Epoxy question

Chas.

Member
I'm about to the point that I can glue the scales on my first knife. So, I went over to the ACE hardware to get some epoxy. Holy Cow!! There must have been a gazillion brands/types. I ended up buying Loctite brand slow-set. Other than fast/slow set, are there really any differences in brands of epoxy.
 
Yes, according to a master smith who did some research into the matter, some epoxies will break down over time. Others have a short shelf life. Some are not very water resistant. I've had store brands that wouldn't set even when mixed according to directions. I use Acraglass bedding compound. It's rated to last at least 10 years and probably does a lot longer than that. There is also a brand of marine epoxy that also highly rated and I believe Tracy carries it at USA Knife Maker Supply.

Doug
 
Heres another vote for Acra Glass, just make sure the stuff you put it on is supposed to be glued....FOREVER!!!!

I recently took some beautiful Cocobola scales off a knife I made 2 years ago, the only way I could get them to come off was to grind them off. I even left in the freezer for about a week, tried soaking them in acetone, nothing- nada, zip! Now your going to look it up and see that you can buy this little kit that the description says it will do, "one rifle or a lot of knives", the only problem I see with getting this little kit is has other stuff in it that I will never use, some sort of white fluffy kinda stuff. I don't know what it's called, and a couple of tiny little tubes of paint, to color the epoxy. You can use acrylic paint from the art store to do that, and if you get the smallest bottle they have, you'll be hard pressed to use it all in your life time. Now the reason I said all of that is to say this, they sell the Resin and the Hardner in big bottles, that will cost a little more than the kit, BUT, it will last a mighty long time. If you do decide to go with AcraGlass, I suggest you go by a farm store (that's where I got mine), where they sell medicine or injectable vitamins for large animals. Ask if they give a break on buying an entire box, you might save a little money that way, you may not, I didn't. I got the 3cc size , I bought 20 of them, with NO price break, I shouldn't complain I think they were about .15 cents each. They were plenty big enough for the last knives I glued up. The syringes are for measuring the 2 different parts accurately. The first time I mixed up AcraGlass I wasted the better part of an ounce, from that same kit I mentioned earlier, believe it or not I am still using the first kit I bought 2 years ago!

BTW, the Mastersmith y'all are reffering to is, Ed Caffrey, he was the one that had knives coming back with the handle scales popped off, he was the one that chased down the reps and dug up all the info WE needed to know about the better epoxies for us to use, and what to steer clear of.

And Doug, the Marine Epoxy you were thinking of, is it West Systems? Now that is another epoxy that I would use if I couldn't get AccraGlass. It's great stuff and the way it can be....err, what do you call it? Adjusted? I'll just say it like this, you can get the hardner in 3 different...I have no idea what to call it, 3 different recipes so that the user to can make it anything from 5 second epoxy depending on the temps in the shop, to 24 hour slow curing. It is highly adjustable, that's not right either. Doug , can you put it into words that I can't seem to come up with? Chas, you could google "West System Epoxy", and find out everything you need to know about it. I jut saw where Michael put some links on the last post, it's probably there.

There is also a thread on KD that was called "Epoxy Wars", this was Boss Dog and a few other guys testing different epoxies and posting their pics and results, some info on that thread. Especially for a newbie like ME!

Hope this helps, Rex
 
Back
Top