handle prep

M

manassas dragon

Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
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how much do you clean up the area under your scales? do you polish that area as much as you do the blade or less? after all the scales will cover them.
 
I try and take it down to a good smooth ALL METAL finish and then prep it for scales.

Scratch it deep with some heavy paper, possibly add a few extra holes if it won't hurt the balance. Then just prior to epoxy, I wipe down really well with acetone.

Charlie
 
I do know that you want to rough up the surface. One poster did a glue test and he found that the sandblasted medal held better than material that was just roughed up with 36 grit sandpaper. But either way you deffinately want to rough up the metal. If the material is polished that will be less surface area and grooves in the metal for the glue to hold onto. I am assuming you are going to glue the scales...

Up until today I thought you wanted to take a chemical to clean off the oils but I read the same glue test that many of the different cleaners will leave a film and that is bad. I had thought acetone did not leave a film but apparently it does. The way to test this is to let it evaporate on a piece of glass and look at it just right.

So you can sand the metal which might remove the oil from hands and I guess blow away the dust? I am curious what the more experienced people will say. But deffinately two important things are get oil of the metal and get it nice and roughed up with sand paper or something.
 
Basically I rough the tang with a 36 grit belt and hollow grind a shallow trench down the middle. I also tend to skellitonize and remove any material that isn't needed. I also like mechanical fasteners, either loveless style or piened pins. So far, knock on wood, I haven't had a failure yet.
 
What Will said, especially the part about using mechanical fasteners as well as "glue". Drilling shallow divots into the underside of the scales gives a little extra area for the epoxy to "grip" as well.

I would think bead-blasting the tang would be the best prep but not everyone has the set-up for that.
 
I do the same as Will but clean the scales and blade with alcohol, I am pretty sure it does not leave a film, I just wipe the scale so non soaks in. I alway use a mechanical connection as well, if I pin the handle I dont clamp, just peen the pins to provide the clamping pressure for the glue. The other important part is not to squeeze too hard, you need a good film of glue between, that is where the roughing and treach help.
 
james terrio said:
Drilling shallow divots into the underside of the scales gives a little extra area for the epoxy to "grip" as well.
Click to expand...

This is what I do also as well as drilling the divots in the tang along with thru holes for the epoxy to fill in. I wipe everything down with alcohol while wearing latex gloves before doing the glue up.
 
If the handle is too highly finished, the epoxy isn't likely to stick very well.

60 grit or so is fine.
 
"divots"

It's fun to say, easy to do, and helps.

You can buy very fine "grit" to mix with your epoxy, to prevent over-clamping and ensure there is proper space between the scale and tang for a nice strong layer of adhesive. I'm too lazy to look up the thread where I heard about that right now, but it makes sense.
 
sand blast, 60 grit sand tang and scales or use a dremel to roughen up mating surfaces - the more surface area the better the bond will be - it's a simple concept
 
I would really encourage sand blasting as stated previously. I would also discourage the use of acetone, it does leave an oily film and it is also the solvent recommended to clean up most epoxies (the two don't mix). My experience with acetone and proof that it leaves a significant film is pre-cleaning metal for TIG welding; one of the quickest ways to mess up a quality weld.

David Sharp
 
David66 said:
I would really encourage sand blasting as stated previously. I would also discourage the use of acetone, it does leave an oily film and it is also the solvent recommended to clean up most epoxies (the two don't mix). My experience with acetone and proof that it leaves a significant film is pre-cleaning metal for TIG welding; one of the quickest ways to mess up a quality weld.

David Sharp
Click to expand...

What do you recomend as a cleaning substance as it seems that they all leave films... water?
 
melsdad said:
This is what I do also as well as drilling the divots in the tang along with thru holes for the epoxy to fill in. I wipe everything down with alcohol while wearing latex gloves before doing the glue up.
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention that, sorry. I buy quart size or larger denatured at Home Depot. I am not saying though that I do not use acetone, I use it for clean-up couldn't live with out it.

David Sharp
 
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