I had less than good results with Gorilla glue and try to use Loctite 330 as the base for me. But again I wonder what is the favorite used by most? I look forward to the answers.

I use Accra-Glass (rifle bedding compound) from Brownell's for all my handle applications. Of course the varieties of "super" glues have many different uses in the shop too.

Any of the epoxies that the knife suppliers sell have been proven as well as they can, in the number of years that they've been in existence. Super glues are great, also.

I use shafting epoxy from golfsmith.com. Can you think of anything that gets more abuse than the head of a golf club? At least my clubs. :D

A.T.

Me too, A.T. - I have been using it for several years now, and like it better than anything else I have tried.

A.T. and Don, which epoxies are you using from Golfsmith? They have several different ones on their site.

FWIW, these are the cold months. Don't forget to cure your epoxy in warm spot. I forgot! luckly it was only some spacer and not on a knife just. The stuff just doesn't cure in 60 degree temps.

I use the home oven. Put on the lowest setting, wait a while. Then turn the oven off and pop the blade in, leave over night.

I gotta try that golf club stuff. Just about out of acraglas. Thanks for the idea.

Steve

A.T. and Don, which epoxies are you using from Golfsmith? They have several different ones on their site.

http://golfsmith.com/ppage.php?stynum=9098&fcst=GSI_WEB

A.T.

Thanks A. T. I'm going to order some this morning and give it a try.

That sounds very interesting, I'll have to look into it. Thank you!

I'm an acraglas user, but all this got me to thinking. Acraglas is a bedding compound, right. It's designed as a filler, not specifically as an adhesive - although it is one. For filling hidden tang knives I don't think you can find better. But for slab on steel I wonder. Some adhesives are designed to be used between two flat surfaces and cured under pressure. Some have to remain thick to get maximum adhesion. However that would be unsightly.

So, I started looking around. This golf club stuff seems like a great idea, being that it is for metal and adhesion. I found tech information on 3m, devcon, and locktite products. But not all are available 'over the counter'. Then I found this:

Loctite e-120HP Ultra-Strength Epoxy. http://tds.loctite.com/tds5/docs/HYSAE-120HP-EN.pdf

The stuff has a shear strength of 4800 lbs (about twice devcon's 2 ton epoxy) and 3350 on stainless. The really cool part is the thickness for bond line is only .003 to .009. The only down side is the cure time - so what.

"Originally designed for bonding nose cones in aerospace
applications. Also suitable for low stress, general industrial
applications which require high impact and high peel strength.
Bonds dissimilar materials including aluminum, steel, and other
metals, as well as a variety of plastics & ceramics."

I found it at mcmaster.com.

I'll be buying some for sure. It's not for filling type applications. Acraglas is for that. But for bonding bolsters and such....

Steve

Hmmmm. Maybe we've got somehting going here.

Thaks for thinking outside the box, guys! I've never even considered golf club-type adhesives and this whole thing has me thinking, for sure.

Hmmmm. Maybe we've got somehting going here.

Thaks for thinking outside the box, guys! I've never even considered golf club-type adhesives and this whole thing has me thinking, for sure.

Like I said, nothing takes more abuse than my golf clubs. :D

A.T.

I just tried to order the epoxy from Golfsmith:
1/2 pint $8.50, so far so good, but what they ask for shipping to Europe is ridiculous:
<font color="#FF0000" size="5"><b>$95.00</b></font>

So, I think I'll pas on that one :(

Bernez

I just tried to order the epoxy from Golfsmith:
1/2 pint $8.50, so far so good, but what they ask for shipping to Europe is ridiculous:
<font color="#FF0000" size="5"><b>$95.00</b></font>

So, I think I'll pas on that one :(

Bernez


They play golf in Europe, so there are club makers there.

Good Luck,

A.T.

A.T.,

Of course they play golf up here :rolleyes:
After searching Google and some others, I found nothing on shafting epoxy.
You must not forget that we, up here, don't have all the stuffs which are available in The States.

