To prevent your knife from slipping or giving you blisters when cutting, the blade of the knife should be firmly attached in its position. The knife handles need imperishable epoxy to stick the blades to the handles permanently. Selecting the best epoxy for knife handles is essential and will ensure that your knife handle is long-lasting, strong, and budget-friendly.
This article's focal point is the basics of epoxy and other important things that you need to focus on while getting the best epoxy for knife handles.
What is Epoxy for a Knife Handle?
Epoxy is merely cured epoxy resin, a strong adhesive system made from a mixture of the resin and curing agent. When the resin and the curing agent are mixed, they react together, enabling the hardening process to ensue. Therefore, epoxy is one of the best adhesives available for industrial and home uses. Basically, the expoxy is used to glue various materials together, such as wood, fabric, glass, concrete, and steel.
As a liquid, it can be used for laminating or coating materials like wood, making them waterproof and much stronger. Then after it hardens or dries, it turns into a resin with a wide range of products. For example, the epoxy resin will provide excellent adhesion to metal and exceptional sealing properties. This means they can also be used as an alternative to welding, rivets, bolting and soldering.
Selecting the right type of epoxy is crucial since you do not want your scales to slip or cause injuries when cutting. For that reason, we have analyzed the five best epoxy for knife handles.
What is the best epoxy for knife handles?
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1. J-B Weld 8281 Professional Size Steel Reinforced Epoxy
- J-B WELD ORIGINAL PRO SIZE: Professional 5 OZ Tubes of the Original Cold Weld two-part epoxy system that was designed as an alternative to torch welding. J-B Weld Original provides strong, lasting repairs to multiple surfaces and creates a bond stronger than steel. Perfect for DIY household, automotive, marine, craft repair and much more.
- CURE AND SET TIME: After mixing the tubes at a 1:1 ratio, it takes 4-6 hours to set and 15-24 hours to cure. Once cured J-B Weld Original can be tapped, filled, sanded, molded and drilled. J-B Weld Original set and cure color is dark grey.
- VERSATILE AND DEPENDABLE: J-B Weld Original is steel reinforced, has a tensile strength of 5020 PSI and can withstand temperatures up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit (287 degrees Celsius. When fully cured, J-B Weld Original is waterproof and resistant to petroleum, chemical and acid.
- SURFACE APPLICATIONS: Metal, Plastic & PVC, Wood, Concrete, Ceramic & Tile and Fiberglass.
- DO IT YOURSELF: Big or small, you can DIY it with J-B Weld. Our heavy duty epoxy and adhesives repair & restore it right the first time. J-B Weld delivers superior performance, quality, and results for the World’s Strongest Bond.
J-B Weld Professional Reinforced Exopy is one of the best glue for knife making. This product has over 10000 satisfied customers meaning it is highly effective. It creates a heavy-duty bond on any surface and still provides you with the flexibility to use it on any material you will be using to make the knife handles.
The Weld Professional Reinforced Exopy limits the formation of bubbles and production of blush. This means, even if small air pockets are formed, they will naturally rise to the surface, providing a smooth surface. In addition, this structural epoxy glue comes with a unique dispensing system that allows you to unseal and reseal the product as you wish, enabling you to reuse the product multiple times.
What's more, the product is made completely toxic-free, meaning there will be no yellowing, and you could use the knives without worrying. The only downside is that it can be difficult to remove the knife handle epoxies from the tube due to its stiffness.
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2. Gorilla Epoxy, 5 Minute Set, 85 Ounce Syringe
- Strong, permanent, fast and gap-filling; Great for multiple surface applications
- Best for tough repairs requiring a durable bond, gap-filling and solvent resistance
- Dries clear; Ideal for clean, easy finishing
- 5 minute set; Plenty of repositioning time for the perfect fit
- Easy-to-Use Syringe; Separate barrels of resin and hardener keep epoxy from hardening, plus syringe dispenses evenly and includes a cap for multiple uses
The Gorilla glue is another powerful and permanent epoxy for knife making. The glue has over 9000 reviews which reflect on its effectiveness. It is from one of the leading brands of epoxy in the world and can be used for multiple purposes. This glue will provide tight bonding and excellently fill the gap between the handle and the blade.
The epoxy for kitchen knives is a premium option if you want a solvent and water-resistant product. It will also hold any materials together, including handle material, and is perfect for automotive repairs. Amazingly you can also use the glue to hold dissimilar materials together and will still get an excellent job.
Furthermore, the Gorilla glue is one of the cheapest epoxies in the market. The durability of the glue makes the glue stand out, and clients come back again each time. The only disadvantage is that it has a yellowish tint left behind when the glue completely dries.
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3. Bob Smith Industries BSI-201 Quik-Cure Epoxy
- Made in the USA
- Five minute working time
- Handle parts in ten minutes
- Proud Sponsors of Wounded Warrior Project
The Bob Smith is a professional-grade epoxy resin for knife handles that provide a permanent bond between the blade and handle. Like the other products we have looked at, this product can also glue together various products or materials, including fiberglass, wood, and metal.
This kine handle epoxy is perfectly made, and it can withstand a temperature of between 140 degrees to 180 degrees meaning it can resist even extreme temperatures. In addition, the knife handle glue is water-resistant, and it's completely organic. Hence, you do not require to worry about getting on the cutting blade. This product is even better because it is food safe and is FDA approved.
