Removing Epoxy

Lee · 17th February 2013, 06:52 PM

I used MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) on my protobudiak. I would soak for 4 to 8 hours and then pick at the epoxy with a dissecting needle, freeing a few millimeters, then back to soaking. Very slow, but the silver and the iron tang and the wood appeared undamaged by the treatment.

TimW · 17th February 2013, 06:56 PM

WD40 also has the annoying tendency to creep under epoxy... Or if you have the possibility (depending on the object): heat entirely in the oven...

Spunjer · 18th February 2013, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

I used MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) on my protobudiak. I would soak for 4 to 8 hours and then pick at the epoxy with a dissecting needle, freeing a few millimeters, then back to soaking. Very slow, but the silver and the iron tang and the wood appeared undamaged by the treatment.

thanks for that link, Lee. seems like i'm heading in the same direction; in that this is going to take days to come off. where did you get the dissecting needle? the nut picker is a tad too big...

tim, i might try the wd40 as well. as far as placing the whole sword in the oven, that's pretty much out of the picture; i do use the heat gun (rated to 700 deg), i can concentrate the heat on a particular area.

kahnjar1 · 18th February 2013, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spunjer

thanks for that link, Lee. seems like i'm heading in the same direction; in that this is going to take days to come off. where did you get the dissecting needle? the nut picker is a tad too big...

tim, i might try the wd40 as well. as far as placing the whole sword in the oven, that's pretty much out of the picture; i do use the heat gun (rated to 700 deg), i can concentrate the heat on a particular area.

Hi Spunjer,
Not a dissolving agent, but you mention tools for picking. If you have a local dentist, try him/her for worn/broken tools. I did this with great results....all sorts of shapes and sizes....
Stu

A. G. Maisey · 18th February 2013, 11:08 AM

It would perhaps assist a recommendation if we had a pic of the object, however I have never failed to remove a blade from a hilt by playing heat directly on the blade. I've never used a heat gun, I've never used any sort of chemicals to attempt dissolving the bond. You don't need to get the metal that is in contact with the adhesive all that hot, certainly not hot enough to affect the heat treat, and it is a simple matter to restore the blade once you've got it free of the gunk. I mostly use a gas torch, but I've been doing this sort of stuff for a very long time, its probably safer to use a candle, which is what I use when I'm away from home.

The simplest solution is often the best in any situation, and there's nothing more simple than a bit of heat direct to the blade. Javanese and other Indonesian weapons mostly have their blades fixed to the hilts with adhesive, and that adhesive gives way at about the same temperature as epoxy resin. M'ranggis have been mounting and demounting blades in the way I describe for hundreds of years.

With the torch I clamp the blade about mid point in a vice, wrapped in newspaper of course so the vice doesn't mark the blade, then I play the torch over both sides of the blade and at the same time work the hilt back and forth with my other hand. You can make sure the blade doesn't get too hot by continually testing the heat in the blade a few inches from where you're playing the torch.

With a candle, I wrap cloth around the blade and grip it with one hand, grip the hilt with the other hand and hold the blade over the candle flame, alternating sides.

I've probably demounted a few hundred old blades in this way since I started in this game.

Spunjer · 19th February 2013, 04:07 AM

thanks for the head's up, Stu!

this particular blade is frustrating the crap out of me, Alan. when i etch most of my blades, i usually take it off the handle, that way it would be uniform throughout and i won't have to worry about the acid (vinegar) seeping where the blade and the handle meets.
i've been removing the blade the same way you've instructed, but for some reason, this one just won't budge. i will take some pictures of my progress so far, if that's what it's called, lol.

fearn · 19th February 2013, 04:19 AM

You can get dissecting needles on Amazon, or Carolina biological. If you happen to live near a biggish college or university, you can also get them at the student store, since they're standard equipment for freshman biology labs. If you've got a particular crack you're trying to clean out, it's not a bad idea to check out such a student store, because they often have all manner of weird tools in the biology dissection and art areas.

As for alcohol, you can get some pretty high grade methanol (70%) at a pharmacy. Some states in the US sell everclear (100% ethanol) which is another dandy solvent, as is cheap, unflavored vodka (70% ethanol).

