# Handle test to destruction



## RRLOVER (Mar 11, 2012)

I have tested a lot of my "failure" handles to see what kind of force it takes to break the epoxy butt joint,I have never tested how much heat they could take.I had to remove a Wa handle to regrind a blade so I took the opportunity to heat test the epoxy.So I wrapped the blade in a wet rag,clapped it in the vise and busted out the heat gun.I was expecting to just heat the wood up and slide the handle off the tang but that was not the case.I heated the wood up for a very long time slowly for 20 minutes,the wood was hot enough to burn me through a leather glove but the handle still did not come off.So I just kept heating the wood up for 10 more minutes until it was just about to catch fire and still the handle would not come off.In the end I had to cut off the chard chunk of wood(sorry mark) and had no true heat failure off the epoxy holding the tang in.


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## Bill Burke (Mar 11, 2012)

What epoxy are you using Mario.


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## RobinW (Mar 11, 2012)

I think i know where that knife is heading....

Will that kind of heat not ruin the blade HT?

Either way, i think different kinds of Epoxy is different in terms of heat sensitivity.


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## Marko Tsourkan (Mar 11, 2012)

I had once horn end cap come off stabilized wood just from the movement, so since then I use hidden pins. An extra step, but you get a peace of mind. 

M


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## RRLOVER (Mar 11, 2012)

Bill Burke said:


> What epoxy are you using Mario.



I have been using system three T88


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## RRLOVER (Mar 11, 2012)

RobinW said:


> I think i know where that knife is heading....
> 
> Will that kind of heat not ruin the blade HT?
> 
> Either way, i think different kinds of Epoxy is different in terms of heat sensitivity.



I wrapped the blade in a wet rag,the blade did not see any heat.Using a heat gun you can keep the heat in a small area.


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## RRLOVER (Mar 11, 2012)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> I had once horn end cap come off stabilized wood just from the movement, so since then I use hidden pins. An extra step, but you get a peace of mind.
> 
> M




The butt joint at the horn,spacer,and wood did fail which I expected to happen quickly being so thin.I was not expecting the handle to stay on.


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## Bishopmaker (Mar 11, 2012)

Most of the higher end epoxies fail around 500 degrees and higher.


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## Mike Davis (Mar 11, 2012)

That sucks Mario. That sure was beautiful. Good test information though, thanks for sharing


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## RobinW (Mar 11, 2012)

RRLOVER said:


> I wrapped the blade in a wet rag,the blade did not see any heat.Using a heat gun you can keep the heat in a small area.




Glad to hear that!:biggrin:


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