I recently bought a Damascus knife blank at the Bear & Sons customer appreciation day. It's got an amazing pattern to it & it's the Bear fighting knife design. I also bought some Buffalo horn, Sheep horn, Stag horn & zebra wood handle matterial at the same time. One of the knife makers there said they glue the handles on but the stuff they use is not available to the public as he has tried to get some & can't. Anyone out there have a good suggestion as to an adhesive to use on knife handles that can be easily purchased at Lowes or the local hardware stores? Please let me know.
I've done more than a few knives and have a modest collection of well known knife makers DVD's and a Great collection of knife making books. Of course I mention this so that you don't think I'm pulling this out of my ahhh, ear! There are several things that work very well. And I know this may sound a bit odd but it is used by more pros than anything else... Good Ol' 2 Ton EPOXY! 30 min is much, much better than the faster one. And another widely used product is the stuff you see in the automotive stores, the JB WELD! Now, just think about that..... if you can use JB WELD to fix a hole in an engine block or a head or water pump, it should keep something like a knife handle that is squeezed all the time from taking off and going anywhere. I was one that thought that there must be a "MAGIC ELIXIR" out there that the professional guys use. Remember, if you glue your handles on, roughen the metal and the back of the handles with 60 grit or better. Something for the glue or epoxy, or JB Weld to 'byte' to.... that means making it as course as possible. Then "DRY" fit the handles, then finally clean well with Lacquer Thinner or Acetone and be sure to have plenty of clamping devices handy. I like the PINCH type spring clamps for handles and put 4 or 5 on a knife handle over night. A great DVD to get is one by Gene Osborne.... of Center Cross Knives. You can google him and get one of his videos and believe me, you will learn the tricks the pros use. Hope this helps! Personally, I'd drill and pin the handle material on. But then again I can't see what you've got for a knife either. Some knives just look better without pinned slabs...... Colin Paterson, aka RealMontanan
PS.. If you come back and the handles have slipped somehow, put them in the deep freeze overnight, and then the next day, throw the knife on the kitchen floor..... the handles will pop right off unless you drilled and pinned them! I've done this many times and it always takes a second toss for the other side to come off. And hey, my floor is lino not slate! LOL! Good Luck!
