Cleaning lanyard hole?

I assume you are talking about after glue up. Sometimes I run a que tip lightly coated with 3/1 oil through the tube before glue up, always cleaning the outside with alcohol before setting it home. Epoxy always works it's way in and then I run que tips through the hole until its clean of epoxy. On that same line after I clean up the ricasso area with que tips after epoxied and clamped up, I will apply a light coat of oil to the area with a que tip. This is just my practice, it may not work for you :)
 
Find out what drill bit fits INSIDE ID of your tubing. For what I use, a #14 drill bit is just a couple thousandths bigger. I simply put in my 18V drill, hand hold the knife, and GENTLY clean out the entire thong hole tube in one pass. NOW, that's assuming that the entire tube isn't FULL of epoxy or such...... if it has a LIGHT coating inside (seems like some epoxy always sneaks in there somehow), there is little danger, but if too much "stuff" is inside the tubing, it's best to lock the knife is a padded jaw vise to prevent accidents.
 
Last edited:
That works unless you forget you stuffed it with paper ;).
I may be the odd man out but I have forgotten to clean a few holes after clamp up.
 
I dont know where I saw it but someone took a rod split it down the middle then took a piece of sandpaper put it in the slot and mounted it in their Dremal.
 
When I do a lanyard tube- I put a short length of silicone tubing (with the same OD as the lanyard's ID)--in the lanyard tube itself during glue up- nothing sticks to the silicone and when everything is dry and set- the tube pulls right out.
In the same token- I also use a sheet pan size silicone baking mat when doing all glue ups- keeps the epoxy from sticking to my bench and when dry- the epoxy peels right off of the sheet and can be used over and over.
 
I dont know where I saw it but someone took a rod split it down the middle then took a piece of sandpaper put it in the slot and mounted it in their Dremal
That is a gold nugget that most don't realize..... I use the slotted rod/sandpaper thing, only mounted in my 18v/battery drills, for an untold number of things around the shop, many of them not even knife related.
 
I saved a water heater element to use for copper tubing. Some helpful ideas here for better cleaning out the inside. Thanks, Mark for the thread.
 
I float the hole with a reamer that is to size...slow rpm....takes out any epoxy. Then a split brass rod with very fine (the grey color) scotch-brite. It will look like you polished it. It takes very little scotch-brite...if it gets hot and grabby immediately you used too much.... run it fast.

Scotch-brite model 96

 
Find out what drill bit fits INSIDE ID of your tubing. For what I use, a #14 drill bit is just a couple thousandths bigger. I simply put in my 18V drill, hand hold the knife, and GENTLY clean out the entire thong hole tube in one pass. NOW, that's assuming that the entire tube isn't FULL of epoxy or such...... if it has a LIGHT coating inside (seems like some epoxy always sneaks in there somehow), there is little danger, but if too much "stuff" is inside the tubing, it's best to lock the knife is a padded jaw vise to prevent accidents.
I do that same thing except with a reamer. Usually I’ll just chuck it up in a drill, but sometimes if I need to I’ll use a tap handle and run it down through by hand. The reamer leaves a smooth finish and you can get them in literally every size. I use one that .0005 over and it works great.
 
I use a q-tip with Unique case lube (used for reloading) and swab the inside of the tube before glue up. Then after everything is clamped up I run a q-tip through the tube to push out all of the epoxy and then another q-tip which has been dipped in acetone or alcohol. The inside is bright and shiny every time.
 
Back
Top