Bernez

There ought to be a way. Can you ahve them ship it to me and then I can perhaps send it to you. Let me check the P.O. regs., OK? I see that Global Priority runs $10 for 1 lb. I don't see any regs. that would prohibit the shipment of glue. Unless it has a queen bee inside.....lol.

http://ircalc.usps.gov/speed.asp?Country=Great+Britain+and+Northern+Irela nd&Pounds=1&Ounces=0&cmdSubmit=Continue&Contents=1

Note links re: prohibitions, restrictions, etc.

I'm still hooked on JB Weld... not the prettiest color though!

A.T.,

Of course they play golf up here :rolleyes:
After searching Google and some others, I found nothing on shafting epoxy.
You must not forget that we, up here, don't have all the stuffs which are available in The States.

Bernez

If there are golfers and I know there are :D cause they beat the US in the Ryder Cup last year :( .

Call your local golf course and ask for the names of a few club makers.

Good Luck,

A.T.

I have used the shafting epoxy, and like it for applications where a thinner epoxy works good, such as hidden tangs when you want it to flow in a hole. It is very strong from what I can see- I have never had a problem with it. Also reasonable in cost. Not quite as convienient as some for mixing- the correct ratio is important for proper curing and strenth.

I also like Conap industrial strenth epoxy sold by Sheffield Supply. It is a little thicker and is convienient to mix by just squeazing equal length beads from each tube. You can get it in opaque, white, black, or optically clear. Works good where you want it to stick and not run off a surface, such as on full tang/slab handle applications. The black works great for attaching black micarta or black woods directly to steel, etc. you just won't see any hairline gaps.

The shaft epoxy comes in the syringe style of applicator and this might help in getting the proper mixing amts.

FYI: I ordered a syringe of the Golf Smith epoxy. They have many types, but all have approximately the same lap shear strength of 2850 psi. Some take up to two days to cure, others an hour. I got the 30/60 (useable in 30 min. cured in 60 min.) for our friend in The Netherlands for a total of $18.05 shipped to me. He said that cure time does not necessarily determine strength, which was interesting to know.

Hope it works. He also said that he'd try to find an article regarding epoxies used in the manuf. of golf clubs. If I get it, I'll post it.

The specs I've read say an accurate mix ratio is VERY important to the strength of the resulting joint. For small amounts or for unimportant joints, I'll just squeeze out equal globs by eye, but for larger amounts I use a small plastic cup and weigh both portions with a small electronic scale.

I put the empty cup on the scale and hit the zero button. Then I add one of the components and note the weight. (At this stage you can add in any coloring you need so it doesn't interfere with the working time) Finally add enough of the second component to equal the weight of the first component. What I generally do is double the weight of the first component and add the second component until the scale reads that number.

Tips

Try a jewelry supply store for the scale (around $60)
Buy a stack of 1/2 oz plastic cups in a restaurant supply store (only about $2)
Use coffee plastic stirrers or large toothpicks for mixing
Don't use the same stick for applying mixed epoxy to your work
Cure the work at an elevated temperature (~ 100-120F)

Hope this helps

- Brad Smith
Los Angeles

Steves what did you find the locktite under on Mcmaster. I tried all the different name combo's with no luck. Didnt see it on the product page either........

Wow, that's careful epoxy mixing, I have to shape up!

I mix mine on Post-it® notes or a note pad, then just tear off the gooey sheet and toss it, or set it adside for inspection after the cure time is up. Thanks for all the tips. Shipped the shaft epoxy to Bernez and he's got it now. Maybe you can report when you've tested it a bit?

aiiifish,

I bought the HP-120 from McMaster. I've run one test with it. Amazing stuff I must say! I attached brass to Hardended ATS-34. It took several hammer (32 oz hammer and light blows) blows to break it free. Considering brass and stainless are much harder to bond than say carbon steel and aluminum - I was impressed.

I'm going to run a complete side-by-side test with it real soon to see how it holds up compared to other adhesives.

But, to me it is more important that whatever it is, holds up in different environments (heat, wet, occasional impact, ...), than it's holding strength.

Steve

I've used every name combo available at mcmaster and cant get it to come up. Its not listed as one of the numbers for the loctite products on their products page. Any suggestions?

I looked it up again - (Only for you Steve, only for you.)

