Making A Shield

[just bob]

I was shown this method and want to share it. I tried this same method using Play dough and other similar products and found they were far too easy to distort the shape is hard to retain. I don't know the name of this material, but it is used to make splints if you have sprain. My nephew works in a hospital and brought me home a baggie of used material that was being discarded. Hope the pictures explain this well enough.

Clean the cavity where the shield goes being sure to revove the old glue residue and particles the best you can. Cut a small pc of the material and put it in a plastic jar lid like on a vitamin bottle. Put enough water in to cover the material. Microwave for 30 seconds or so. You won't need to wear rubber gloves. You can handle the material right away and firmly press it into place, using your thumbs to flattern it out. Make sure it is compressed down well. Allow to set up 2 -3 minutes and make sure it is firm. Flip it out and turn it over and you'll have a perfect template for your new shield. Use scissors and even sandpaper to trim and deburr the material until it fits perfectly in the opening. You can overlay the material on a bigger, generic shield, scribe and cut it down or even overlay it on an old dateless Buffalo nickel or other material you want to use for your shield. This same material can be used for other knife repair projects. It is cheap, sets up firm, and retains it's shape.

Hope this works for you. I use it quite often.

[Meridian_Mike]

VERY cool method of making a replacement shield. I am going to have to try that.

Thanks for showing!!
Mike

[Landersknives]

” I don't know the name of this material, but it is used to make splints if you have sprain. My nephew works in a hospital and brought me home a baggie of used material that was being discarded.”

Hope this works for you. I use it quite often.

Bob, I just want to get this straight. Using this plaster you make the template and then form/cut the shield. You don’t use the plaster itself as the shield. Is that correct? Plaster is one type of material they use for casting. In the hospital the plaster type material they used for my splint you just wet it and formed it to your leg and in a couple of minutes it was hard, but just like the cast I have on my leg now you can not get it wet.

[just bob]

No it's not plaster. It's some kind of thermo plastic and is pictured in the first picture. When you get a sprain they run it under hot water and shape it to fit your wrist or finger and form a splint. This creates a template that you overlay on your shield material to create a replacement shield. I looked for the name of this material on Google and came up blank. Isn't a plaster cast used more for broken bones? Sorry my explanation was poor.

[Tony_Wood]

Good job and explanation of the process. I will have to try this process.

[orvet]

I have had 17 surgeries in my left wrist since 1972.
Every cast I have had since the 1970s has been the thermal plastic type with a fiberglass cloth in the center.
The stuff sets up real hard.
I have never tried that method but I bet it would work! Great tip, thanks Bob!

[Landersknives]

The stuff that they made my splint with they wet it and then it got very hard in a matter of a few minutes. I used the term “plaster” because that’s the first thing that popped into my feeble mind. I am not up on the correct thermo-whatever it is called. I apologize for that. Bob I think you did a good job explaining I just wanted clarification for myself. Where could a person acquire some of the substance that is needed? Just wondering. Thanks guys.

[just bob]

I've dug some more and think it may be called Aquaplast? It looks the same? Maybe?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rolyan-Splinti ... :rk:1:pf:0


Shame to have to buy it. If you know someone in a hospital or clinic they throw it away everyday. I would send you a pc, but it is stiff and will cost $2.60 to send PM me if you want to go that route.

[glennbad]

That stuff looks like it would work really well. Boker should sell it...