Crack fixing

B

Brewton

Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
38
Greetings all! I'm new to the Cantina so i hope you'll forgive if this has been answered previously. I recently order a couple of Balance khukuris that are going to need a little bit of epoxy work and was wondering if I need a specific type or would any wood epoxy work? Thanks in advance for the help y'all
 
I am new as well and received my first from the dotd with a crack. I planned on using a polyester resin.

I read that it is strong in it's cured state, it seeps into fibers and produces a strong bond and it is slightly flexible, so it will move with wood as it bends and expands with humidity.

I may wait to hear from the veterans before doing this.
 
I've used generic super glue in wood and horn with great results. They were relatively small cracks. Larger cracks may merit thicker epoxy or super glue gel. There are other tricks, like sanding some handle material to blend in with your glue. I've not done it, but many here have.
 
Thx for the ideas fellas I was thinking maybe gorilla glue but I've use jb weld to reattach a piece of handle but I've never done cracks before
 
I've used Devcon 2-ton epoxy with good results. Others have recommended it as well. The slow-drying kind is supposed to be better (set and cure more evenly).

For hairline cracks, I use superglue. Let it wick into the crack and reapply if it sinks in too deeply.

In both cases, tape off the non-cracked part of the handle and use fine (and ultrafine) sandpaper afterward to level off and polish the repair.

I've used gorilla glue on furniture, but the way it swells up, I'm not sure it would be a good idea for a khukuri handle crack. Also, I don't know how well the excess would sand and take a polish.
 
Best stuff is AcraGlas bedding compound for rifle stocks which take a pounding....clear or black....best repair is to pump the glue into whatever so that it fills cracks completely....i normally drill a small hole in crack and use a piece of close-fitting small dowel stock from a hardware store to continue to feed and pump glue into hole until it extrudes out entire length...progressive taping of top of crack keeps pressure going direction needed....on a wood handle can then leave dowel in hole until dry and then cut flush by scribing around with a knife blade and then sand stub and apply oil and you end up with what appears an inlaid domino dot....or save drill shavings and mix with glue.....slow set glue obviously required as is clamping after complete fill of crack and until COMPLETE cure of glue....
 
mtngunr said:
Best stuff is AcraGlas bedding compound for rifle stocks which take a pounding....clear or black....best repair is to pump the glue into whatever so that it fills cracks completely....i normally drill a small hole in crack and use a piece of close-fitting small dowel stock from a hardware store to continue to feed and pump glue into hole until it extrudes out entire length...progressive taping of top of crack keeps pressure going direction needed....on a wood handle can then leave dowel in hole until dry and then cut flush by scribing around with a knife blade and then sand stub and apply oil and you end up with what appears an inlaid domino dot....or save drill shavings and mix with glue.....slow set glue obviously required as is clamping after complete fill of crack and until COMPLETE cure of glue....
Click to expand...
I agree here! I dont drill holes but instead poke a hole in the tape (clear) covering the crack and inject it until it comes out the end of the crack on the far side. If you pump it in the middle of the crack then poke a hole at the end of each side of the tape to let the air out and pump it up till you get it to extrude out both ends. Superglue is not designed as a gap filler and doesnt work well unless you are gluing two very tight fitting pieces together. The factor that people dont consider when doing a glue or adhesive test is time. Yes you can fill a crack with good results with CA (superglue) and even polish it to the pleasing eye. It may never break loose or fall out but it will be cracked up microscopically even if you cant see it. If you want structural support then use epoxy, Devcon,acraglas, or whatever epoxy you like but it will be far superior to CA.
 
Thanks guys I really do appreciate all the info! Now it's just waiting on the postman with my new khuks [emoji6]
 
For those who did not know, not even CyanoAcrylates can repair cracked CA...

As for dowel use, really depends on depth of crack...many of my repairs have been inside rare gunstocks and fissures running deep, so also did drilling and dowel...i personally would recommend also drilling for crosspins of small dia. brass stock and peening ends with everything fit up with epoxy and fiberglas, where repair will outlast rest of handle....

Anyhow, cracks on natural materials, which is only material a REAL khukuri should ever have installed, is going to happen sooner or later and owners all need to be conversant in repairs, and not just one guy...
 
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There is a special super glue just for filling cracks and gaps called zap a gap however I have not tried it I have used other types of super glue though and they seem to work very good.
 
Your best bet is to search this forum and stick with the tried and true methods here. If you use something else, you are likely on your own as to any advice. Epoxy and superglue are the established paths and well proven. Epoxy is usually better for blades that are used for chopping.
 
Superglue or CA is way behind epoxy as you might notice as a general trend. Cyanoacrylate manufacturers have to add many additives to try to soften it or make it less friable or more rubbery to make it perform like epoxies but its just not designed to be a "filler" adhesive. Cyanoacrylates have their place but it is not in our place. CA is not designed as a gap filler. If you want to repair wooden handles then wood glue or epoxy is far superior to cyanoacrylate adhesives. For something as simple as repairing wood handles on Khukuris id stick with wood glues designed for wood gluing or epoxy for horn. Superglue will fill cracks and will even take a polish and make you proud of your repair and if it was a small enough hairline crack you may never in your lifetime notice a difference but if you want a positive structural repair then use epoxy for horn or wood glue or epoxy for wood handles.
 
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