Homemade micarta, Having and idea...

[DHall]

(dang I screwed up another post title...

)
and that usually means I am afraid of what havoic I will wreck-but here its and let me know what you think?
Vaquero just put up a post about homemade micarta. Its seems that one just soaks the material, layers it, squishes it and dries it. Then you have to drill it and shape it to fit. This got me thinking (bad thing to do

.
Has anyone tried to form it directly on the tang? Assuming you are making a hidden tang which is normally attached with epoxy. Or would there be a way to wrap the tang, so you could form the tang hole in the homemande micarta, then remove the tang-mark the holes for the pins and reassemble. Even further could you make a pre-formed mold, cut material to shape-place in the mold and let dry-pull it out and you have only minor finishing/touch up work?
What could be used to keep the expoy/material from sticking to the "blade" or if you wanted only to pre-form the tang hole? Would the liquid tape used on windows for painting work?
Ok I'll stop with the questions cause my head is hurting.
Regards,
DHall

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"sharks and dogs" he muttered, "sharks and dogs...."

[This message has been edited by DHall (edited 01-01-2001).]

 

[mikeS]

epoxy won't stick to polyethelene, (saran wrap).

A little R&D is good for the mind

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Sola Fide

 

[vaquero57]

Interesting.

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" I am a shootist."
Clay Allison
" Does this mean we are bladists?"
Vaquero57
McAlpin Bladesmithing

 

[DHall]

Project R&D has begun. I have a large Norwegian field blade sans grip from Ragweed (just love experimenting on those inexpensive yet sharper than all get out blades

) that I'll test this on after I get the blade and custom guard back.
I think I will fit the guard, then wrap it and the tang with saran wrap and then wrap/layer the tang with Thai silk (silk micarta just thought of that) dipped in epoxy. Question: I read that the epoxy might be too thick and may need to be "thinned"-How would one thin-out epoxy? I'll keep you posted.
DHall

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"sharks and dogs" he muttered, "sharks and dogs...."

[This message has been edited by DHall (edited 01-02-2001).]