Is devcon epoxy enough to secure the scales to a knife alone (no pins/hardware)?

Horsewright said:
I read somewhere that Devcon (2 ton), had a designed in 2 year life span. I had two handles fail. Both were right at the 2 year mark give or take a month. I switched to the Gflex too and have had no problems.
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I gave a neck knife to my son about the mid to late ninties. Bone slabs secured with Devcon 2 Ton, and two 1/8" iron pins not peened. It was lost in a flood in 08' and under water for at least three months. Recovered in the fifth month still in wet mud. The grips are still in place, and the bone and pins are still dead level on the surface. The knife is still totally as sound as when I gave it to him. Draw your own conclusions.
 
I understand that. And that's a great story, glad ya found your son's knife! I had many that did not come apart and nor have they. But two did. Same construction by the way as yours. Epoxy and unpeened pins.
 
I can't for the life of me understand using pins and not peening them.
Unless you are using those oh, so 1970s, "mosaic" pins.
 
Yup, Devcon is one that I tried and discarded. Had a couple kitchen knives returned in kit form.
The best I've found is (wierd but true) Loctite epoxy. Can't wait to try G-flex.
 
Personally I wouldn't trust the Devcon, never used it, and never plan to. Like most others have said G-Flex is the best. The JB Weld you can buy at lowes or other hardware stores works well enough for the price though. I've never had a knife handle fail when it is used with it, granted I do always use pins.
 
I rely on West Systems epoxy - usually with the clear 207 hardener. The stuff is bulletproof and cures crystal clear. My only critique is that it is fairly thin, so I end up using a bit of colloidal silica to thicken it up for structural applications. I also use G-Flex (also from West) and it is everything everyone says it is - tough and shock resistant. Good stuff.

I also have a couple of bottles of System Three T-88 structural epoxy from Woodcraft. When you mix the resin and hardener together and stir, you get a thick, viscous glue that fills gaps very well. It is about the consistency of thick snot and doesn't wet-out as well as West, but it stays where you put it and doesn't drip out. Very useful in some situations...

TedP
 
I am another one that will never use Devcon again for scales. I have had one set fail after 3 years of use and 2 others fail after around 5 years of use. All of them had pins.
 
I make a knife as though there were no such thing as epoxy.I try to make it mechanically strong through good fit up and proper fastening ,then I slather on the good old J.B.weld.
 
eric brinkerhoff said:
I make a knife as though there were no such thing as epoxy. I try to make it mechanically strong through good fit up and proper fastening.
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That's really the best answer. :thumbup:

I consider epoxies and glues to be mainly sealants. I do not rely on any of them for bonding or strength. There are just too many variables involved.
 
Walt2 said:
I am another one that will never use Devcon again for scales. I have had one set fail after 3 years of use and 2 others fail after around 5 years of use. All of them had pins.
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For those with failures, how are they failing? Pins loose, gaps, stuff squeeze out from under the scale?
 
I will add that I drill quite a few holes through my full tangs to create epoxy bridge connections from slab to slab, and if using a wood with a lot of natural oil, I will peen the pins slightly, but with dry bone, horn, or micarta in the past, I don't bother to peen.
 
One thing to watch is when you profile those scales after they're gued on, if you hit steel keep it cool. Doesn't take much heat to weaken the epoxy.
 
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