just starting knife making have about 5 books but as always they never give you all the details. starting out with precut damacucs blanks tanto blades. is a bolster really nessary or can i just use wood. ordering west systems 105a resin with 206 30min. hardener any tips on keeping this stuff from drying out in the bottle oh useing mini pump system.
oddball new member
- Thread starter oddball
- Start date
arock
Well-Known Member
I'm still a newbe myself but i know you dont need bolsters if you dont want them. you dont even need wood you can wrap you handle with cord or hemp. Its all what you like thats the best part of knife making it doesnt if have to be pretty as long as its usable then work on looks. and remember your first doesn't have to be perfect because as you go you learn and get better.
TacticallySharp
KNIFE MAKER
I started using 105 and 206. Just keep them separate and out of the sun. Don't apply it when it's raining as it will take forever to dry. The 1:5 ratio is important. I now use West Systems GFlex it seems to work better for knives. 1:1 ratio, no pumps, and dries just a bit quicker. I still have some 105 and use it when making custom micarta.
I make knives with or without bolsters, depending on my design or mood.
I make knives with or without bolsters, depending on my design or mood.
thanks for the info i will give the flex system a try. i would like to make my knives fancy but strong and reliable. used to make gun stocks so i have some fancy walnut on hand. that and i just like fancy my dream knife is a 4 edge dagger with the last 2 starting half way up. but thats just the start im oddball for a reason it is different and extremly wicked. but have to learn 1st and get some more equipment before i can do anything but pre stamped out knives.
rhinoknives
Well-Known Member
Oddball,
Welcome to the pack! There are many ways to design and make a knife.
Have fun!
Welcome to the pack! There are many ways to design and make a knife.
Have fun!
West System is a bit picky about how it gets mixed together. It is always better to have just a little extra hardener vs. just a little under the ratio you are working with. A little extra hardener won't hurt it, it will just set up slightly quicker. It also doesn't like to work below 70F degrees. High humidity tends to leave it a bit sticky and slower to cure. It will still cure, you just need to give it a little longer.
The gflex epoxy is really growing in popularity. It has some type of impact modifier in it that improves resistance to shock sheer forces. It takes dye well and is strong, water resistant. It is relatively new. It is put out by the West System people that sell primarily to boat and airplane builders. You know it has been lawyer proofed for liability when it goes into boats or planes.
I routinely use superglue to bond two pieces of material together to drill a hole. I then take a hammer and tap one of the pieces on the edge to pop it off. That is shock sheer force and superglue does a horrible job standing up to that. It has great tensile strength, fair sheer strength, poor shock sheer strength. The gflex stuff was designed to handle that shock sheering load from say a knife being dropped to concrete and landing just right on the edge of handle scale.
The gflex epoxy is really growing in popularity. It has some type of impact modifier in it that improves resistance to shock sheer forces. It takes dye well and is strong, water resistant. It is relatively new. It is put out by the West System people that sell primarily to boat and airplane builders. You know it has been lawyer proofed for liability when it goes into boats or planes.
I routinely use superglue to bond two pieces of material together to drill a hole. I then take a hammer and tap one of the pieces on the edge to pop it off. That is shock sheer force and superglue does a horrible job standing up to that. It has great tensile strength, fair sheer strength, poor shock sheer strength. The gflex stuff was designed to handle that shock sheering load from say a knife being dropped to concrete and landing just right on the edge of handle scale.