Handle/epoxy removal

S

svslider

Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
96
I just put micarta handles on my spiderco mule tonight. After putting on the epoxy I had a real hard time getting the micarta pins in, they kept breaking. So I was slow to get it all gripped up in a vise and i can see a small gap at the rear of the handle. Im considering redoing it all before i do the final shaping. Then again since its my first ever handle job maybe it just add character, the shaping probably wont be perfect either.
Would boiling it take the handles off and leave the blank clean of epoxy or is a huge pain to clean the blank back up?
 
im not sure what boiling will do, but its been my experience that epoxy can be taken off of metal with a razor blade if you catch it early enough and the finish isnt too rough, but you gotta pry the micarta off first. cured epoxy is tuff stuff, mabey one of the more seasoned knife makers will have a better answer for you than me. good luck
 
I know i can get the handles back off but if I have to sand the epoxy off the blank I may just leave it/
 
Thanks, Ill probably leave it for now depending on how it looks tomorrow. I can always redo it later. For now Ill shape it and I have another one to do also. I shouldnt expect my first handle job to be perfect anyways. In the time and effort it takes for perfection I can probably build a few and by then ill have it down somewhat.
 
Question will acetone screw with the epoxy holding the slabs together? As in the epoxy used to MAKE the micarta.
 
I know acetone is ok to use on most micarta. Micarta isnt made with epoxy, thats g 10. Micarta has some kind of phenloic (plastic?) hardener. If you had some homemade micarta it may be different. I used acetone on it already to clean up excess epoxy.

I am thinking i may just use some epoxy mixed with micarta dust to fill in the gap? Its small, less than a paper width but annoys me. The problem was I bought a 2 1/2 inch vise for the project and it was too small and gripped one side of the knife tighter than the other, and after the first pin broke off I was chasing the hole out with a bit one size too small and broke pins like 4 more times attempting to get it done LOL. At least I didnt get the 5 minute epoxy or id have been screwed.
 
Last edited:
65535 said:
Question will acetone screw with the epoxy holding the slabs together? As in the epoxy used to MAKE the micarta.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't hurt it at all I have soaked some in it before and they were just fine. unless it is like home made micarta then I have no idea and your on your own, lol
 
Does mixing micarta dust with epoxy to fill a gap sound like itll work and look ok? Has anyone done similar before?
 
Might be able to use super glue with epoxy dust, not sure about epoxy and micarta dust, depends on how big the gap is. Best thing to do when you make a booboo is to walk away for awhile or do something different. This is from someone that does a lot of walking away :D
 
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