David Winston mentioned in the prior post about using super glue to seal handles. I've tried this several times and have had problems with build up. I'll get buildup on one part and not the other. By the time I work the build up down I've always worked my way through the low spot to the wood. Are there any tricks to using this, or do I just need a bunch more practice. thanks
Steve
Double S Custom (http://doublescustom.tripod.com)

I've used it with some success as a sealer and hardener on soft, porous wood, like afzelia burl, and have avoided the problems which you mentioned by thoroughly saturating the wood, and then sanding it down with wooden block backed abrasives. Next, use a good finishing oil for the desired level of surface finish.

Another way, is to soak the edge of a thick piece of felt (like used on etching machine handpieces), with superglue. Use it like a paint brush. You can get two or three passes before it hardens. Then, if more passes are needed, simply cut the hardened end off the felt, and resoak.

Thanks guys. Steve

use a rubber glove to spread the glue
works good.

i can't remember where i learned the trick, but using wadded lens cleaning paper as a brush works great! it's lint-free, cheap and disposable.
use the ultra-thin ca (8 oz bottles at the model / hobby shop - keeps well in the fridge if well sealed) and work fast to preclude the build-up.

A piece of plain, ordinary seran wrap or other light plasti wrap over your finger woks swell. Frank Niro

Is the CYA used for final finish or just a sealer and the something else for gloss? I did some cocobolo scales used 4 or 5 coats and then sanded to 1200 and then polished turned out great but is this a tough finish or will it crack if dropped.. If just for sealer do you sand back to surface and the what do you use to finish to gloss.. :confused:

Thanks for this thread. I have been going nuts trying to do this to a little folder kit.

I've got body parts permanently fused together, I think.

Note to self: Read CKD Forums, first, then try something difficult!

A CA finish is brittle as can be. Not only will it crack if you drop it but it will shatter as well. If the knife is ever going to come close to cutting anything do not use this finish. Also over time it can develope what I refer to as cancers. These are foggy white spots where the CA seperates from the wood.

I did this finish for about a year. I stopped after having to refinish way too many handles.

Thanks for the warning about the possibility of white spots over time. I've been useing the cyano as a sealer/strengthener, not as a finish coat, on softer, porous woods, followed by an oil finish, and haven't seen any flaws develop over my six months of trying this method. Perhaps the final oil finish helps to avoid the separation described?
Cocobolo finishes well with just sanding and buffing. It's so dense and oily, I doubt that a sealer penetrates.
To minimize shrinkage/warping problems, I buy kiln dried stock, slab it, and let it sit in my workshop for a year+ before use. Somewhere else in this forum, someone described microwaving similar woods to insure that they were dry and stable before use.

I have made several cocobolo knives using three coats of superglue applied with felt (sanding lightly after each coat dries) and finishing with "Renaissance" wax. An occasional touch-up with the wax and they still look terriffic!

Dennis

Yeah Baby!:smokin

BTW-One of them is my EDC (every day carry) It's holding up wonderfully!