Epoxy for restoration

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by MARW

Hi all. I am confused as to what to use while repairing antiques. I am usually concerned with shamshirs where you have to fill in the guard with some material. Traditionally, a whitish glue was used, as explained in the paper by Dr Khorasani. I have been told by a lead restorer that he will use epoxy as a filler in the guard. To me, it seems a very non reversible fix. Any thoughts?

Don't use epoxy or modern glue on any antiques. Also epoxy is inferior and will quickly work loose on swords.cutkers resin or jewellers resin is easy and cheap to make, very strong and can be removed when needed.
Easiest way to make it is with Shellac or pine resin, wax and a filler like brick dust, sand or clay dust, charcoal dust, baking soda.. . The Japanese recipes contain rape seed oil as I presume historically bees wax was rare there (was a major import prior to the industrial age) the oil and wax makes it softer and more flexible. It's very useful to reattach handles, chapes and other components.
There is a technique to using it and temperature is very important.
If you wish for example to fit a chape the chapel itself should be warm . But if you want to attach a stone spear head i the wood and the stone should be as cold as possible.
The white substance you mention was probably alum mixed with some fillers and other materials .
The guards of some shamshir and the tulwar are held on alum...
Others with resid
Anyway cutlers resin is a fine substance .
Two types are good to have on hand . One more fluid and one less fluid with more filler . You can also use animal hair to strengthen it when it's in a large mass as a filler. Like in a tulwar handle for example . Fine hair like cat hair is very good . I've seen aborigines uss kangaroo fur from the belly as is very fine and fluffy in winter.
People used flock. Fine fabric cuttings or lint too. Cotton wool as well would be fine.
Natural resins work great if made correctly.
The ratio of wax is important as to much it's to soft and to less it's brittle.