Recommendation? How to prep/use clear resin handle scales?

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milkbaby

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Aug 1, 2016
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Hi all, I got some cool hybrid scales that have clear resin with stuff cast inside, just like the ones on this knife: https://www.instagram.com/p/BT8-M0ElCcA/

This maker says this knife is more towards art knife than hard user, which makes sense if the clear resin scuffs easy. There's G10 liner underneath the hybrid scales, and since the resin is clear, you can see the surfaces were probably not scuffed or sanded as prep for epoxying together.

My question is how best to use this material? I want to use it on a kitchen knife. Would I have to sand the inner surface to high grit, basically to a polished state, to avoid a schmutzy look appearing under the clear resin? And if so, would these hold up with epoxy only (which is all I've used so far) in the kitchen? I've never peened pins or used mechanical fasteners before.
 
Hey there!

I have used some clear resin over some damascus steel so that the pattern was visible underneath. I left the tang side rough like I normally prepare scales for glue up. I think the epoxy keeps it clear. On the finished handle, I sanded up to 2000 grit and buffed.

As far as fasteners, I always think adding some pins won't hurt and give the knife a more finished look. :)
 
milkbaby said:
My question is how best to use this material? I want to use it on a kitchen knife. Would I have to sand the inner surface to high grit, basically to a polished state, to avoid a schmutzy look appearing under the clear resin? And if so, would these hold up with epoxy only (which is all I've used so far) in the kitchen? I've never peened pins or used mechanical fasteners before.
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if you going to use epoxy on inner surface, my epoxy maker says sand with 240 or 320 grit, clean with alcohol. I would use stainless steel pins to help strength.
 
Sand the back of the scales flat and take to 2000 grit. Make sure they are clean by washing with soap and water and wiping dry. DO NOT USE A SOLVENT CLEANER!

Use a clear epoxy like Clear Coat. Make sure to avoid getting any bubbles trapped between the liners and the clear scales. Let cure for 48 hours before working on shaping/finishing the scales.

Wet sand the scales slowly by hand. Start around 120 grit and go up to 400 in the shaping steps. You have to go above 1000 grit to get ready to polish. You can get a sanding pack make especially for finishing acrylic pens and knife handles from most pen and woodworking suppliers. It goes from around 1500 to 12,000 grit. The result is like glass.
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/MMESHPADS9.html


A small bottle of acrylic polish from the same sources will make the handle glass clear. It can be used to buff up (best done by hand) the handle as needed later on.
There is a One-Step plastic polish that says you only need to sand to 400 grit first. I go 800 or 1000 on pens and then use it. The finish should be good for a knife with an acrylic handle.
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/ONESTEP.html
 
Thank you everybody for the info! Especially Ben and Stacy for noting to avoid solvents as I probably would've stuck with my usual isopropyl alcohol then acetone regime which I'm now guessing might dissolve or at least haze over the resin?

I'll post pics whenever I get eventually get around to using these scales, thanks!
 
Ahh great topic as I am getting ready to do something similar! think pinecone cast in almost clear where the tang becomes the "stem" of the cone. I was planning to use some of the west systems clear hardener since I have it, perhaps that is a poor choice. What about no epoxy and just using mechanical fasteners?
 
If you do the casting with west system clear resin, use the same thing as the epoxy to assemble the handle.
 
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