How to apply a proper/professional handle cord wrap (epoxied)

Sharp & Fiery

Sharp & Fiery

Leatherwork - Canada
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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This is my first post here in the knifemaker’s sub.

I would like to try my hand at epoxy wrapping a knife handle. I don’t trust youtube “professional” cord wrapped handle videos and would like to hear from the professionals here.

A few beginning questions would be…

1. What is the best epoxy to use?
2. What is the best application process?
3. How to apply without getting epoxy all over the handle that would need clean up?

If anyone is interested in schooling me on the epoxy cord wrap I would be grateful.
If you have photos of wrapped knives you have done, that would be a huge bonus.

Thank you in advance for any help put forward.

Sharp & Fiery
 
Sam Wilson said:
I have done this many times. A tight wrap, followed by saran wrap, then the compression type sports bandages wrapped tightly around to squeeze everything. The wider the better, 2" or wider is better so you don't have as many seams and points digging into the handle. Use a slow curing epoxy. I've been using this process for over a decade, none have come loose or even moved yet.

Sam⚔️⚔️
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Here's a good how too that was pretty recent.
 
Danke42 said:
Here's a good how too that was pretty recent.
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Thanks. That looks like instructions for linen/burlap wrap. I should have been more descriptive. I’m particularly looking to do a paracord wrap like you would see on small “SD” knives.
 
Phil Hine made a DVD some years back called "Paracord Wrap Basics." You might be able to scrounge a copy somewhere.
 
Sharp & Fiery said:
Thanks. That looks like instructions for linen/burlap wrap. I should have been more descriptive. I’m particularly looking to do a paracord wrap like you would see on small “SD” knives.
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I think it would be pretty close to the same. Just get some practice getting really tight wraps before you go all in with sticky stuff.
 
Danke42 said:
I think it would be pretty close to the same. Just get some practice getting really tight wraps before you go all in with sticky stuff.
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I’ve got the tight wrap down pat…but the epoxy application is a little overwhelming at the moment.
 
West Systems marine epoxy is good for this, nice and thin to penetrate. There's two components. You want the 105 plus a hardener, the 207 is slow and dries clear. You can buy bottles, but sometimes little single use repair kit packets.
After you have the wrap how you want it, you mix a small batch of the epoxy. Then use the little harbor freight flux brushes to dab it on. It's very easy to put way too much on. You can always add more. Start with sparse dabbing, not enough to make it look wet. Let it soak in. Don't brush it on, that will be too much.
Also, test the epoxy on a piece of wrap and let it fully dry. In most cases, especially with black wrap, there is no visible residue. I had a nice gold wrap strangely turn purple where the epoxy was...
 
Thank you Richard338 Richard338

That method is post wrap if I’m reading correctly. Is there a good pre-wrap method? I’m thinking that pre-wrap would be messy and harder to twist and fold cord without getting epoxy everywhere.

The west systems 2 part…how thin is it? Like water or more like CA glues?
 
For a para wrap I can't think of a reason to soak it before wrapping. For a Japanese style wrap, it can be tricky to keep everything where you want it so some people put a tiny dab of CA on the side of the handle just as you are going by with the wrap, to hold it in place.
The West Systems is very thin compared to other epoxies and will easily penetrate. It makes a nice feeling handle. You just don't want it crusted over with excess. Like I said, start with a little, let it dry and add more if you want.
 
Richard338 said:
For a para wrap I can't think of a reason to soak it before wrapping. For a Japanese style wrap, it can be tricky to keep everything where you want it so some people put a tiny dab of CA on the side of the handle just as you are going by with the wrap, to hold it in place.
The West Systems is very thin compared to other epoxies and will easily penetrate. It makes a nice feeling handle. You just don't want it crusted over with excess. Like I said, start with a little, let it dry and add more if you want.
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This makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

I ultimately would like to try the paracord wrap with ray skin under it. That is the goal.
 
These have rayskin. If you go with ray skin, and want it exposed in a pattern, then I'd get a proper ito wrap and skip the paracord.
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Do your wrap as desired, making sure it is snug and properly spav[ced, Double check and make any adjustments needed..

Use a thin and clear epoxy, like Crystal Clear or Topcoat. West system with slow hardener also works well. You only need to mix a small amount - an ounce is enough for four or five sword handles. I can't really recall measuring, but In probably use 5 grams of resin and the matching quantity of hardener for a handle. I throw away most of that when done.

