful, but you need to learn how to use it. A mist spray bottle of tap water also helps in many cases. Just mist the air all around the joint as it cures. Don't soak the joint, just increase the humidity around it.
When I was much younger and CA was new, Satellite City brand was the go-to CA for any serious hobbyist. Today there are many brands and word of mouth is probably the best recommendation.
I have found these brands reliable:
Tightbond - Instant Bond CA
ZAP-a-GAP
Hot-Stuff
For bulk users who need larger bottles - Glue Master CA is great
I have never used it, but the reviews I have seen for Gorilla Glue CA all seem positive.
Buying a 20 pack of the disposable glue bottle tip extenders is very wise. Most every wood supplier sells them inexpensively.
DO NOT STORE IN THE REFRIGERATOR. I know we all were told this, but it is actually bad for the CA's shelf life. When you take the bottle out into te warm room air it becomes a vacuum. It will suck in the moister room air and set the whole bottle on the path to hardening. A sealed plastic storage box box with a desiccant block in it is best place to keep your CA. Keeping it in a cool place is wise, but not the refrigerator. If you buy in bulk and want to make it last, freeze the unopened bottles. They will keep a long time when frozen.
Final info -This is from a good wood website:
I have underlined key points
Using CA Adhesive
Start with a clean, dry surface. Apply CA to one side of the joint, then quickly press the parts together and hold them until the glue sets, usually in less than a minute. Don’t spread out the drop or bead, but instead let it squash when you join the parts. The more CA is spread out, the faster it will cure, and it won’t cure in a large puddle.
Use the smallest amount you need. Normally, one drop covers one square inch, but you’ll need more on porous surfaces including most woods. Excess glue does not add more strength. For very absorbent wood or open grain, use one of the thick formulations. CA cures slower on acidic woods like mahogany and oak, but you can use accelerator to overcome that. (see below – About Accelerator) .
To avoid clogging the tip, don’t touch it to the work or any surface, and don’t poke pins or nails into the opening either. If it does clog, unscrew the cap and remove the plug by pushing it through, or by soaking the cap in debonder. The debonding solvent is nitromethane, known to racing buffs as funny car fuel. Acetone will work in a pinch, but it works VERY slowly. It is a good idea to always have a bottle of debonder on hand, especially since you are likely to glue yourself to something at some point. Trust me, it’s inevitable.
Cyanoacrylate will stick to finish, but applying paste wax will block the glue. On the other hand, you can glue to a finished surface, something few adhesives will do. It will stick to old glue, so it’s ideal for repair work. CA is also frequently used to fill small chips in lacquer, polyurethane, and polyester finishes. Turners and luthiers fill cracks and small voids in raw wood by filling them with sanding dust, then dropping CA into the powder to form a solid plug. Thin versions will seep into even the smallest of fractures. Because it is moisture activated, it will work on wet wood, green wood, and pressure treated wood. Some folks use it as a finish or as a sealer under other finishes. Some turners alternate wet-on-wet coats of CA and boiled linseed oil to create an instant curing, extra hard oil finish.
About Accelerator
It seems odd that the fastest of all glues would need an accelerator, but it actually does more than just speed up the cure. You’ll get a better bond on oily or high acid content woods if you spray or wipe accelerator on one side of the joint before putting glue on the other. You can also speed up a bond by spraying accelerator on it after the parts are together. There are two common types of accelerators. When you use those that say “flammable” on the container, wait 60 seconds after you apply it before you join the parts, or before you spray accelerator onto a glued surface. Spraying these accelerators too soon can turn the glue white. For non-flammable accelerators, there is no waiting time needed. Wiping one side of the joint with water, alcohol, or baking soda also speeds the cure, but results in a substantially weaker glue bond and can also turn the glue white.
Warnings
It’s a good idea to wear disposable gloves and goggles to keep the glue off your hands and out of your eyes. CA is a bit like cutting onions in that the fumes are irritating to your eyes and lungs, but not particularly harmful. Contrary to internet rumor, CA is not carcinogenic and it does not contain cyanide. However, it is flammable. It will stick to skin, so be careful not to glue yourself to objects or you might end up as the topic of the next American Pie movie.
Storage and Shelf Life
How long CA lasts is affected by the size of the container. Smaller amounts have a shorter shelf life than larger ones. A 2 oz bottle will last at least a year at room temperature. Do not refrigerate opened containers as that can clog the tip and make the glue harden in the container. You can double the shelf life by freezing, but only unopened bottles. Let them warm to room temperature before you open them and don’t refreeze them.
Once cured, CA is best removed at the ricasso by using a brass graver and then cleaning with nitromethane/acetone. It may take a bit of scrubbing to get the last traces, depending on the CA brand. Don't overly soak the area or you may start to weaken the joint.
People often wonder why one CA brand is recommended over another. There are two answers.
One is, like other glues, CA is formulated to do different tasks for different people. The CA a woodworker uses may be different from the CA a machinist uses.
The other answer is that while the actual resin may not be that much different, the amount of solvent and carrier varies a lot.
You need different viscosity formulation for different tasks in knifemaking usage. Thin for wicking into joints and sealing under bolsters. Medium for many general tasks, and occasionally the thick stuff for looser joints or filling a crack/gap. Generally, the thicker it is, the slower it cures, and the stronger the bond (The Gel type is a different thing).
The cheaper CA is sold for usually indicates how "watered" down with solvent it is. There is a good reason the five packs at the dollar store are so cheap. They do have their uses, though.
