Scales, pins and glue. Where should I buy them?

V

voodoolord

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Jan 31, 2017
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Do you guys have a favorite supplier or manufacturer for scales, pins and glue? Are there any kits that have an assortment of all three? I need to start making some handles and really don't know what I need or who is a reliable supplier. Some user feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Do you know whether you want wood, synthetics, bone, ivory, horn or antler?

Do you want stabilized or natural?

As for kits that have everything included, the glue will likely be the thing most materials sellers don't have/include. You'll be tempted to go to home depot and buy the first fast setting glue you find. Resist that temptation and read up about the various types of glues and which is suited to knife handles and which is not.
 
I order all my stuff from Texas knife makers supply and Jantz. Mainly the first. Both have excellent customer service. As for epoxy I order this.

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Good luck!

Daniel.


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I have been wanting to try the gflex but I wish thy had them in 50ml cartarges. I use system three t-88 and get it in the cartarges and use the mixing nozzles. It allows a perfect mix and I only despence the amount I need and it comes out pre mixed. I was using another epoxy but switched to T-88 and I'm more then happy with the switch. It takes a little while to fully cure. I think thy say 72hrs to full cure but hardened over night. I love the slow curing stuff, I hate having to rush to assemble somthing becaus my epoxy is going to go off in minutes. The other nice thing is I find this system saves epoxy, especially with hidden tangs. Just put the nozzle in the hole and pump it in. This is my set up below

Photo%20Feb%2028%2C%202%2016%2018%20PM.jpg
 
JTknives said:
I have been wanting to try the gflex but I wish thy had them in 50ml cartarges. I use system three t-88 and get it in the cartarges and use the mixing nozzles. It allows a perfect mix and I only despence the amount I need and it comes out pre mixed. I was using another epoxy but switched to T-88 and I'm more then happy with the switch. It takes a little while to fully cure. I think thy say 72hrs to full cure but hardened over night. I love the slow curing stuff, I hate having to rush to assemble somthing becaus my epoxy is going to go off in minutes. The other nice thing is I find this system saves epoxy, especially with hidden tangs. Just put the nozzle in the hole and pump it in. This is my set up below

Photo%20Feb%2028%2C%202%2016%2018%20PM.jpg
Click to expand...

Couldn't decide between the stuff you got and the gflex so I went with the gflex. Don't know how it works as I am working on my first knife as we speak but hopeing to get everything epoxied tomorrow or the next day!

Daniel.


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The nice thing about T88 is it's cured enough in 12 hours to resume work, but if you screw up and need to pop the scaled off within 24, you can. Not that I've ever done that....
 
JTknives said:
I have been wanting to try the gflex but I wish thy had them in 50ml cartarges. I use system three t-88 and get it in the cartarges and use the mixing nozzles. It allows a perfect mix and I only despence the amount I need and it comes out pre mixed. I was using another epoxy but switched to T-88 and I'm more then happy with the switch. It takes a little while to fully cure. I think thy say 72hrs to full cure but hardened over night. I love the slow curing stuff, I hate having to rush to assemble somthing becaus my epoxy is going to go off in minutes. The other nice thing is I find this system saves epoxy, especially with hidden tangs. Just put the nozzle in the hole and pump it in. This is my set up below

Photo%20Feb%2028%2C%202%2016%2018%20PM.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks pretty slick. Where do you get the squeeze gun?
 
I switched to the cartridge gun because back in the day (10+ years ago) I could never get the dang epoxy dispensers to despence even even with the hand plungers. This puts the same pressure on each side and the same comes out of each side and with the mixing tubes atatched the epoxy comes out mixed and ready to use. There are a few different versions of this 50ml cartarge gun out there. I got this one from fastenal and it's made by 3M
 
Holy crap those glue guns are over $50. Its a good thing that I don't plan on making a living off of blades because I don't know if I would ever recoup my starting costs after the forge, anvil, grinder, steel, hammers, abrasives, pins, glue, scales, and whatever else. Damn expensive hobby, surprisingly so.
 
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I think I paid like $96 for mine back in the day. The nozzles from system three are like $12 for 6. But when getting the nozzles get the short square ones. 3M has nozzles for there scotch-weld which are Leah longer and more roomie inside which wasts more epoxy.

Photo%20Mar%2001%2C%2012%2028%2044.jpg
 
JTknives said:
I think I paid like $96 for mine back in the day. The nozzles from system three are like $12 for 6. But when getting the nozzles get the short square ones. 3M has nozzles for there scotch-weld which are Leah longer and more roomie inside which wasts more epoxy.

Photo%20Mar%2001%2C%2012%2028%2044.jpg
Click to expand...

Do you end up wasting a lot of epoxy using those?
 
I don't think so. You can always blow them out if you want the last drop. I find that I always mix more epoxy then I need and end up wasting it any way. But I use the nozzles for stick tangs only. If I'm just mixing some of for scales I just squeeze a little out and mix it up. The nozzles are not cheep so I only use them when i have to.
 
For epoxy i use the gflex in the 16 oz bottles through west marine. Much better deal and easier to equally dispense ive found. Heat it up in a hot water bath and you don't even need dispensers or syringes. Fills hidden tang knives with ease once you get gflex warmed up.
 
The G/Flex instructions recommend on steel to 1.abrade through wet epoxy. Says apply wet epoxy and sand. When you apply the epoxy do you just sand and clean rather than abrade?? What do you do??
Thanks Jay
 
Jwgriesser said:
The G/Flex instructions recommend on steel to 1.abrade through wet epoxy. Says apply wet epoxy and sand. When you apply the epoxy do you just sand and clean rather than abrade?? What do you do??
Thanks Jay
Click to expand...

Total newbie here so this might be the wrong way but I was going to rough up the wood and steel (So the epoxy has something to really grip.) clean and epoxy!

Daniel.


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