How to remove epoxied knife handle

S

Sutcliffe

Joined
Dec 5, 1998
Messages
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I've got a fillet knife that I tried to re handle and it ended up not the way I wanted. I used Devcon 2 ton epoxy and would like to know the best way to go about it. I was thinking about putting it in an oven to loosen it, but am unsure what kind of temperature to use for fear of damaging the temper of the blade.
Thanks for any help.
 
Sutcliffe, this is going to be of limited usefulness, but I do know that heat will work on epoxy. I had glued a metal washer as a guard on a wood handle, then ground it down with a belt sander. Probably 1/4 inch worth of the diameter of the washer was taken down. When I was done, I noticed that the washer was loose (this was a couple of days after gluing, so it WAS set/cured). I was grinding against the platten.

Is this a one-piece handle, or scales?
 
Most epoxies will let go in the 210F-250F range. These temps will not affect the blade's heat treatment.

Gloves or some type of padded holder are needed.
 
Art S. said:
Most epoxies will let go in the 210F-250F range. These temps will not affect the blade's heat treatment.

Gloves or some type of padded holder are needed.
Click to expand...

Ditto what he said. I usually use a heat gun so I can better control the temp (with distance and heat level setting).
Scott
 
I beleive Bob Engnath reccomended laying the knife on a slab of dry ice for awhile. The epoxy gets very briddle from the low temp and will let loose with a sharp smack. I have not tryed it and dry ice can be hard to come by. ;)
 
the safest way is to use a simple propane torch to heat the tang until the epoxy starts to bubble.

But we are assuming a lot...that it's full tang...and that you have pins and not screws...and also that you are going to discard the handle material afterwards.

You won't ruin the temp as long as you don't let the blade change colors beyond "yellow" (ie. brown, blue, red, etc.)
 
It seems pretty easier to remove an epoxied handles. The question is, being a novice knife collector (not to mention, stupid), I used super glue on the rat tail tang of my keris, and now have a second thought of getting a new handle. I wrapped the tang with a cotton string, then poured some super glue into the handle hole, and then attached the tang into the handle. And I swear to god it became tough like hell (as if the tang and handle melted together). How do I remove the handle? Thanks in advance.
 
Acetone is supposed to dissolve super glue. You can get it at a paint store. Also many (not all) nail polish removers are mostly acetone.

Steve
 
Don't know about epoxy, but I remove handles by gently heating with a propane torch with the handle up.

I heat the blade next to the handle and hold the blade carefully with my hand below the area I am heating. This lets me know if I am getting the blade too hot.

The heat travels up and the handle loosens.

I would listen to what Dan has said about watching the color of the metal. He knows blacksmithing, but I would never get the metal anywhere near that hot. However I deal with old blades and an very careful.

Really did cringe when I first applied a propane torch to an old Moro kris, but it loosened the blade and everything worked out fine.

If you don't care about the handle, maybe you could judiciously and carefully grind it down to the metal?

Personally I don't like super glue. I have had it come loose in a few years.

Epoxy is good for wood repair.

Wood glue, like Elmers really needs to be clamped to get a good joint.

Many of the pieces I repair like old Javanese keris handles and scabbards are too delicate and strangely shaped to clamp.
 
If the surfaces were not properly prepped they may just pop off will a few lite taps. I've removed the pins from a few knives, and discovered that a lite tap with a chisel at the bolster does the trick.
 
It's a scandinavian style stick tang and I used a curly piece of oregon Myrtle that I'd like to re-use. I'll try the 210-250 temp in an old toaster oven and see what comes.
 
I researched this not to long ago but I think there was a post, maybe in the Bladesmith forum, that talked about wrapping the handle in saran wrap and dunking it in boiling water to loosen the epoxy, the idea being there was less of a chance of overheating if you did it that way.
 
Steve,

Thanks for your suggestion on using acetone, I'll try that this weekend.

Bill,

Does epoxy, natural resin (like damar or laha) or super glue weaken / break (after some years) the small rat tang (usually found in keris) by rusting it?

Arya
 
I had to take a handle off a fillet knife after I found a fault while I was working the handle down. I ended up close shaving it with a band saw, then the belt grinder and then a nice sharp knife to get the last of it off the tang. Worked very well and the new handle came out better than I thought.
 
Removing epoxied handles quickly, 1) drill out rivets,2 set handle on anvil and strike moderately with hammer. Handle scales should break appart and come off, 3) clean up tang on grinder. Use this method if you do not plan to use the handle again or need to use it to size up a new handle. It takes less than a minute.
 
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