How to break an epoxy bond? Need advice

[David Bates]

I used 1500# epoxy to glue antler, maple and black paper micarta on a hidden tang knife. Some how the maple spacer has loosened in the front of the handle. Now I have to get the handle off to repair and re-glue the maple spacer.
What do I use to loosen the epoxy bond from the handle material?
Thanks

 

[PEU]

Boil it in water.


Pablo

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Or try a heat gun and just keep the heat right where you need it on the tang.

 

[John Katt]

Set it under a hot light or use a heat gun, around 175 degrees it will let go

 

[Cactus Kid]

Most epoxies don't like the heat, so a heat gun should work or even the oven set at 150-175 degrees. Good luck!!!

 

[PaMtnBkr]

The timing of this is perfect. I accidently glued a handle on upside down. Spear point shaped blade w/tape over the blade didn't realize it was upside down. Going to give the boiling routine a shot. Not sure if I want to put stabilized wood in my toaster oven to heat it up?

 

[John Katt]

The timing of this is perfect. I accidently glued a handle on upside down. Spear point shaped blade w/tape over the blade didn't realize it was upside down. Going to give the boiling routine a shot. Not sure if I want to put stabilized wood in my toaster oven to heat it up?

stabilized wood will soak up water, try the heat lamp first, the trick is to get the metal to heat up, not the wood

 

[Nic.]

I hold it over boiling water, works great!

 

[PaMtnBkr]

stabilized wood will soak up water, try the heat lamp first, the trick is to get the metal to heat up, not the wood

I'll try that! Thanks for the tip!

 

[John Katt]

I'll try that! Thanks for the tip!

I like Nic's idea of using steam power too ;0)

 

[Rhinoknives1]

[Guys,

You can buy a Heat Gun with two settings that will do this job in a couple of minutes at Harbor Freight for under $20 clams. Its a great tool to have around the shop. True be know, If you are married or live with a lady her hair dryer will get hot enough!

Or if you are some kind of Hipster sport that blow dries his hair? Your hair dryer will work!

 

[John Katt]

Or if you are some kind of Hipster sport that blow dries his hair? Your hair dryer will work!

Easy with that hipster/blow dryer comment there Laurence ;0)

Back in the 80's I use to blow dry my shoulder length hair into a DA every day before I left for work....I became ONE.... with the hair products LOL

 

[Don Nguyen]

I tried boiling water once and it didn't give. Had to bake it higher and hammer out the pin.

 

[David Bates]

put the handle in boiling water just below the wood. worked great. thanks for the help. got it taken care of and put back together.

 

[kc custom]

Set it under a hot light or use a heat gun, around 175 degrees it will let go

True most epoxies will give up at 145-175 degrees, now if it was CA the temp would be more like 300-500 degrees.
Ken.