Horse stall mat rubber?

D

d.weglarz13

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Jun 4, 2008
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hey guys. Please bare with me on this. I am putting a handle on a Browning Crowell/Barker Competition cutting knife, and i wanted to do it in African Blackwood. but, the more i see makers putting horse stall mat rubber on the handles of competition knives, i like it. My questions are: where can i see some pics or links of knives with these rubber handles, and can i work with it with a file, and not a belt sander, as i don't have one yet? how do you attach it with pins or corby bolts? also, i could only find stuff 1/4" thick at tractorsupply.com, anywhere else to buy it? Would you guys recommend this for a handle as opposed to wood? and, lastly, i would love to enter some of the competitions coming up, and would like to know if i could even use this knife for that? i know its made for it, but i also know that all others use custom made knives. thanks for all your patience, and input and opinions.

david
 
black RTV silicon works very well to attach this material just allow it lots of time to dry if using a hidden tang. And 1/4 inch oring material works very well for pins.
 
Super glue also seems to hold HSM quite well though I haven't had long enough to do extensive use/abuse trials.

Not sure if you can work it with files or not, 50 grit sandpaper might work OK.

the only thing I don't like about HSM is the 'old tire' smell on your hands after using the knife.

Search for checkered matting and you might find some thicker stuff. I know I've seen thicker stuff at a place where they had the checkered stuff.
 
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A new sharp rasp will probably due for rough shaping. Band saw cuts stallmat well.
a sanding block and 50 grit will work a bit better than a file.

O-1stallmat3.jpg
 
After five years The handles (two) that I superglued on have started to peel. the super glue is very hard and seems to be breaking down.
 
as far as entering competitions with that knife i am almost positive u can .....i am sure someoen will be able to confirm or deny it though.....i think it has to be a bladesport event.....ryan
 
I've been using a rubber-based roofing sealant mastic to stick my HSM handles on and it works a treat. It stays flexible when set so won't crack away like superglue can. Permanently flexible 'glue' for a flexible material makes sense to me.

On the matter of pins... If you're planning on using the knife in a BladeSports competition, the rules state that there MUST be at least one visible pin that passes throuigh the tang and both sides of the handle for the knife to conform to the rules.
I overcome this by fitting a couple of brass pins through the tang and handle, but I cut them short before fitting them. I roughen the surface of the pin shafts with some 36 grit so the mastic has a 'key' to get a good grip on so they fix in place securely. This way they dont become exposed and uncomfortable when my grip compresses the handle material, but they remain in place and visible so as to comply with the rules for competition.
 
Great thanks!!! I appreciate it a lot guys. Hey, would regular epoxy work?
BikerMikeArchery : where did you get that HSM with the blue in it? thats nice.
Longstrider: what kind is that roofing sealant you have? anything rubber based would work? thanks again. I guess you can't really use something like mosaic pins or anything like that with such a soft material? I didnt' think of that. thanks. anymore info welcome. oh, where can i see any links or more info about this HSM?
 
Great thanks!!! I appreciate it a lot guys. Hey, would regular epoxy work?
BikerMikeArchery : where did you get that HSM with the blue in it? thats nice.
Longstrider: what kind is that roofing sealant you have? anything rubber based would work? thanks again. I guess you can't really use something like mosaic pins or anything like that with such a soft material? I didnt' think of that. thanks. anymore info welcome. oh, where can i see any links or more info about this HSM?
 
The roofing mastic I use is made by Uni-Bond. It is a non-bituminous mastic.
Having recently had to strip off a failed attempt at re-roofing my garage and doing it over again I had a load of it left and decided that as the old stuff was such a PITA to peel off anything, and the fact that it had cured to an almost perfect rubber texture it would be ideal for using with the rubber matting handles. Not only does it work really well, it is black so it matches the matting and can be used to hide any unbidden small "unique characteristics" ;) that might happen during the making of the handle :o

I'm in the UK so you might not get the same brand or same type where you are, but I'd have thought that any black, non-bitumenous roofing mastic would be just as good. Just make sure there's no bitumen in the stuff you use, as that never fully cures and stays sticky and horrible nearly for ever.

I had a hell of a job sourcing suitable matting here in the UK and have ended up getting mine through friends in Holland. I "smuggle" as much as I can pass off as not being too heavy into my carry-on luggage each time I return from a visit with them :D A piece nearly 2" thick and sized to only just fit into a small back-pack weighs a ton !
 
Every Tractor Supply I've been in has thicker textured sheets of the stuff. They are (IIRC) 4' x 6' and a bit over 1/2" thick. You have to buy the whole piece, about $40, so you'll have a bunch of it. You could always put it on your workbench or something.

A good polyurethane construction adhesive like PL400 stays flexible and should work well to glue it up. It's found in caulk tubes at the home improvement stores.

You could also flare thong hole tubing for a good mechanical hold instead of pins. You'll have to have a wrist thong on for safety in any competition anyway.
 
A lot of guys use the Tractor Supply mat. I made a test knife using super glue and no pins. Like Ian said, a couple of the Dutch smiths use thick blocks of the stuff for through tang knives. You might want to ask Toni Oostendorp how he does it. Eastvillageknives.com, IIRC.
 
I agree with JTKnives, try to get ahold of RICHARDJ he'll have all the answers for you. Ive known Richard for a while and he does some pretty cool stuff with the rubber mat, he's a super guy and will be happy to help.
 
One thing to throw in here is that Atwoods now has a similar material for bed lining that is just a little over a 1/4 inch think. It is about 4 foot wide and you can buy it by the foot instead of a full pad. Should work for smaller knives.
 
I will give RichardJ a call today and tell him that there is some need of his help. he is a great guy.
 
david gayle bradley weatherford,tx.is expert on this subject.by all means get in the contests.you may be eliminated early on but the people you will meet makes it worth the effort.
 
If you get the Tractor Supply mats you can use the excess on your shop floor they are a lot more comfortable than standing on concrete.
 
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