Mix the resin/hardener well, avoiding bubbles
Use a flux brush and dab it on sparingly. Don't "paint" it on. It should soak in and look like you didn't put any on after a few minutes. If it looks wet or shiny, you have way too much resin.
Try to only get the resin on the paracord, and not in the gaps and spaces if it was done Japanese style. Wipe off any that gets on the handle or in gaps if you see them.
Use a lint free rag (old tee shirt) or fiber towel and wrap it around the handle. Squeeze hard to absorb any extra resin. Repeat until the cloth does not look like it is picking up any more excess resin.
Check again for resin where you don't want it. A paper towel dampened with some alcohol will remove any uncured resin easily.
Adjust any knots or gaps now! It will be rock hard and unmovable tomorrow.
After curing overnight, if you discover any soft spots or places that didn't get resin, touch up with resin sparingly as before. Only apply to the missed places and blot well with the cloth.

This method will look like plain wrapped/knotted/braided paracord but is hard and permanently attached.
 
I've never done one of these, but I remembered this older video of Mike Snody doing it on one of his. It's an entertaining watch, but the epoxy is around 30-35 minutes. He definitely has a different technique. I can't speak to it's merits, but it works for him.
 
Mike's handles were resin impregnated and bonded to the knife with epoxy. Nothing wrong with that in a field knife that will get wet and receive rough use. It can be a little "hot in the hand". It looks "plasticy" to me, though. I wouldn't want it on a nice sword or dress knife like a sgian dubh.

Paracord wraps done by the methods folks are posting in this thread look like plain paracord, not plastic/resin cord. Done right you have to feel it to tell it is resin impregnated. A paracord wrapped tsuka (sometimes called paramaki) on a tanto or wakizashi done right looks like it is as soft as plain paracord until you pick it up and feel that the cord is rigid not going anywhere regardless of rough use.

TIP:
I forgot to mention that even with a minimal amount of resin in the paracord it will still flow with gravity. I use a similar method to Mike Snody's of squeezing the handle hard in cloth to remove excess resin and then placing the knife horizontal while curing (stack of old phone books ... look it up kids). Since the resin is still liquid and will flow with gravity, I take the knife after 15 minutes and give it another squeeze in the cloth and place it back with the previous down side now up. I check the glue cup and if it isn't gelled, repeat after another 10 minutes. Once the resin in the cup is gelled, I flip the knife over again without squeezing just to be sure. This prevents finding drips and epoxy icicles on the bottom in the morning.
 
I have only done a half dozen wrapped handles, so bear this in mind. :)

My only contribution is that I found a niche epoxy that worked quite well for this application. It is a low viscosity epoxy intended for sealing fractures in gemstones. S Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmi may be familiar and have alternatives. I found it absorbed very rapidly and you didn't end up removing much excess at all. It left very little gloss and you can hose it off under the faucet and it doesn't wet.

Every place I can find has a price listed, so all I can give you is the name "Opticon Fracture Sealer."
 
Thanks Mike,
Opticon is a very useful resin. It can stabile fossils and cracked ivory nicely, as well as gemstones and materials with inherent cracks.

My preferred resin for paracord is Clear Coat by System Three. It is low viscosity and penetrates well. A 12oz. kit is around $45USD.

Opticon is a bit hard to get the ratio right with 10 drops A and 1 drop B. Most folks use 8:1 ratio, to assure full catalyzation. Ounce for ounce it is about the same cost as Clear Coat, but I think the System Three epoxy is a better material for paracord handles.

Be aware that Opticon has a limited shelf life and may not cure right ... or go solid in the can ... beyond 24 months from the manufacture date. I have seen and heard of people being shipped cans that were many years old from suppliers that have slow turnover and from online second sellers who buy up the out-of-date stock from places that are dumping it and sell it on eBay, etc.

They say it can be restored by warming the can in a pot of hot water, but I have not tried that. Just like crystalized honey can be heated and made liquid again, it is not chemically the same after re-liquidation, I suspect the resin has changed, too.

System Three and West System resins have an almost infinite shelf life if stored at proper temperatures.

NOTE:
Having a vacuum chamber helps a lot with deep penetration with things like Opticon when filling cracks.
 
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