super glue and handles

H

Hart2345

Joined
Dec 14, 2006
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I read a thread recently and someone was talking about wicking super glue to attach the handles on full tang knives. I would like to know more about this and others opinions.

One more question, how would one go about attaching brass or stainless plate to the end of a antler and/or wood on a hidden tang, not a through tang. Glue, brazing a screw, etc.

Thanks,

PS: thanks to all for the great info a gather here everyday. I hope to become educated enough to start helping others soon.
 
Hart2345 said:
I read a thread recently and someone was talking about wicking super glue to attach the handles on full tang knives. I would like to know more about this and others opinions.



Thanks,

PS: thanks to all for the great info a gather here everyday. I hope to become educated enough to start helping others soon.
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I myself would never do it . There was another thread awhile back on epoxies where the maker stated " there is no room for super glue in knifemaking except to fill in a crack in the handle material " This is IMHO only and no offense to the person using the glue .
 
IIRC it was Bruce Bump. Maybe he will be along soon and describe the process.
 
in Bruce's thread he used super glue to bond the handle and the spacer, not the handle and the blade. I don't think super glue even sticks to metal. I hope he comes along and explains his process.

-Josiah
 
Super glue is supposed to work very well with rubber horse stall mat handle slabs, but for anything else I would use good epoxy.
 
galadduin said:
The test involves only vertical pull - shear... I wonder about the "beam shear" strength though...
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I call BS on that particular test. Too many people standing way too close to that truck, if that joint would have failed somebody could have been killed by flying debris.

Not to mention that impact resistance wasn't tested either... cause nobody ever drops a knife...
 
In Steve Johnson's (master knifemaker of some years, http://www.srjknives.com/) DVD of how to make a sub hilt fighter, he attached all his handle pieces of liner and wood with cyanoacrylate adhesive. He has a very specific methodology for doing it, specifically in the way he uses clamps and holes through the tang and liners. Seems like it'd be kind of hard to argue a case against his monumental success as a knifemaker using this technigue. Seems like I just read Bruce Bump saying something about it's being the only way to go too.
 
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Most epoxies start to degrade at 150 degrees upward. most cyanoacrylates start
to degrade a between 3 and 500 degrees. I've used it on my folders exclusively
for 8 years and 0 failures. If both surfaces are a ground clean finish it will not separate
withot leaving a layer of handle material on the steel.
Ken
 
Farmer Phil said:
In Steve Johnson's (master knifemaker of some years, http://www.srjknives.com/) DVD of how to make a sub hilt fighter, he attached all his handle pieces of liner and wood with cyanoacrylate adhesive. He has a very specific methodology for doing it, specifically in the way he uses clamps and holes through the tang and liners. Seems like it'd be kind of hard to argue a case against his monumental success as a knifemaker using this technigue. Seems like I just read Bruce Bump saying something about it's being the only way to go too.
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Ah, I was going to say that!

I have a lot of respect for him, but would it seal as good as epoxy around the edges?
 
I also use super glue for liners to handle material, as well as handle material to knife on smaller knifes. It also has several other uses in my shop such as holding parts together while shaping, glueing pins in place before peening,ect, ect, and on occasion, glueing up cuts on my fingers and hands!!
 
kc custom said:
Most epoxies start to degrade at 150 degrees upward. most cyanoacrylates start
to degrade a between 3 and 500 degrees. I've used it on my folders exclusively
for 8 years and 0 failures. If both surfaces are a ground clean finish it will not separate
withot leaving a layer of handle material on the steel.
Ken
Click to expand...

I'm trying one, but still feeling my way through the process. Bruce described wicking and I'm gonna have to ask him what exactly he means.

What I'd like to ask you, is what you surface prep is like. the test knife here is sanded to 120 on the tang and scales, pins are done with 60 grit roughing up. I'm just leaving it clamped up overnight and will look in sunlight to see if I can find any spots not saturated in the morning.
 
Sorry guys, I just read this thread. Dont forget we are talking about attaching scales with or without fiber backing to a full tang. For hidden tang knives you have to use epoxy because it fills the mega gaps inside the handle.

Make sure you have all the surfaces flat and clamped together. I like corby bolts because they hold very well even if there were no glue all but I do it this way even if I'm using pins. I drill the pin holes one number size larger and rough up the pin with 220 grit belt. Just go ahead and assemble the scales with the bolts and pins in place and inspect the fit around everthing. There should be no gaps anywhere. If there are gaps they must be fixed now. When you are satisfied with the fit clamp it and dribble a good brand like EZ Bond Thin super glue around all the joints. It will wick into the joints and seal and glue the scales on.
If I'm in a big hurry I shoot the accelerator on it and it dries immediately. I wick the glue around the bolts or pins too.
 
koyote said:
I'm trying one, but still feeling my way through the process. Bruce described wicking and I'm gonna have to ask him what exactly he means.

What I'd like to ask you, is what you surface prep is like. the test knife here is sanded to 120 on the tang and scales, pins are done with 60 grit roughing up. I'm just leaving it clamped up overnight and will look in sunlight to see if I can find any spots not saturated in the morning.
Click to expand...

As for the grit finish, I hand rub to 400-600 on the ricasso and blade. The tang is still about 220 and the scales or fiber is about the same. Its not important really. It will stick unless you flex the heck out of the handle. No handle can take abuse.
Dont over tighten the corby bolts or the scales will warp and show a gap usually in the front ricasso area.
 
I'll stay out of the cyanoacrylic glue war (other than to say that no super glue will work or last like a good 24 hour epoxy....that is why they don't build boats out of super glue).

As to the butt plate:
Hard solder or braze (braze is better) a flat head screw or bolt on the plate. Drill the handle (stag or wood) out to seat the plate. Pre-shape the plate slightly oversize. Glue the plate on with good epoxy and let fully cure. Shape the plate slowly, avoiding getting it hot (which it will if you grind too fast or hard). Sand and polish.

Some tips:
This is a good technique where drilling the stag crown when a thru tang is impossible due to the curve.

An antique coin, especially a silver dime or quarter , looks really nice inlaid into the crown this way.With the screw attached,it is much more secure than just making a recess and gluing the coin in. Such coins are cheap on ebay.

Other objects can be mounted on a handle butt ( or side) this way - Engraved disks (great for a presentation knife), club logo pins, small emblems, fancy escutcheons, conchos, etc. On many of these items you will have to use soft solder to attach the screw.

When doing an engraved disk, do all the fitting and sanding first. Polish the disk and take/send to the engraver. When you get it back, put a circle of tape over it before gluing it in place. This greatly aids in cleanup, and avoids scratching the disk.


Stacy
 
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