Newbie Question: Epoxy on the ricasso

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Dave Hub

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Dec 10, 2014
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I just glued the scales onto my first knife (fixed blade hunter style) and there is a thin bead of epoxy on the front of the scales. What's the best way to remove it?

I have searched the forums and have not been able to find the answer. Thanks for your help.
 
most of us work really hard to clean that area while the epoxy is wet. I'll clean mine upwards of 10 times while it cures. I use a little alcohol and q-tips or gun cleaning patches.

if yours is hard already i have no idea how to clean it out without risking marring the finish on the blade.
 
One follow up question, when gluing up the scales, should I not spread epoxy on the front?
 
JeridJohnson said:
most of us work really hard to clean that area while the epoxy is wet. I'll clean mine upwards of 10 times while it cures. I use a little alcohol and q-tips or gun cleaning patches.

if yours is hard already i have no idea how to clean it out without risking marring the finish on the blade.
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Yeah, it has hardened already. Didn't notice it when I did the glue up. Like I said, it's my first knife, so lot's of lessons learned.
 
Wipe it off befor it's hard


Now make a chisel / knife out of brass

The softer brass will not mark the steel.
 
You gotta check it over and over again after you clamp up the handle. I check about every 20 minutes for a few hours. I wipe away the excess with q-tips and acetone. I only make one pass with the Q-tip so it doesn't get epoxy on it and then smudge back across it. Sometimes I'll pinch/pull the cotton on the Q-tip so it sticks out a little bit so it can really get in the crook of the blade/handle transition.

There's times when I can't get to sleep at night after clamping up a handle. I have to go check on it another time. The only way to clean up hardened epoxy on the blade is to remove the handle and get after it with sand paper. Otherwise the scratch pattern will not run continuously under the scales/handle.

I made the mistake too when I was newer. Don't worry, it happens and is what knifemaking is all about.
 
Your best option is probably to cut flush with the scale with an exacto knife. Angle the blade a bit and keep it really close to the scale. It will leave a line, but it will be right at the scale/ricasso junction.
 
I have seen someone use a single edged razor blade to gently scrape/chip the epoxy off. However, I'm still trying to figure out how he didn't scratch his satin finish. As mentioned above, I think that making a chisel out of softer metal than the steel would be the best option. Good luck!
 
If its harden its too late.Try your best to remove it with a paper cutter as close to the scale as kdog above said.What i would do then as it is your first knife is to find an nice elaborate stencil and electroetch the ricasso on both sides to cover it up.I am new too so dont take my word for it ;)
 
I would follow counts suggestion of making a brass scraper. Shouldn't scratch the steel but watch your handle material. I have done this to get solder off the blade.
 
Third on the brass scraper. If you get any brass left behind on the metal you can clean it with gun bore copper fouling solvent.

I don't wipe anything down. I pre-tape everywhere I don't want epoxy to stick to with clear tape, so even if it squirts out between the guard and blade, all that is really happening is a bead of epoxy is gluing two pieces of tape to each other.

I prefer this method because it is less nerve-wracking than wiping and there are no concerns with alcohol/acetone damaging the bonds inside the handle.
 
Take a hair dryer and heat the epoxy a little at a time. Try to only heat the front. If you have a pen type butane torch it may have an attachment that is used for heat shrink and it will be easier to contain the heat to just the front. Be careful not to burn the scales. Once it begins to soften you can cut/peel it off.

As for next time, if using quick set epoxy you can wait until it is kind of rubbery and peel it off clean. It usually takes 5-10 minutes depending on the temperature. If using slow setting epoxy it is best to do what others have said and wipe it off before it hardens.
 
I'll tell you guys a little trick. Carefully apply "CA Glue Evaporator" (super glue remover) and let it set for 10 minutes or so, then gently scrape with an ivory or micarta scraper (sharpened to a chisel shape), following the direction of your finish. It may not work with all epoxies, but it will work with many.


In the future, before the epoxy dries, the best way to remove this is using WD-40 soaked q-tip. The WD-40 works better than alcohol and leaves behind oil that keeps epoxy from sticking. I never use wd-40 for lubricating, but it works great for cleaning.
 
The super glue solvent is just a fancy acetone type solvent. Regular acetone will dissolve hardened epoxy. Wipe, rub, wipe, rub. It takes from a few seconds for a thin film, to a minute or two for a thick spot.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The super glue solvent is just a fancy acetone type solvent. Regular acetone will dissolve hardened epoxy. Wipe, rub, wipe, rub. It takes from a few seconds for a thin film, to a minute or two for a thick spot.
Click to expand...

That's really a surprising statement. The composites industry commonly uses acetone when cleaning joins between previously cured carbon fiber sub-assemblies. If acetone dissolves even hardened epoxy, the sub-assemblies should be compromised by that practice.

I have also read that carbon fiber is effectively not recyclable because there is no way to separate the fibers from the matrix, so I'm interested in what acetone does.
 
I use a small piece of scrap brass to clean up any epoxy that I may miss.

Also I've found that baby wipes work really well for cleaning up the squeeze-out (before it hardens obviously)
 
I don't even bother trying to wipe off the ricasso when epoxying a handle. I just let it go where ever, as most of it will get trimmed off on the bandsaw after curing. The ricasso area I use a small brass chisel, which is nothing more than some 1/8" brazing rod that I bevels to a point. Since my ricasso is usually fairly polished, it pops right off with minimal effort. Any stubborn spots loosen up readily with a little dab of acetone.
 
Just wiping an epoxy based object with acetone won't suddenly delaminate it ... but soaking will damage it. Many composites are phenolic resin based, and do not have a realistic solvent.

I, and most people who deal with epoxied metal things, dissolve it by placing the item in a sealed container of acetone. In a few hours to a day all the epoxy is gone and the parts are laying separately on the bottom.

Obviously, this won't work on a knife with a handle, but any epoxy that has dripped down a blade is easily removed by brisk rubbing with a rag and acetone.
I have to wipe down every batch pf knifes I make with acetone. Even trying as hard as I can to wipe all drips and smudges with denatured alcohol during glue-up, there is always an epoxy glove print or drip on every blade. A few rubs and it is gone.
 
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