How To How can I best remove glue gunk from metal?

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ErikMB

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I tend to wind up with some glue gunk on the bolsters or guard of the projects I am making. When I sand or polish the gunk seems to stay there and either the metal gets ground away or the metal comes out nice and smooth but with stains from the glue gunk. I think the bit of heat building up from the friction tends to melt the glue and make it discolor the metal even more.

I have been using CA glue, clear Gorilla glue, and various types of 2-part epoxy.

I think acetone (nailpolish remover) is good against CA glue. I had thought that, since it is crusty-feeling, sanding it off would do the job but it doesn't as well as I would like.

What about the other types? Both my Gorilla glue and epoxies remain a bit gummy, even after a week of drying, so sanding them just spreads them around.
 
For uncured epoxy, the solvent is alcohol. The best solvent for cured epoxy is MEK or MIBK (methyl isobutyl ketone). Acetone will also work fine on epoxy and CA.
 
Blue tape everything you do not want the glue to stick to.

Remove fresh glue with alcohol and qtip.
If glue dries acetone it then make a small copper chisel and use it to gently scrape off softened glue.
 
ErikMB said:
I tend to wind up with some glue gunk on the bolsters or guard of the projects I am making. When I sand or polish the gunk seems to stay there and either the metal gets ground away or the metal comes out nice and smooth but with stains from the glue gunk. I think the bit of heat building up from the friction tends to melt the glue and make it discolor the metal even more.

I have been using CA glue, clear Gorilla glue, and various types of 2-part epoxy.

I think acetone (nailpolish remover) is good against CA glue. I had thought that, since it is crusty-feeling, sanding it off would do the job but it doesn't as well as I would like.

What about the other types? Both my Gorilla glue and epoxies remain a bit gummy, even after a week of drying, so sanding them just spreads them around.
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Are you talking about glue getting on the bolster from glueing on the handle material? I kinda getting lost on how that is not sanding/polishing off? When I gluing up I kinda want a little bead coming out of the joint between he spacer/handlematerial and the bolster. It's how I know I got enough there.

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I've never had a problem grinding/sanding/polishing that excess glue off. Maybe you are taking your components to a more finished state than I am first? I don't do anything special about it, I just finish off the knife and I don't have any excess or discoloration.

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Thanks, AVigil. Why copper?

Dave, there are two reasons for the gunk not coming off, I think.

For the CA glue, I suspect that some grit/glue mix gets into the tiny striations in the unpolished metal so it acts as a discoloring putty. That's why sanding just grinds in discoloration as opposed to just coming off. My theory, anyway.

For the epoxy and Gorilla glue, it's kind-of gummy so sanding just pushes it around. Using a razor is more effective but not perfect.

I hope that makes sense.

I'll try the chemicals next. I'll have to be very precise so no acetone creeps under the scales and loosens them, un-doing what the glue is there to do in the first place.

I was just hoping there was a simple, perfect, quick method.
 
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HSC /// said:
Try a chisel edge x acto blade. (Single bevel)
Bottom side doesn’t cut or damage the material
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I like a blade with a little belly got glue cleanup. I keep an older CRKT around for this exact thing. It is chisel ground (100% agree with you), and I can keep it extremely sharp. Softer steel so it won't scratch the project blade if I'm careful.
 
ErikMB said:
Thanks, AVigil. Why copper?

Dave, there are two reasons for the gunk not coming off, I think.

For the CA glue, I suspect that some grit/glue mix gets into the tiny striations in the unpolished metal so it acts as a discoloring putty. That's why sanding just grinds in discoloration as opposed to just coming off. My theory, anyway.

For the epoxy and Gorilla glue, it's kind-of gummy so sanding just pushes it around. Using a razor is more effective but not perfect.

I hope that makes sense.

I'll try the chemicals next. I'll have to be very precise so no acetone creeps under the scales and loosens them, un-doing what the glue is there to do in the first place.

I was just hoping there was a simple, perfect, quick method.
Click to expand...
Ya got pics?
 
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