Also, new makers need to remember what makes CA cure - moisture. If you are in Arizona at 20% humidity, you will need to use CA differently than someone in Seattle at 95%. Accelerator is very useful, but you need to learn how to use it. A mist spray bottle of tap water also helps in many cases. Just mist the air all around the joint as it cures. Don't soak the joint, just increase the humidity around it.
When I was much younger and CA was new, Satellite City brand was the go-to CA for any serious hobbyist. Today there are many brands and word of mouth is probably the best recommendation.
I have found these brands reliable:
Tightbond - Instant Bond CA
ZAP-a-GAP
Hot-Stuff
For bulk users who need larger bottles - Glue Master CA is great
I have never used it, but the reviews I have seen for Gorilla Glue CA all seem positive.
Buying a 20 pack of the disposable glue bottle tip extenders is very wise. Most every wood supplier sells them inexpensively.
DO NOT STORE IN THE REFRIGERATOR. I know we all were told this, but it is actually bad for the CA's shelf life. When you take the bottle out into te warm room air it becomes a vacuum. It will suck in the moister room air and set the whole bottle on the path to hardening. A sealed plastic storage box box with a desiccant block in it is best place to keep your CA. Keeping it in a cool place is wise, but not the refrigerator. If you buy in bulk and want to make it last, freeze the unopened bottles. They will keep a long time when frozen.
Final info -This is from a good wood website:
I have underlined key points
Using CA Adhesive
Start with a clean, dry surface. Apply CA to one side of the joint, then quickly press the parts together and hold them until the glue sets, usually in less than a minute. Don’t spread out the drop or bead, but instead let it squash when you join the parts. The more CA is spread out, the faster it will cure, and it won’t cure in a large puddle.
Use the smallest amount you need. Normally, one drop covers one square inch, but you’ll need more on porous surfaces including most woods. Excess glue does not add more strength. For very absorbent wood or open grain, use one of the thick formulations. CA cures slower on acidic woods like mahogany and oak, but you can use accelerator to overcome that. (see below – About Accelerator) .
To avoid clogging the tip, don’t touch it to the work or any surface, and don’t poke pins or nails into the opening either. If it does clog, unscrew the cap and remove the plug by pushing it through, or by soaking the cap in debonder. The debonding solvent is nitromethane, known to racing buffs as funny car fuel. Acetone will work in a pinch, but it works VERY slowly. It is a good idea to always have a bottle of debonder on hand, especially since you are likely to glue yourself to something at some point. Trust me, it’s inevitable.
Cyanoacrylate will stick to finish, but applying paste wax will block the glue. On the other hand, you can glue to a finished surface, something few adhesives will do. It will stick to old glue, so it’s ideal for repair work. CA is also frequently used to fill small chips in lacquer, polyurethane, and polyester finishes. Turners and luthiers fill cracks and small voids in raw wood by filling them with sanding dust, then dropping CA into the powder to form a solid plug. Thin versions will seep into even the smallest of fractures. Because it is moisture activated, it will work on wet wood, green wood, and pressure treated wood. Some folks use it as a finish or as a sealer under other finishes. Some turners alternate wet-on-wet coats of CA and boiled linseed oil to create an instant curing, extra hard oil finish.
About Accelerator
It seems odd that the fastest of all glues would need an accelerator, but it actually does more than just speed up the cure. You’ll get a better bond on oily or high acid content woods if you spray or wipe accelerator on one side of the joint before putting glue on the other. You can also speed up a bond by spraying accelerator on it after the parts are together. There are two common types of accelerators. When you use those that say “flammable” on the container, wait 60 seconds after you apply it before you join the parts, or before you spray accelerator onto a glued surface. Spraying these accelerators too soon can turn the glue white. For non-flammable accelerators, there is no waiting time needed. Wiping one side of the joint with water, alcohol, or baking soda also speeds the cure, but results in a substantially weaker glue bond and can also turn the glue white.
Warnings
It’s a good idea to wear disposable gloves and goggles to keep the glue off your hands and out of your eyes. CA is a bit like cutting onions in that the fumes are irritating to your eyes and lungs, but not particularly harmful. Contrary to internet rumor, CA is not carcinogenic and it does not contain cyanide. However, it is flammable. It will stick to skin, so be careful not to glue yourself to objects or you might end up as the topic of the next American Pie movie.
Storage and Shelf Life
How long CA lasts is affected by the size of the container. Smaller amounts have a shorter shelf life than larger ones. A 2 oz bottle will last at least a year at room temperature. Do not refrigerate opened containers as that can clog the tip and make the glue harden in the container. You can double the shelf life by freezing, but only unopened bottles. Let them warm to room temperature before you open them and don’t refreeze them.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 5,191
scaniaman- my knives almost always have guards, so i do not have to deal with the glue on the ricasso. for that, i would use epoxy or stacy's suggestions.
Thanks. One of my suppliers has a dedicated solvent by BSI, I'll pick some up and try out carefully.
Stacy, that's a lot of good info, thanks. But I have to fill in here a little.
CA is indeed harmful.
It is a very strong irritant and can cause asthma, allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and skin disease. It is seriously regulated in occupational use. People exposed to it not only have to wear proper PPE but also have to pass regular medical controls to be allowed to continue their service.
Stacy, that's a lot of good info, thanks. But I have to fill in here a little.
CA is indeed harmful.
It is a very strong irritant and can cause asthma, allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and skin disease. It is seriously regulated in occupational use. People exposed to it not only have to wear proper PPE but also have to pass regular medical controls to be allowed to continue their service.