Warning: New guy seeking advice

C

CDH

Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
283
Howdy!

I hope I can refrain from boring you with too many inane questions. I lurked for a while before the forums because registered only, and I am just getting back into the garage for some work, so I decided to register.

Here's where I am with my knife making. I have ground several from barstock with mixed results. I have made or finished a couple of kitchen knives that are fine cutting instruments but I see lots of room for improvement. My poor grinding equipment (and low budget) makes grinding from barstock a real chore, so I moved into assembling pre-ground blanks from TKS. While much easier, I am quickly noticing some quality issues with these blanks, mostly rounded edges everywhere, but I am getting a lot of practice finishing handles. Some examples:

P4270010_edited.jpg

Top 440C BBQ fork from TKS, mesquite I cut and seasoned (2+ years), Loveless bolts
Middle, one of the ones below nearly complete
Bottom, 440C from barstock, basically a copy of a Heinkel 5 star, nickel silver rivits, HT by TKS

P5090019_edited.jpg

Mother's day gifts to my wife, mother, and Mother-in-Law
Blanks from TKS, cryo treated 440C, maroon linen micarta, nickel silver pins

So I have one problem thus far that I could use some advice with. In epoxying the slabs, the extra coming out the front is giving me trouble. With micarta I just wax the slabs and it peels right off. With wood though, the wax soaks in enough that the finish will not penetrate, leaving an ugly line. I can sand it down, but inevitably scratch the blade in doing so. Tape still leaves a small line to deal with.

Suggestions?

Gentle critiques of my work thus far?

Anyone with a good source for high quality blanks? While the ones I have gotten thus far from TKS are good working knives, the lack of 'crispness' is leaving me underwhelmed, as is the lack of top grade steel like ATS34 and above.
 
not trying to be a smartass, but use a whole lot less epoxy. Squeegee majority of it off before you slap em together. If you have some materials around you can experiment with, practice using less and less till you get it with minimal excess. Roughing up the bottom of the handle, and the tang will help with adhesion also.
 
The excess is a small bead...but I'm pretty anal about getting it all cleaned off without damaging the blade finish.

If I don't see some epoxy weep out I have no guarantee of a good seal. Since these include kitchen knives having any crevice is unsanitary and unacceptable.

I do rough up the mating surfaces and have one in service (and my wife uses the heck out of it) about 1.5 years (new kids in the family made me quit knife making for a while) without any problems with the epoxy joint. It is just the marring of the finish while cleaning that small bead up that irks me. Clean it wet and it spears all over the front of the scales. Clean it set and it scratches the finish. Clean it at an intermediate time and usually get both problems.
 
lol, I just put on my handle scales and i have epoxy everywere, and I have no idea how I'm going to get it all off of the front area you are talking about. I guess I have a lot of sanding to do, fortuantely for me though I made the blade myself and it isn't finished yet soI'm not worried about scratching it.
 
CDH,
I'd like to chat with you, I think I may be able to help you out some, with the finish on the handles and with the blanks.
www.ealyknives.com send me an email with your phone # and a good time to call you.
batwharny.jpg

maplecroc.jpg

Thanks,
del
 
I have a can of goop off on my bench. I also have rags and Qtips. I drop of goop off on a Qtip will wipe away a lot of epoxie
 
Just relaying a tip I learned here:

Take a piece of copper and put a chisel grind on it. You can use this to scrape off excess epoxy and it will not scratch the steel.

Clark
VV
 
villainvomit said:
Just relaying a tip I learned here:

Take a piece of copper and put a chisel grind on it. You can use this to scrape off excess epoxy and it will not scratch the steel.

Clark
VV
Click to expand...

I made a brass scraper, and use it, similar to the copper chisel. I try to get it as sharp as I can like a razor with the grind on only one side, so that I can use it to cut the excess epoxy right up against the bolster or handle material.

I also wipe off as much of the excess as I can with a Q-tip, with acetone on it, while the epoxy is still wet.
 
Duh! <smacking self in forehead>

I have ground a brass scraper for removing excess solder in front of guards...and that would work on epoxy just fine. I'll have to be careful to not gouge the wood, but it'll work.

Thanks all!
 
First, sand and polish the ends of the scales prior to mounting. When you glue up the handle, wipe off the excess epoxy at the ricasso, and then wipe it with a paper towel dampened in acetone. As the epoxy sets up, wipe again with acetone. When it is firmly set up but not cured, wipe well and let dry. Acetone will remove cured epoxy, too. It takes a bit of rubbing and wiping, but it will come off. another tip is not to clamp the scales too hard. It will squeeze out all the epoxy and the scales will pop loose easily. Use just enough pressure to hold firmly , but not to squeeze hard.
Stacy
 
On getting the right amount of epoxy on the blade to start with, this works for me--
I took an old putty knife and using a dremel with cutoff wheel I cut a series of slots in the end so it kind of looks like the trowel used by tile layers to put the right amount of morter on the tile. After mixing the epoxy, I use the putty knife in the same way the trowel is used to apply the mix.
Since I'm not a paying member, I can't post a picture, but it looks something like that below

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ron
 
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