Where to buy bladebond/ other epoxy

Greenberg Woods

Greenberg Woods

Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
2,697
Hey guys, I want to restock on some epoxy and wanted to try the blade bond hidden tang epoxy, but I dont know where to get it from. I normally try to buy all my sundries from Alpha knife supply, since Chuck is a great guy and a forum supported, but he doesnt seem to have it.

Anyone have a recommendation? Also a general adhesive recommendation thread.
 
I just ordered song blade bond ultra from knife kits.com but don't know if they carry HT.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Ben, I have some Bladebond and other epoxies I don't use, all new
give me a call
 
From what I understand, it is no different from other structural epoxies like System Three T-88. T-88 is $22 for a 16oz kit. Bladebond is $28 for an 8 oz kit. Maybe they re-package some good grade structural resin and sell it as a knifemaker specialty product for twice the price.

I can say that System Three T-88 and West System G-flex meet every knifemaker requirement that I ever found.

For hidden tangs, I use System Three mirror coat or clear coat. It is very thin and pours right down the hole. It is not a thinned resin, but a 100% solids type. It cures HARD. The slow cure allows doing multiple knives at one time. You have time to check and adjust the blades and handles, then clean up the excess without rushing to get it done.
A 16oz kit is $40, as opposed to a 6oz kit of bladebond-HT for $17.

One other thing is the fast cure time of Bladebond. This is accomplished by putting in more peroxides as accelerators. This makes for a weaker resin. While it may be more than strong enough, I would highly suggest that all knife bonding be done with 24 hour resin. It helps prevent errors as well as makes the strongest bond.
 
Stacy I have been using G flex for most everything. Since the T-88 is a bit cheaper where would you use one over the other?

Thanks.
 
I have been using Bob Smith Slow cure without any complaints. I can get it locally, and you may be able to as well at a hobby shop. My local is Hobby works.
 
Maelstrom78 said:
Stacy I have been using G flex for most everything. Since the T-88 is a bit cheaper where would you use one over the other?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I am partial to T-88. I get it locally from Woodcraft. Another good attribute is a very long shelf life. G-flex is also good. Potayto-Potahto.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
From what I understand, it is no different from other structural epoxies like System Three T-88. T-88 is $22 for a 16oz kit. Bladebond is $28 for an 8 oz kit. Maybe they re-package some good grade structural resin and sell it as a knifemaker specialty product for twice the price.

I can say that System Three T-88 and West System G-flex meet every knifemaker requirement that I ever found.

For hidden tangs, I use System Three mirror coat or clear coat. It is very thin and pours right down the hole. It is not a thinned resin, but a 100% solids type. It cures HARD. The slow cure allows doing multiple knives at one time. You have time to check and adjust the blades and handles, then clean up the excess without rushing to get it done.
A 16oz kit is $40, as opposed to a 6oz kit of bladebond-HT for $17.

One other thing is the fast cure time of Bladebond. This is accomplished by putting in more peroxides as accelerators. This makes for a weaker resin. While it may be more than strong enough, I would highly suggest that all knife bonding be done with 24 hour resin. It helps prevent errors as well as makes the strongest bond.
Click to expand...

Have you ever talked to the person who produces it or are you just repeating what you heard?
 
I stated that from what I know, it is the same as other structural epoxies. This is base on the info provided by the sellers and reviews from users. I have not used it because it is very overpriced ... and I use a good epoxy that I buy in 16oz bottles for a third the price.

My comment on it possibly being a commercial brand re-packaged is based on many suppliers who offer a product that they sell. The K&G epoxy is made by someone and packaged by K&G in their bottles. Other companies do this too. That would be the only reason I could see for the higher price.
 
On the topic of epoxy, I know a lot of makers have been switching to using denatured alcohol recently to clean steel before gluing rather than acetone.

Thoughts on this? For steel I still don't clean the surface, I just go to the grinder with a sharp 50 grit and clean up the sides there. My idea being there can't be oils on a surface exposed to the air a few seconds ago.
 
I think what's best is to check with the manufacturer of the epoxy. Someone smarter than me told me that those nerds that live in a lab, manufacture this stuff for airplanes, space shuttles, and other very important reasons. It will however, work for our purposes. Call the manufacturer, they'll give you the skinny on how to prep.
 
We use west systems gflex or acts glas but mostly gflex. It's strong as as all get out, weather and water proof. It's also cheap for the amount you get. I also like alcohol for clean up not acetone.
 
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