How do you prep stainless steel for gluing?

R

rupsty

Joined
Mar 14, 2013
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I've made a handful of knives and am still learning but also having pretty good success. I have no direction when it comes to prepping a steel surface for gluing as well as prepping the micarta I'm using. What I've been doing is trying to rough up the steel with a low grit (60-100) belt on the grinder and doing the same on the glue side of the micarta. Other than that, I don't really know what is normal and accepted. I ask because I gave a knife to a friend and he dropped it. And the scales popped off. He said he's been using it for every kind of cooking at home so I guess he's happy with the cutting quality. But breaking is obviously unacceptable. I'm using a two part glue from a knife making company, and I'm using usually 1 or 2 pins. One more question: Is gorilla glue any good?

Thanks in advance,
Rusty
 
I use JB weld and prep the steel with 36 grit hand sanded in a circular pattern, also I drill a few extra holes in the tang, with a minumum of 3 pins

and you should clean the steel and scales with acetone before gluing
 
If you peen the pins or use other mechanical fasteners, this can't happen.
 
I like to sand and clean the surface immediately before glue up. Use acetone followed by alcohol. I use a clean rag and repeatedly clean the surface until the rag no longer gets dirty. Another thing to watch for is make sure you are using the two part epoxy in the right amounts...too little hardener and it will never cure, too little resin and it will be too brittle.
 
That's why I use corby bolts. Looks like a pin, holds like a screw. Even if the epoxy fails the handle isn't coming off. I have used regular devcon two part epoxy and after drilling the bolts out i had a time getting the handles off. Took a couple good whacks with a hammer. Scuff up metal and scales, wipe with acetone, glue and screw!
 
I've thought about Corby bolts too. I don't have the most accurate drilling skills so I'll have to get better but I really like the idea of a mechanical fastener combined with blue. Plus, I also like how Corby's look. Just my taste.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
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