hmong knife from French Guiana

kronckew · 27th October 2014, 07:28 PM

not sure what thais use, but khukuris use 'laha', also known as himalayan epoxy. it's a mix of tree resin, bees wax, powdered brick and (dried) water buffalo or yak dung. may also have hair mixed in. a similar mix is used to hold tulwar blades to their handles. it is thermo-setting, if you heat the grip to around the boiling point of water, it softens and the parts can be dislocated. wood/horn khukuri grips can be placed in a oven bag then held in a pot of boiling water till the stuff is soft enough to loosen. older khukuris with loose grips can be fixed by thus re-melting the laha.

it smells wonderful. if you are married, do NOT do this in the kitchen unless you want an immediate divorce.

there are recipes for laha, or western cultlers cement, or equivalents, if i recall, posted here on the fora. or google. some of the recipes are actually not smelly enough to alienate your significant other. if the knife is to be part of a collection, the more traditional goop would be better.

epoxy is essentially forever. heating it hot enough to melt it loose i suspect would permanently damage the wood.

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27th October 2014, 07:28 PM	#16
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	not sure what thais use, but khukuris use 'laha', also known as himalayan epoxy. it's a mix of tree resin, bees wax, powdered brick and (dried) water buffalo or yak dung. may also have hair mixed in. a similar mix is used to hold tulwar blades to their handles. it is thermo-setting, if you heat the grip to around the boiling point of water, it softens and the parts can be dislocated. wood/horn khukuri grips can be placed in a oven bag then held in a pot of boiling water till the stuff is soft enough to loosen. older khukuris with loose grips can be fixed by thus re-melting the laha. it smells wonderful. if you are married, do NOT do this in the kitchen unless you want an immediate divorce. there are recipes for laha, or western cultlers cement, or equivalents, if i recall, posted here on the fora. or google. some of the recipes are actually not smelly enough to alienate your significant other. if the knife is to be part of a collection, the more traditional goop would be better. epoxy is essentially forever. heating it hot enough to melt it loose i suspect would permanently damage the wood.