Cutlers resin...fail.

Stan S. · 29th March 2012, 01:39 AM

Hey Lew,

Do you have a first hand experience with this stuff? I have a coupe of tulwars where blades are becoming loose, and while I want to reset them, I prefer not to play around with traditional resin, especially after David R's unfortunate experience

Rich · 29th March 2012, 02:35 AM

Stan -

I've used epoxy for repairing most ever type of knife and sword (except Nihonto). Also I was an amateur knifemaker. I used epoxy with black ink for all the knives I made. As I said above, mix the epoxy as usual, then add a drop or two of black ink (I use India ink as it's really concentrated and doesn't dilute the epoxy significantly). Pour in the epoxy and set the blade into the handle. Of course you want to tape off the area of the blade immediately in front of the handle and around the handle so the epoxy won't stick to them. I also use Vasoline on a Q-tip to get at the very edges -epoxy won't stick to that either.

Rich S

Rick · 29th March 2012, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan S.

Hey Lew,

Do you have a first hand experience with this stuff? I have a coupe of tulwars where blades are becoming loose, and while I want to reset them, I prefer not to play around with traditional resin, especially after David R's unfortunate experience

Stan, I used jbweld to attach the mounting bolts to the back of this bronze created by Tim that we presented to Lee .

I believe they're still holding .

Rick

ariel · 29th March 2012, 03:58 AM

How about just flaked shellac? It is the famous Indian lac that was used to attach tulwar handles for centuries, add a bit of powdered terracotta ( any brick will do) or just sand , perhaps some dye for authenticity.

Shellac is used as sealing wax all over the world, and there were no burns AFAIK.

Lew · 29th March 2012, 04:16 AM

I used wood epoxy stick mixed with 0000 steel wool to reset the head of my Kalinga axe and and it just worked out fine for me

.

David R · 29th March 2012, 10:55 AM

Hi all, thanks for all the answers and advice, I confess a certain suprise at how many people have noticed my post.
I am holding the epoxy route in reserve , I know it works and is a relatively simple solution to the problem, and so is there as plan B. The reasons I am playing around with the traditional resins are, it is fun, it is practical research on how this was done in the past, it is reversable, it is how this was done on this weapon originaly.
I am sorry that my own experience so far has put someone off going this route themselves. Bear in mind, I have not been put off further attempts ...yet. But perhaps there is a lesson here that this sort of thing is not as easy as it often seems to be.
Next step is to see if I can "rescue" the second batch, I am thinking of using real turpentine to dissolve the blackened mess and see if I can recover something usefull. This weekend I will be off round Leeds hunting up some shellac and/or rosin. Alas, Pete the Pong no longer deals much with the incense and resins and so cannoy get me the lac.
I will keep posting my results, including my fails, for the entertainment and information of all here.

29th March 2012, 10:55 AM	#6
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,114	Hi all, thanks for all the answers and advice, I confess a certain suprise at how many people have noticed my post. I am holding the epoxy route in reserve , I know it works and is a relatively simple solution to the problem, and so is there as plan B. The reasons I am playing around with the traditional resins are, it is fun, it is practical research on how this was done in the past, it is reversable, it is how this was done on this weapon originaly. I am sorry that my own experience so far has put someone off going this route themselves. Bear in mind, I have not been put off further attempts ...yet. But perhaps there is a lesson here that this sort of thing is not as easy as it often seems to be. Next step is to see if I can "rescue" the second batch, I am thinking of using real turpentine to dissolve the blackened mess and see if I can recover something usefull. This weekend I will be off round Leeds hunting up some shellac and/or rosin. Alas, Pete the Pong no longer deals much with the incense and resins and so cannoy get me the lac. I will keep posting my results, including my fails, for the entertainment and information of all here. Last edited by David R; 29th March 2012 at 10:59 AM. Reason: ref to Pete the

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29th March 2012, 01:39 AM	#1
Stan S. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 227	Hey Lew, Do you have a first hand experience with this stuff? I have a coupe of tulwars where blades are becoming loose, and while I want to reset them, I prefer not to play around with traditional resin, especially after David R's unfortunate experience

29th March 2012, 02:35 AM	#2
Rich Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: comfortably at home, USA Posts: 432	Stan - I've used epoxy for repairing most ever type of knife and sword (except Nihonto). Also I was an amateur knifemaker. I used epoxy with black ink for all the knives I made. As I said above, mix the epoxy as usual, then add a drop or two of black ink (I use India ink as it's really concentrated and doesn't dilute the epoxy significantly). Pour in the epoxy and set the blade into the handle. Of course you want to tape off the area of the blade immediately in front of the handle and around the handle so the epoxy won't stick to them. I also use Vasoline on a Q-tip to get at the very edges -epoxy won't stick to that either. Rich S

29th March 2012, 03:58 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	How about just flaked shellac? It is the famous Indian lac that was used to attach tulwar handles for centuries, add a bit of powdered terracotta ( any brick will do) or just sand , perhaps some dye for authenticity. Shellac is used as sealing wax all over the world, and there were no burns AFAIK.

29th March 2012, 04:16 AM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I used wood epoxy stick mixed with 0000 steel wool to reset the head of my Kalinga axe and and it just worked out fine for me .