Using epoxy to finish a knife handle?

D

Dago Red

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
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987
Hey guys,

My mom brought a couple of her old (35 years at least) chicago cutlery kitchen knives for me to sharpen (I have an electric and a lansky but want to get a paper wheel setup). Her boning knife was in real bad shape. the handle is good and tight but the rivets are pretty pitted (shiny now at least :) ) and there is a gap developed between the wood and the tang. I don't like that because figure germs can get in there. I've cleaned it up well and already sanded at 120.

I wanted to use some epoxy to fill in the void between the wood and the scales, and wondered if I shouldn't try using it for the finish on the handles. Is there another route you guys recommend? If I do so, what should I do to get the clear epoxy to not be as noticeable in that gap, dye it black somehow?

I would try superglue (the good fancy stuff I'd have to order online, not the drugstore kind, I just can't remember what you guys call it) but don't know if it would work on filling gaps.

Thanks.
 
Cyanoacrylic


A good thin grade epoxy will work to seal the scales, but a thin or medium thick cyanoacrylic should penetrate the void better.

In either case, don't try and use them as a finish on the handles. Sand the excess resin off the tang and scales, and apply a sealing finish like tung oil if needed.
 
To fill in the gap, you can mix wood sanding dust with epoxy (or superglue if you're fast enough) and pack it in the gap (use a toothpick or something to tamp in in there). Then use a credit card or something like that to use as a squeejee to remove the excess. You'll need to do a little sanding afterwards to make everything nice and flush.

Generally I would not recommend a hard finish on a user knife. I'd much rather have an oiled handle, even though it requires some maintenance. Just feels nicer to me, and won't be as slick when wet.

But epoxy would be a very tough finish and would provide excellent moisture resistance. I've used it before to fill in grain on open-pored woods. For a finish I'd want to use a better quality epoxy than you normally find at the hardware store. One thing you have to watch out for is that the resin and hardener are very fresh and that you mix them in exactly the right proportions. If you don't it can wind up kind of permanently sticky. Not nice. I would thin it down with acetone by at least half and wipe it on with a rag in thin coats. A thick coat of epoxy would be nasty, and prone to drips and runs. Also when you're done you will somehow have to clean the epoxy off of the top and bottom of the tang.

Superglue would probably be a better idea if you insist on a hard finish. I've never used it but it just seems like it would turn out better than epoxy.

Have you considered something like danish oil? It's typically linseed oil with a bit of varnish mixed in, so it has some protection (but it still won't be dishwasher safe). It would be MUCH easier to apply than epoxy or superglue. If you're not experienced with finishing then that's what I would recommend, especially if this knife is sentimental to your mom.

You can apply any of these finishes over top of the filled gaps, just let the filler cure first.
 
I actually thought about doing that but didn't know which kind of oil to use. I've always maintained old kitchen knives similar with just some vegetable or olive oil, so danish or linseed would work? or tung oil? does it have to be special or what I can find local will work?

I'll fill the gap, mixing the dust with the epoxy, then sand it and finish as stated. she'll still probably throw it in the dish washer at some point, but you can only do so much right? :D I'm probably going to sand to 320 (I'm cheating, using a vibrating sanders, saves so much time) and put some walnut stain on it before oiling it. I should have plenty of dust to mix with the epoxy. gotta get some other epoxy though, what I have now is 1 minute (I'm impatient).

Any recommendations on good epoxies? and good cyanoacrylics while we're at it? Thanks gents.

Red
 
I have used epoxy to coat many knife grips. It works well - the only thing to be aware of is that most epoxies break down eventually when exposed to ultra violet. Really only a problem if the knife is stored out in the open. I apply the epoxy with a clean cloth (wear disposable gloves of course) and rub it in well for a very thin coating. Wipe off the excess. When it starts to go off, do another coat. How many coats you need varies with the wood type. Doing it this way avoids an overly glossy or slippery finish.
 
Try it if you want, but I have never seen an epoxy coated handle that looked good. If you do use epoxy, get the hardest type available.
Bar and table surface epoxy, or hard shell top coat would work best. You will end up spending a lot just for a mediocre handle.

A can of pure tung oil would be cheaper and do dozens of great looking handles.

The trick on any handle finish is to NOT build up a coating, but to work one into the wood. The surface will get glossier as the wood gets penetrated and polished in the multiple rubbing in and sanding/buffing down. The actual surface coat should be nothing or about .001".
 
Will it work if I stain it first, the tung oil? or will it end up make the stain want to come out of the wood or something? I may not stain it, depends on how it looks once I'm all finished sanding. I thought about sanding down flush with the rivets so I could get the pits out of them, but then decided I don't care that much :)

Red
 
No, the stain would not be harmed by the tung oil, but let the stain dry first. Most of the stains you can buy are oil-based, and you could actually mix it in with the tung oil and apply both at once. This is one way to adjust the darkness of the stain, by changing the proportion of stain to oil. If you want it very dark then put the straight stain on first.

But also keep in mind that applying tung oil will darken the wood, and some woods it will darken a lot (like walnut). Also some woods do not stain well (beech, maple, pine). Basically the more coarse the grain is, the better it will stain.

Generally I do not like to stain woods. I prefer to let them be their natural color. With the oil it will almost always look nice.

Also, make sure you use something labeled "100% pure tung oil". You can find that at woodcraft. At walmart or home depot you will probably find Formby's Tung Oil finish, which is a whole 'nother critter. It's a wiping varnish- very glossy and hard.
 
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