Besides, the knife handle epoxy is pretty easy to use, reducing the possibility of creating a mess in your working area. The only weakness is that it is incompatible with some materials like PLA plastic.
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4. Devcon Epoxy, 2 Ton Epoxy
- Ideal for joining wood, metal, concrete, glass, ceramics, china and more
- Sets in 30 minutes with strength up to 2,500 pounds per square inch
- Includes 2 bottles; 4-1/2 ounce bottles
- Dries clear
- water resistant
Are you looking for a high-quality two-part epoxy? The Devcon, 2 Ton Epoxy, is an excellent option to provide a tight bond. In addition, this epoxy will provide a chemical reaction between the blade and the knife blades making the bond even harder and stronger than the epoxy used in knife making.
The Devcon, 2 Ton Epoxy, is easy to use ans only sets within 30 minutes. The epoxy is completely water-resistant and can withstand high temperatures or radiation. The best bit is that this expoxy hardener dries without creating or forming bubbles. It will work perfectly for different materials and metal, concrete, wood, ceramics, glass, and even fiberglass.
After the application, the blade and knife hand will form an incredibly strong bond. The only downside about the Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy is that its effectiveness will vary and can be lower depending on the material you are using it.
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5. West System G/Flex Epoxy (2-4oz)
West Systems g flex Epoxies are the perfect option for any knife-making expert, even beginners. The g flex is precisely designed with wood or steelworkers in mind, and if you are looking to get a super-strong bond between different materials, it's a perfect option. In addition, the g flex is one of the best glue for knife handles and is recommended for knife makers.
The West System G Flex Epoxy provides a strong and flexible bond that is heat and moist resistant. The best bit is that G flex is super durable and can protect your knife even underwater. Additionally, the G flex runs provide a strong elastic bond making it one of the best epoxy resins in the market.
What's more, the G Flex is super convenient and will keep your knife-making process pretty easy while still providing a firm fix. The only downside about the G Flex is that it has an unpleasant odor.
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Factors To Consider When Purchasing the Best Epoxy for Knife Handles
1. Strengthening Additives
The strengthening additives of the knives handle epoxy are important factors that you should consider when making a purchase. Most of the different kinds of glues for making a knife handle have rubber components used to improve or boost the adhesion of the bond. The strengthening Additives used are of different forms, and you should aim at getting one that will offer durability.
Also, get one that will be able to hold different materials together. Most knife handle epoxies are perfect for wood, metal and glass, but you will find others can accommodate more materials and even fill small cracks. The best glues will have super strong bonding and will also be multi-purposed.
2. Viscosity
The best epoxy for knife handles is a liquid with low viscosity, but some will have a consistency like gels. In most cases, the knife handle epoxy with gel consistency is more effective and sets much faster.
3. Moisture and Heat Resistance
Getting a knife handle glue that is water and heat resistant is also very important. It's necessary that when you are repairing knives or other kitchenware, you get glues that are weather resistant and can resist high temperatures.
4. Application
When purchasing epoxy or glue for knife handles, you need to consider the application method or process. You want to get epoxy that is easy to apply and dry quickly. Also, you want to get glue that comes with a nozzle that enables you to use the glue severally.
5. Packaging
When you are making purchases, you want to get glue with a more convenient bottle in terms of the amount a bottle has. Also, the packaging you choose should be convenient enough to make sure that you maximize the product and also minimize any wastage of the product. Additionally, you will need to get glue with packaging that does not allow moisture so that the air does react with cyanoacrylate.
Epoxy vs. Super Glue For a Knife Handle
Of course, you have heard about super glue that fixes broken glass or hard plastics. The superglue drys out within 5 to 20 seconds once you apply and creates a powerful bonding between two surfaces. Mostly this glue is used to fix small broken areas. The disadvantage of the superglue is not very thick enough to fill in small gaps between different surfaces. Also, they will not tightly bond materials like metal or wood.
On the other hand, the epoxy has two parts resins when you mix epoxy and hardener. In most cases, the two materials are mixed in the ratio of 1:1. As a result, the epoxy is incredibly strong, versatile, and best for making home DIY projects. This epoxy is made for both household and industrial uses, and as a matter of fact, it is a great alternative to welding. The epoxy is perfect for filling gaps and is perfect for knife handles.
Tips For Epoxy Gluing
We have prepared several tips to make using the best epoxy for knife handles more manageable. Follow these straightforward steps to use epoxy glue perfectly.
- You will need to file the surfaces you will be gluing very carefully. This makes the surfaces clean, and no trace of dust, dirt or grease.
- Then apply the epoxy on th surfaces and give it around 30 seconds for air bubbles to rise.
- Firmly press the surfaces together.
- Then after application, the epoxy cap is back on to avoid air from getting in.
- Carefully remove o wipe the excess epoxy using a methylated spirit or clean cloth.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Epoxy For Knife Making
1. What is the difference between epoxy and super glue?
The epoxy and superglue have some similarities and differences. Epoxy is a compound created using two parts: a combination o resin and a hardener. On the other hand, the superglue is made of a single component, and it handles within seconds when exposed to air. For wood and metal, knife handles epoxy are the better option.
2. How to remove epoxy glue?
If you have applied the epoxy to unwanted surfaces and want to clean them up, you can gently clean them using a cloth or methylated spirit. The good thing is that most epoxy is made using organic materials and is food safe, meaning you don't need to worry much.
Image credit: i.imgur.com
