hmong knife from French Guiana

[Robert]

If there is not a oversized tang socket in the handle and very little extra space to fill this is the best recipe for cutlers wax I've found so far. It also has the extra benefit of actually smelling nice when being prepared for use.

In a double boiler mix:
8 oz pine pitch or damar,
1/4 cup Carnauba wax
4 oz beeswax
Stir until well mixed. Have the hilt warmed slightly to help keep the wax from setting to fast. Carefully pour mixture into socket and insert heated tang. Brace for a few minutes until wax sets.

If there is a lot of space to fill just add charcoal crushed into a powder to this mixture to take up the extra space and for added strength.

If you are going to be using this for doing a lot of cutting or hacking limbs from trees I would still use epoxy, but that is just my personal opinion.

Best,
Robert