To blue or not to blue...

[Guy Thomas]

I'm making a neck knife with cocobolo scales that will be epoxied on. I'd like to blue the blade and the edge of the tang that will show all around the handle. Should I blue the knife first and then install the scales and pins (this would mean shaping and finishing the scales to their final fit and finish before glue up) or will it be o.k. to blue everything after epoxying the scales on and finishing them (this is how I usually do scales-glue on the slabs and shape and finish after curing)?

If I do the blueing after installing the scales would the cold
bluing solution erode the epoxy or penetrate the cocobolo wood? if the epoxy is impervious to the solution and the cocobolo is impervious to the solution and water then it really doesn't matter.
Thanks for the help!

Guy Thomas

 

[Bruce Bump]

I think I would do the bluing first and then glue them. You may have a little trouble clamping them to the tang without them moving while the epoxy drys. If you have a couple hidden pins under the scales to keep them in place it should work nicely. I usually profile and polish the edges of the scales and attach them to the finished blued blade. When the epoxy drys I finish the sides of the scales being dam carfull to not touch the edges or nick the blade and tang areas. Another way is to use fingernail polish to coat everything you dont want blued on the finished knife and dip the whole thing in bluing. I do damascus knives sometimes this way with ferric cloride for etchant.

 

[Guy Thomas]

Thanks Bruce, I decided to do the bluing first and it's a good thing too because I decided to sharpen the blade also and it looks like my oven thermometer must have been off. By the time I got to the finished edge I noticed lots of little chips and teeth in the edge so I think the edge is still too hard. It needs to go back in the oven before I do anything else! In any case the scales are totally shaped now and ready to glue on as soon as the tempering is done properly.

Guy