Peel ply removal method

[t1mpani]

Hey, just wanted to throw out a quick tip here that I hadn’t seen anyone else mention—I always shape my peel ply scales before removing the tape layer, just to keep the texture protected. Those who’ve worked with the stuff know that it can be tough to actually separate the tape from the G10 if you don’t have a sharp corner to get under. Best method I’ve found is to put one end of the scale in a vise and then run a heat gun at the other end—my particular heat gun needs about 20 seconds and the tape layer will visibly begin to separate. Just grab it with some needle nose pliers and pull! No digging with a razor blade or scratching up your scales. Works very easily and you can leave the stuff on until right at the end and keep glue/dust/grime out of it. G10 is pretty amazingly heat resistant so I think you’d have to leave heat on a LONG time to get warping—I’ve done plenty of 1/8” scales and never had a problem.

Warren

 

[t1mpani]

An update: the above method still works, but I’ve got a better one now. This obviously works best if the scales are not already glued onto the tang—I always get my scales 95% done before I glue up—but get a pot of water boiling and just suspend the scales in it for a couple minutes. I have a long wooden spoon across the top of the pot and just use a little para cord through my fastener holes so that the scales are hanging down in the water and aren’t touching the bottom of the pot (and getting cooked through almost-direct contact with a 600 degree stove burner) but after a few minutes, the ply will start peeling itself and is VERY easy to grab and finish off. Doing the heat gun method, every once in awhile I’d get a piece of the actual g10 that would tear off with the covering—rare, but certainly happened. I’ve yet to see this with boiling.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Sounds good.
Just an FYI on ligiid to gas phase transformation (boiling) - Regardless of how hot the flame or burner is, the bottom of the pot will not get any hotter than 212°F until all the water is gone.

When I was a Girl Scout leader we used to cook eggs in a paper bag over a campfire. You oil the brown paper bag and crack the eggs in it. Set on a grate or suspend over the coals. The egg cooks but the bag does not catch fire .. unless you cook te egg too long and use up all the water in the egg.

Same principle for solid to liquid phase transition (melting). Put ice in a pot of water and turn the heat to high. The water will remain 32°F until the last ice cube melts, then will rise rapidly toward the boiling point.