Started using a new epoxy and it seem great is any one els using it?

dogwood dan

dogwood dan

Joined
Aug 19, 2011
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I started using west marina's g flex epoxy ( I got it from alpha) apart from the long work time I am very expressed with it's adhesion. We had to rehandle a knife in the shop this week, the usual method is to take a framing chisel place it against the join of tang and slap and give it a few hits with a dead blow. We will. Need a new method, the layer of linen in the micarta liners separated befor the the glue joint did. Has any one els used this epoxy and have they also had good results?
 
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I have it and it is good stuff.

Good luck taking the scales off, I cracked some antique micarta scales with my half ton press today and am figuring out how to remove them, even a hammer does nothing. Last time I submerged the blade in water and blow torched the scales until the epoxy degraded, it took all day to remove them.
 
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I'm really impressed with this product. The open time is huge. I can glue up 7 knives per mix. It never hardens up on me. I'm not even rushing. It cleans up easier than 30 minute I think also. I'm just not having to fight at cleanup as much. Anyone else find this?

Last week as Dan said I had to scrap a scale. Man, I thought I'd never get it off. The micarta liner layer (1/8" thick) delaminated rather than the glue shearing. Picture this. I've got the knife blade down in a vise with the leading edge of the scales on the top of the vise. I've lined up a large old framing chisel with the glue joint and hitting it with a hammer. Rather than failing, the inner micarta layer delaminated rather than the joint giving way. That was with 1/8" micarta pins too. I was impressed. I had to grind off the left over micarta. Yikes!
 
I've been using it for about a year and am very impressed with it. I clean the blade and ricasso with alcohol after it gets just a bit tacky. It wipes right off and don't have to worry about further cleanup.
 
I use it and love it!
 
Another vote here! I started out with Devcon, tried Arcaglass, and finally settled on the G-Flex from West Systems. No complaints, even after hammering on test pieces with tons of force.

In hot weather it tends to be a bit runny and messier so I took a tip from the Bybees at Alpha and I keep it in the fridge. Just take it out about fifteen minutes before use and you're good to go. Supposed to extend the shelf life as well, but I go through the 32 oz. bottles quick enough that it's not a concern either way.
 
Ditto. The G-flex is what I have been using too.

Mike L.
LoGiudice Custom Knives
 
Sounds like G-flex sticks good...

heat or acetone will soften a lot of epoxies. Next time you have to remove a handle try heating the knife in an oven below temper temperature, and then getting it into a vise and chiseling the scale off before everything cools off. Soaking in acetone is another possibility, but it will probably take a really long time with something as big as a knife handle for the acetone to work it's way in
 
That's all I use too. I got lucky on the handles I had to pop off. I also use a chisel and I guess, fortunately for me there was g-10 against the tang so the g-10 stayed together and I was able to get it off the metal with minimal scraping afterwords.
 
jonnymac44 said:
Another vote here! I started out with Devcon, tried Arcaglass, and finally settled on the G-Flex from West Systems. No complaints, even after hammering on test pieces with tons of force.

In hot weather it tends to be a bit runny and messier so I took a tip from the Bybees at Alpha and I keep it in the fridge. Just take it out about fifteen minutes before use and you're good to go. Supposed to extend the shelf life as well, but I go through the 32 oz. bottles quick enough that it's not a concern either way.
Click to expand...

That's funny Jonny, I usually have to warm mine up here! :D
 
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