Injecting Resin into Natual Materials

W

Will Kwan

Joined
Nov 23, 1998
Messages
1,594
Since Shop 2 has electricity it may be possible to inject resin into the handles to make them extremely durable.

I am not very familiar with the process but will try to describe it. First the materials is subjected to a vaccuum to minimize air in the pores. Resin is then injected and drawn into the pores of the material.

Perhaps there is a small shop size device that will stabilize wood or horn with resin that can be sent to Shop 2. Of course we should keep in mind the hazardous chemicals in most resins.

Will
 
Will, this sounds too high tech to me but we certainly appreciate the thought.

Like most third world countries, the poor Nepalis work with and around hazardous materials in ignorance of what it might be doing to them. And there are no regulations to protect them.

When I lived in Nepal I noticed that kamis who used electric welders in their work wore only standard sunglasses as a protection for their eyes. Little wonder many kamis end up half blind in their old age.

------------------
Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
It is possible to do something like this with porous material and a shop vac. I have only seen it done to rattan - if you need a piece of rattan that doesn't bend, dilute some wood glue in a bucket of water, attach your wet/dry vac to one end of the rattan stick, and put the other end in the thinned glue. As the glue dries there may be terrifying cracking noises for a few minutes. Your stick is now a much better tool for hitting people.

I have no idea if you can suck resin, epoxy, whatever into buffalo horn in a similar way.

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Namaste,
Jeff Paulsen

"Oh, a magic khukuri. Why didn't you say so?"
 
Elk antler becomes porous in the inner layers. I found that after drilling the center out, I could use regular ( not gel ) superglue on the inside and it sealed up any outer cracks from the inside out.

The point where I was using this cyano- acrilate* glue was also about the time I became unable to catch my breath.

*as in cyanide?
 
Hmmm...the only thing I'd worry about is maybe making the resulting grip material too stiff? Remember, the flex of the natural materials is relieving stress at the blade/tang junction, right? Do it "too well" and...hmmm.

And the toxic materials issue is serious too.

Jim
 
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