# gluing cocobolo?



## pleue (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm going to be working with some cocobolo and was wondering what you guys use to glue together wa handles (with spacers or horn) as well as 2 piece sayas? I heard it can be tricky with such an oily wood. Do you sand, acetone, epoxy and clamp lightly? That's what I was thinking. Also, what type of epoxy do you find gets good results for both applications? Heard to not even bother with regular wood glue but id' be open to trying it if people recommend it. 

ps. will be wearing a respirator etc. I heard some horror stories with cocobolo dust but also that it varies from person to person.


----------



## andre s (Apr 21, 2014)

Pleue,
I've used cocobolo a few times and always had luck with jb weld 2 part epoxy. I usually sand and wipe down with a rag. I've only done yo handles with it so lots of surface area to work with (may be trickier with wa handles?). Although I've heard stories as well, it's a wood that's never presented issues for me personally. I like it lot. I'm always eager to see what patterns and colors show up after polishing.
don't forget pictures when you're done...
peace out


----------



## apicius9 (Apr 21, 2014)

Similar experiences here, it just may benefit even more from good preparations than other woods. once averything lines up, I briefly pull pieces over 60grit sandpaper, if the gluing surfaces are very small I may take the Dremel and drill tiny 'dimples' into them to increase the contact areas, then blow it clean with pressured air, wipe thoroughly with acetone, and apply epoxy. I have not noticed one epoxy performing better than any other one. For a while I also used JB Weld when metal pieces were involved, I just never liked the color and the risk of glue lines showing up. These days, I most often use West System's G-Flex or Brownell's Acraglass for almost everything wa handle-related. BTW, same procedure for all oilier woods, incl. blackwood, some other rosewoods, lignum vitae, thuya etc. 
HTH,

Stefan

PS. Respirator is always a good idea, especially with the exotic woods. I cough and sneeze when I work with ebony, even with the respirator which sometimes does not sit 100% perfect because of my beard....


----------



## Dream Burls (Apr 21, 2014)

You might also consider using gloves. Cocobolo can cause skin irritations as well. I'm lucky that I don't seem to be sensitive to it.


----------



## CPD (Apr 22, 2014)

+1 to Stefan's instructions. I do almost exactly the same thing on any oily or exotic wood. Also, if using metal spacers I will always mount them over a center dowel to prevent future separations. 

For epoxy I like G-Flex but I've had success with other good quality epoxies too.

For sayas.... same process for exotics. One trick though -- I like to glue them together with a little extra width/length and then trim once they're assembled. .... I will put a few drops of CA glue on this outer extra material around the perimeter (making sure it's not in contact with the epoxy). The quick set CA glue works as a temporary clamp and keeps my pieces from getting out of alignment during assembly/clamping. I ruined the fit on a saya once when the slow setting epoxy acted like a lubricant and the pieces slipped during clamping that I didn't spot. This is my trick to avoid repeating the mistake. (some like to glue saya's with a taped blade in place inside but I prefer to glue with the knife safely out of the way)


re cocobolo specifically- I've only used it a couple times and stay away from it because of allergies. It's among the most potent of the exotics that tend to hit allergy sufferers. Some people can react to it violently. Others can be fine for a bunch of uses but can develop sensitivity over time from repeated exposure. Respirator and gloves are a good idea as is some type of eye protection that protects your eyes not just from splinters but the dust itself. (For me, cocobolo makes my eyes itch and burn)


----------



## Lefty (Apr 26, 2014)

Too lazy to read, but a trick from an old woodworker I talked to a while back was to sand, wipe with acetone until you see hardly any colour on your cloth, quick air dry, sand, glue.


----------



## Steve_P (May 4, 2014)

for gluing i like to use Gorilla Glue, its pretty cheap, binds metal, wood, and most materials you would use for a spacer/ bolster. It dries really quickly and expands quite a bit so you don't need a lot of it and its really strong. Just make sure you use gloves, it is pretty strong.


----------



## scotchef38 (May 4, 2014)

Steve_P said:


> for gluing i like to use Gorilla Glue, its pretty cheap, binds metal, wood, and most materials you would use for a spacer/ bolster. It dries really quickly and expands quite a bit so you don't need a lot of it and its really strong. Just make sure you use gloves, it is pretty strong.



+1for Gorilla glue.Its the only glue I have used so far that has worked on everything and also stands up to the heat from the sander.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (May 4, 2014)

Acetone might actually weaken the bond. You need to use epoxy that stays flexible when hardened, so the movement in the wood due to humidity change won't break the epoxy bond. Also, you should not clamp hard, as that would start your join and subsequent movement of the wood might break the thinned bond.


----------



## pleue (May 4, 2014)

I think epoxy over gorilla glue in this instance (saya). For, finishing, just sand to a high grit and buff no?

Marko - what epoxy do you use?


----------

