All About Pocket Knives

I found a guy on the bay that is selling scrap blocks of Delrin under the name "delrindepot-4". I found him because I was looking for material to make a SOFTER (softer than steel) bench block out of. I figured I could make a dis-assembly bench block out of this stuff he is calling DELRIN / ACETAL... I really don't have an idea what this stuff really is but now that I have it, it looks like a hard plastic.
Anyway, while it was coming to me I was wondering if I could cut pieces of this and make knife handles.
I figured... "Delrin".... you know, like manufacturers used after they saw celluloid was crap.
(I guess this is what this stuff is....(???))

ANYWAY... it's not very expensive stuff.., so I plan to drill a hole or 2 in a piece or 2 and maybe cut a groove to hold a knife still...
Then, I will have some left over blocks for handle material....MAYBE.

NOW..... if there are any chemistry experts out there.... please tell me if I am about to create a highly poisonous gas when I grind or sand this stuff.
(I use a respirator when I sand bone and other things anyway...)
SO, If I drop dead after I take my respirator off, I just want my wife to know why....LOL.

Hmm. I've been looking at doing a little rehandling myself; and in my opinion, Delrin is still a pretty good choice, even if it looks a little basic. You have to do something incredibly stupid for it to break while using it. Only Delrin knives with broken handles I have seen encountered heavy abuse.


MSDS sheet really doesn't mention anything specific. I would wear a dust mask, however. Containing formaldehyde, it still looks like it should be nasty stuff.

https://www.polymerplastics.com/images/ ... Acetal.pdf


Good thing about paying attention when I took OSHA--I learned a LOT of stuff when it comes to personal protection and safety. Before I mess with anything, I always get out or look up the MSDS sheet.

I make my bench blocks out of linen micarta. I pick up blocks that are 3" X 2" X12" for about $5 at the OKCA show. For about $10 I can get two or three nice bench blocks. I have some that I've used for 12 or 13 years that are still working great, I have never broken one.

I use the micarta bars for making jigs of various kinds around the shop. Micarta that has a multitude of uses and I would really be lost without it, It's been great for handle material!

COOL....
Thanks for the link!

orvet wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:12 pm I make my bench blocks out of linen micarta. I pick up blocks that are 3" X 2" X12" for about $5 at the OKCA show. For about $10 I can get two or three nice bench blocks. I have some that I've used for 12 or 13 years that are still working great, I have never broken one.

I use the micarta bars for making jigs of various kinds around the shop. Micarta that has a multitude of uses and I would really be lost without it, It's been great for handling material!

Yep, I was looking for micarta but couldn't find any scrap blocks. I ran across this stuff and the price seemed OK so I got some.
The pieces shown in the picture fit inside a small priority box and they were about $25 shipped.
I still want to find some micarta scrap to have around.

Mike, if you're interested, I'll send this block of white Poly to you to play with. It's about 6"x6"x almost 1". I got it free here in town as scraps. It cuts like wood and drills like wood. I made blocks from it to hold router bits and odd size drill bits. It's not soft.

If you don't want it, it won't hurt my feelings. If you do, I'll send it to you and it won't cost you anything. Your choice.

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:35 pm Mike, if you're interested, I'll send this block of white Poly to you to play with. It's about 6"x6"x almost 1". I got it free here in town as scraps. It cuts like wood and drills like wood. I made blocks from it to hold router bits and odd size drill bits. It's not soft.

If you don't want it, it won't hurt my feelings. If you do, I'll send it to you and it won't cost you anything. Your choice.

SHO 'NUFF... I'd love to have it....
I was just thinking I could make some white handles from the white stuff!
Thanks so much!!
(PM sent)

Mike

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:43 pm

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:35 pm Mike, if you're interested, I'll send this block of white Poly to you to play with. It's about 6"x6"x almost 1". I got it free here in town as scraps. It cuts like wood and drills like wood. I made blocks from it to hold router bits and odd size drill bits. It's not soft.

If you don't want it, it won't hurt my feelings. If you do, I'll send it to you and it won't cost you anything. Your choice.

SHO 'NUFF... I'd love to have it....
I was just thinking I could make some white handles from the white stuff!
Thanks so much!!
(PM sent)

Mike

Okay, I'll get it in tomorrows mail.

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:47 pm
Okay, I'll get it in tomorrows mail.

Thanks a LOAD Jerry!
(Are you Santa Claus????)

Mike

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:49 pm

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:47 pm
Okay, I'll get it in tomorrows mail.

Thanks a LOAD Jerry!
(Are you Santa Claus????)

Mike

If I don't stay out of the Ice Cream, I'll soon look like Santa Claus.

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:08 pm
If I don't stay out of the Ice Cream, I'll soon look like Santa Claus.

LOL.... ...

Delrin is what my disassembly bench block is made of. It works great.
Mill some various sized slots in it and drill some holes and you're good to go.
I wouldn't get too excited about it as handle material. It's just plain black.

Hi Mike,
I had a bit of experience with working Delrin but not with knife work.
I have machined this (round) stuff on the lathe and found it likes razor sharp high speed steel lathe bits.

Blunt tooling -and that includes drill bits- may result in over heating and the waste which appears as a really fine (almost) endless fine fills your work area in the vicinity of where its being cut. Its a pain to remove

Its a good idea to keep it cool as you drill.
My application was in making range rod guides for my muzzleloader.If the speed is too low the hole over heats.

If you need to drill as hole-as in holes in knife scales you need to go a higher speed than normal.
As an example I found that a 8mm hole drill -drilled with blunt drill and too slow heated up,shrunk the hole so it bound up on the 8mm stainless range rod. The best way to get a good sliding fit was to high speed drill,use water as coolant and use many pecks rather than just drive the drill bit through.

f you are after that " saw cut" finish that Schrade gets on its delrin scales I am guessing it might be fly cut in the mill and sprayed with a light coolant so it doesn't over heat.That's just a guess,though. I don't have a mill to try it.
It does, however, work really well, as soft jaws for a vice. I made a pair of 3/8" delrin which are cut out to drop in and straddle the slide.Easy to fit and remove.

For blocks and such Delrin cuts ok with a sharp coarse tooth jigsaw blade.Same deal - high speed and keep it cool.

The cut edges take a bit of deburring as that "burr does not separate from the cut edge, easily.

I hope this helps you in some way
Ozwelder

Thanks OZ!
Thanks for the advice and point out the properties of this stuff.