JB Clear Weld Failure. I don't think I did anything wrong (doesn't mean I didn't)

HPD

HPD

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I had a scale come off while attaching a Corby bolt this afternoon. The epoxy isn't that old, I spread it evenly and used spring clamps so as to not overtighten (there was dried epoxy on both pieces). I placed my handle in a vice and while I was screwing in a Corby bolt at the hole near the ricasso, the scale popped off at the liner. This isn't the fist time this has happened. Lucky I reattached everything with regular JB Weld and the Corby bolts were successfully mounted. It's out in the garage drying.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a better quick-setting epoxy, and has anyone else experienced this with JB Clear Weld or any other similar product? I haven't had this happen with any other product. Any insights would be appreciated, and I realize that maybe I'm doing something wrong and it isn't necessarily the fault of the product.
 
I’ve never had the JB clear weld fail before. There are a few different types of clear weld if I’m not mistaken, it wasn’t the one designed for plastics was it?

Even though I’ve never had it fail I tend to only use JB clear weld for personal knives and test knives, since I can just run to any store in my area and pick it up that day to use.
 
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Jb weld clear is a 5 minute two part epoxy. Fine for attaching liners to scales...but not great for attaching scales to the tang. Use a slower setting epoxy. I have settled on west system g flex or blade bond 24 hour epoxy.

Just today I was able to peel a liner off some desert ironwood that I had used jb weld clear on.
 
I use JB Plastic Welder if I need a lighter color glue line; it's about a 30 min set time and dries a light tan/cream color. I've had the JB Clear Weld pop on me before a few times. I usually use JB Kwik Weld on my other handle scales, I've removed wood scales with it and the wood split and the epoxy was still stuck to the tang.
 
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bladegrinder said:
Are the liners G10? I use a lot of G10 liners and they need to be sanded well with absolutely no gloss left on the surface.
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Yes, they are G-10. The ones I purchased came with the surfaces already roughened. I suspect the epoxy I used just isn't ideal for knife making.
 
Taz said:
I use JB Plastic Welder if I need a lighter color glue line; it's about a 30 min set time and dries a light tan/cream color. I've had the JB Clear Weld pop on me before a few times. I usually use JB Kwik Weld on my other handle scales, I've removed wood scales with it and the wood split and the epoxy was still stuck to the tang.
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Excellent. Maybe the clear weld isn't good at taking lateral stresses.
 
navman said:
Jb weld clear is a 5 minute two part epoxy. Fine for attaching liners to scales...but not great for attaching scales to the tang. Use a slower setting epoxy. I have settled on west system g flex or blade bond 24 hour epoxy.

Just today I was able to peel a liner off some desert ironwood that I had used jb weld clear on.
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Looks like it probably wasn't me. I will give the G-flex a try. Thanks to all for your responses.
 
HPD said:
Yes, they are G-10. The ones I purchased came with the surfaces already roughened. I suspect the epoxy I used just isn't ideal for knife making.
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Even if the surfaces are already rough it helps to sand or sandblast them again immediately before gluing. Something to do with the surface energy on a molecular level.
 
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