Glue Up Mistake

wmhammond

Well-Known Member
I've created a giant mess and need some help to clean it up. Last night I glued up a hidden tang knife. The blade was no big deal - 1095 w/ a Hamon. The handle, however, is a big deal - Ringed Gidgee that I bought from Austrailia $40 for the block and $40 to ship it here. In addition I have over 3 hours invested in hand carving and sanding the handle. When I glued it up (by the way I glued it with Brownells Acraglas epoxy) and clamped it up I didnt notice it but the blade set slanted to the side in the handle (see the photo, it slants to the left of center). Question is: Is there any way I can soften the glue and pull the blade back out of the handle and save the handle. I've noticed that Hardened Acraglas will soften when heated so I'm wondering if I can heat the blade with a torch and let the heat travel down the tang and soften the glue in the handle enough so that I can pull it out? Any other Ideas would be appreciated Thanks, Wallace PS Sorry the photos are so crapy.
 

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perhaps a heat gun would work better than a torch, I think that there would be less of a chance of burning the wood. you can get a heat gun from harbor freight fo less than 20.00, I believe
 
OH NUTS! That very thing is what made me change my process. On a hidden tang like that, I cut a piece of guard material off a bar.....fit to the tang, finish the front face, and leave it in bar form. Then I cut the tang hole in a full block of the chosen handle material, make sure the mating faces between guard and handle material is gap free, then cover the blade and face of guard with vaseline.....and glue the guard/handle WITHOUT and shaping. Once the acraglas is cured, I clean off the vaseline, and everything is shaped/finished down as a single unit..... with LOTS of looking as I go to ensure things stay alined.

Anyway, In order to get it to release, it's going to require about 285F. You won't be able to do it with a torch or heat gun, without risking wrecking the heat treat.

I can't for sure say that this won't scorch the wood, but my recommendation is the kitchen oven. Pre-heat it to 290-300F, let it pre-heat, then put the knife in there for about 10 mins to start...... have your gloves ready, and as soon as it comes out, try to gently pull the handle....if it won't budge, give it another 5 mins, and try again. When acraglas "lets go", it's VERY thick and gummy.....so just be aware. Hopefully that helps.... personally my success rate using this methodology was about 50%.... which is one reason I changed my assembly methods as described above.
 
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I've done what Ed described and it worked for me. Just be sure you don't exceed your tempering temperature.

Doug
 
I have just made a boo boo on a hidden tang knife so feel your pain!

Mine was the epoxy has not gone off and so is still slighty tacky, I think as I mixed a colourant into it before mixing the glue separately?

I know the solution to my issue is to freeze the knife and the pins should just pop out when hit with a punch and hammer sharply. I am hoping the scales will pop off too and I had a knife do the same years ago and this worked.

Might be another approach before you heat up the handle?......can you twist the handle or will you be able to ease it backwards with a drift of some sort? Just remember to turn your freezer down to its lowest setting and act quick whilst the resin is frozen and can be shocked to free.

This method will even work on fully set epoxy.

Good luck

Edit

I just removed the scale after only having the knife in the freezer for 2 hrs, hit the pins and a gentle tap on the scales and everting fell apart easily. Might be worth a try for you.
 
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Ouch, that's a bummer. I do what Ed does - all shaping after it's together. I just make sure things fit nice and flush and then glue it up.

I like doing it this way because I can make sure all the different contours, etc. match up for both sides. I may be a little "OCD" in that department as I use my digital calipers to measure.
 
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