It's on their catalog page 3169. I got the model number wrong:

Loctite calls it E-120HP
and McMaster has it as 6430A24

You have to order the dispensing gun too get any of the junk out. It's pricy, but ...

According to the Loctite data sheet, temperatures in 400 range only make it stronger!

Steve
Steve

Thanks Steve.

I appriciate it.

The Loctite E120 HP is good stuff. I've used it before. Only thing I don't like is that it's a bit too thick. gets pricey in the dispenser tubes, too. But, it is convenient.

RJ,

I found that a little with the heat gun on the steel and it runs like water (well not quite, but you know what I mean). It also wetted well (didn't glop). I've been using acraglas gel, so it seemed thin to me ;).

Steve

This thread drove me crazy - not being able to actually answer this question. (of course like life there is no one universal answer).

But I'm trying to find out:

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27463

Steve

Great thread, Steve. Haven't read it all but it'll be very interesting to see the final results. Thank you.

Is this "golfsmith" epoxy we are talking about, a 2 part epoxy, (2 containers of a half pint each, or half pint total),,, I'm spending a small fortune on Devcon's syringe style 2 ton epoxy even at Walmart's price of $1.97!!!! I'll bet I have 30 emptys laying around!!! I kept them to remind me to look for something better! ---jon

Is this "golfsmith" epoxy we are talking about, a 2 part epoxy, (2 containers of a half pint each, or half pint total),,, I'm spending a small fortune on Devcon's syringe style 2 ton epoxy even at Walmart's price of $1.97!!!! I'll bet I have 30 emptys laying around!!! I kept them to remind me to look for something better! ---jon

Yep, that's what I've used for over 20 years.

A.T.

They have both the syringes and also the 1/2 pt. squeeze bottles.

http://golfsmith.com/ppage.php?stynum=9098&fcst=GSI_WEB

For full tang handle slabs (micarta, wood, ivory) I have tried Acra Glas, Golfsmith, and K+G epoxy. I've found the longer it takes to cure, the stronger it is, but my favorite is K+G epoxy. I have knives I made five yrs ago, and they still hold well, with no seperation. K+G also has a nice tan color that blends in nicely with alot of handle material.
Of the three, I dont think you can go wrong with any of them.
Watch out for spacer material between bolster and slabs with 24 hr epoxy, when clamped up it wants to squeeze out of position, you have to clamp properly and check them once in a while.
The new polyurethane glues (Gorilla) are great, but they foam up and squeeze out too much.

I have used K&G epoxy for YEARS with total satisfaction.

I did just recently glue my Pyroceram platen plate to my platen and it also slid out of position, I thought I had it level. I had to heat it up and then re-glue it. Works great. Teh Pyroceram is very smooth and very flat, it take less time on the disk after tapering a tang, also. Great product!

Well our test results are in, but not compiled yet.

I can tell you that K&G and Golfsmith did very well - you'll find no argument from me on those. In my book hands down for strength, consistency, easy of use, and thin film performance is E120-HP commercial epoxy.

But you know what's most amazing of all? Sandblasting. Even a crappy epoxy on a freshly sandblasted surface could out perform the best. Yes we tested freshly belt sanded surfaces. No comparison to sandblasting. Same thing with chemical de-greasing.

Do you want good, long lasting slab handle? Forget changing glues - sandblast that steel.

Steve

Now that is breakthrough news, Steve. Thanks! Loveless has been sandblasting for years.

Now, why didn't we build a sandbox when we moved. Down to the creek for me....

This might be irrelevant to you guys, but I think it's worth mentioning anyway. I use a locally manufactured product ABE Epidermix 372. It was originally developed for the ship building industry and is very good at gap filling and as an adhesive. It's watertite and stick to anything like sh**t to a shoe. The setting time is 6 hours and optimum strength is reached after 24 hours, so it gives you plenty of time to assemble your workpiece. Once hard it can be drilled and tapped. (not that this should be neccesary for knifemaking) If mixed with sawdust from the wood you're using for the handle it makes an invisible filler for natural little holes you might find appearing after shaping the handle. It cost around R 90.00 (S.A. rand) for 500ml. Around $12.00 US. This is enough to make around 50 knives.