New scale glue up method

SteelSlaver

SteelSlaver

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Feb 17, 2007
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I was getting ready to epoxy the scales on a batch of 5 blades the other day. Was hauling out the clamps and getting ready to fit and cut some pin stock (mosaic in this case) and lanyard tube.
I kind of hate this part. It is always kind of messy and trying to align the 3 rigid pins perfectly always sucks. I use 1/4 pins and drill 17/64 holes.

Idea.
I went to the hardware store and got 3 ft of that whitish plastic tubing. ($.45) Not PVC or the clear stuff , but the stuff in between. Anyway the 1/4" od stuff was a fairly tight slip fit in my holes. Then, I got 15-1 1/2"x8-32 machine screws, ($2.10) and 15-8-32 wing nuts ($3.00). I had some small washers at home, but could have got 30 for $1.20. The 8-32 bolts are a nice tight slip fit inside the tubing.

I cut some of the tubing into pieces about 5/8". I put a washer on every screw. Then I took a scale and slipped in 3 pieces of tube and put epoxy on the matching side of the knife and then put on the scale. It was easy and simple. The flex of the tube helped get them all aligned . Then I did the other scale and on it went, helped by the flex of the tube. Then I put a machine screw thru each piece of tube, added a washer and a wing nut to each and tighten up enough to snug the scales and squish out a bit of epoxy around the scales. Clean up. Next morning removed all the screws and washers. Then used my 17/64 bit to redrill the holes. Plastic tube drilled right out to leave me with nice clean perfectly aligned holes. Took all the time I wanted to cut and fit the pins and lanyard tube and epoxy them in place getting the orientation of the mosaic pins perfect.

On damascus blades you could use this setup to hold the scales in perfect place to grind and finish the scales to meet the steel. Then remove, etch the blade, glue up scales and then when hard remove the bolts, drill the tubing out and replace with pins. Then finish the sides of the scales.
 
Had to read it a few times to get it, but that sounds really good! I'll have to give that a try!, Thanks for sharing :D :thumbup:

Jason
 
Good idea, I'm going to have to try it.

Wonder how it'll work with the Loctite Depend 300 I've started playing
with. I assume epoxy doesn't stick to the type of tubing you specify.
 
DSCF0111.jpg

Here is a picture of what I used. Basically use the plastic tube to align everything. Insert the machine bolts to stiffen and straighten up even more then, install and tighten the wing nuts to tighten it up uniformly for the epoxy to harden. When hard remove the bolts then drill out the plastic tube
 
Good trick, I use wooden dowels the same way.

Another great trick when using mosaic rivets is to make a small hacksaw cut from 12 O'clock to 6 O'clock on one end of each rivet. Make sure the cut runs the way you want the rivets to show. When the pins are all inserted and everything is clamped, use a small screwdriver to turn them all to the proper alignment. Nothing sticks out worse than mis-aligned mosaic rivets.
 
I always leave my mosaics about 1/8" proud of the handle on either side. When the handle is glued up and clamped, I just use a set of needle nose pliers to gently grasp the exposed pin and rotate it to alignment, then set it aside for the epoxy to dry. I'd much rather do the glue-up once and then be able to shape the next day.

--nathan
 
silver_pilate said:
I'd much rather do the glue-up once and then be able to shape the next day.
--nathan
Click to expand...

Good point. Main thing I liked about this was it was easier to get the flexible tube to line up than the rigid pins.

I super glue one scale to a blank then drill that blank. Mark the outline to cut of excess. Then remove match the drilled scale to its mate and then drill thru the first into the undrilled scale. Then I align the second scale to the blank with 1/4 bolts and mark its outline. Cut both scales close to the line. Bolt them together and grind and sand the blade ends to finish so they match. Then, I unbolt them and epoxy to the blank. Because my holes are pretty tight it is sometimes difficult to align them with the rigid pines. This was easy to align and then easy to clamp tight. I cheated and used Kwik JB weld to install the pins. I really doubt you would ever get the pins loose with this glue and the scales were epoxied with accuglass. I am sure they are on to stay.

Each to there own. I liked this way of doing it and tossed it out there.
 
silver_pilate said:
I always leave my mosaics about 1/8" proud of the handle on either side. When the handle is glued up and clamped, I just use a set of needle nose pliers to gently grasp the exposed pin and rotate it to alignment, then set it aside for the epoxy to dry. I'd much rather do the glue-up once and then be able to shape the next day.

--nathan
Click to expand...

I agree with that Nathan .
 
That's a great idea! I'm gonna try it next time. Hopefully it'll mean a little less clean-up for me; I tend to get a little vigorous when putting on scales like I have been.
 
What no knife photos! Dang Jim, you know I've got a thing for your work. The new "jigs/clamps" are cool though!
 
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