I'm a big fan of slow and steady. The alcohol will dehydrate the wood somewhat, so if you heat stress it too often, you may develop a crack. The key thing is that alcohol evaporates at a low temperature, so you don't have to get your oven very hot to drive it off. HOWEVER, alcohol vapors are also flammable, so I strongly recommend low heat and an electric oven, not a gas oven, unless you like blue flames. Remember also that if you evaporate a solvent, you're likely to end up breathing some of it. With ethanol, this isn't much of a problem, but other things are rather more toxic. I do suggest reading the warning label before playing with it.

My 0.00002 cents,

F

A. G. Maisey · 19th February 2013, 01:05 PM

Any possibility of a pin through the tang?

kai · 22nd February 2013, 09:27 AM

Hello Fearn,

Quote:

I'm a big fan of slow and steady.

Yeah, me too. IMHO, harsh chemicals should be used very, very cautiously if at all!

If you really need to soak in a solvent, I'd remove the pommel if seperate from the grip piece. The solvent may need weeks or months to evaporate completely...

Quote:

Remember also that if you evaporate a solvent, you're likely to end up breathing some of it. With ethanol, this isn't much of a problem, but other things are rather more toxic. I do suggest reading the warning label before playing with it.

I'd second that! I'd even make a point of downloading and reading the MSDS (material safety data sheets) from the website of any large chemical supply company for any chemical that you contemplate to utilize.

Better safe than sorry!
Regards,
Kai

18th February 2013, 11:08 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	It would perhaps assist a recommendation if we had a pic of the object, however I have never failed to remove a blade from a hilt by playing heat directly on the blade. I've never used a heat gun, I've never used any sort of chemicals to attempt dissolving the bond. You don't need to get the metal that is in contact with the adhesive all that hot, certainly not hot enough to affect the heat treat, and it is a simple matter to restore the blade once you've got it free of the gunk. I mostly use a gas torch, but I've been doing this sort of stuff for a very long time, its probably safer to use a candle, which is what I use when I'm away from home. The simplest solution is often the best in any situation, and there's nothing more simple than a bit of heat direct to the blade. Javanese and other Indonesian weapons mostly have their blades fixed to the hilts with adhesive, and that adhesive gives way at about the same temperature as epoxy resin. M'ranggis have been mounting and demounting blades in the way I describe for hundreds of years. With the torch I clamp the blade about mid point in a vice, wrapped in newspaper of course so the vice doesn't mark the blade, then I play the torch over both sides of the blade and at the same time work the hilt back and forth with my other hand. You can make sure the blade doesn't get too hot by continually testing the heat in the blade a few inches from where you're playing the torch. With a candle, I wrap cloth around the blade and grip it with one hand, grip the hilt with the other hand and hold the blade over the candle flame, alternating sides. I've probably demounted a few hundred old blades in this way since I started in this game. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 18th February 2013 at 11:18 AM.

17th February 2013, 06:52 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 932	I used MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) on my protobudiak. I would soak for 4 to 8 hours and then pick at the epoxy with a dissecting needle, freeing a few millimeters, then back to soaking. Very slow, but the silver and the iron tang and the wood appeared undamaged by the treatment.

17th February 2013, 06:56 PM	#2
TimW Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 54	WD40 also has the annoying tendency to creep under epoxy... Or if you have the possibility (depending on the object): heat entirely in the oven...

19th February 2013, 04:07 AM	#6
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	thanks for the head's up, Stu! this particular blade is frustrating the crap out of me, Alan. when i etch most of my blades, i usually take it off the handle, that way it would be uniform throughout and i won't have to worry about the acid (vinegar) seeping where the blade and the handle meets. i've been removing the blade the same way you've instructed, but for some reason, this one just won't budge. i will take some pictures of my progress so far, if that's what it's called, lol.

19th February 2013, 04:19 AM	#7
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	You can get dissecting needles on Amazon, or Carolina biological. If you happen to live near a biggish college or university, you can also get them at the student store, since they're standard equipment for freshman biology labs. If you've got a particular crack you're trying to clean out, it's not a bad idea to check out such a student store, because they often have all manner of weird tools in the biology dissection and art areas. As for alcohol, you can get some pretty high grade methanol (70%) at a pharmacy. Some states in the US sell everclear (100% ethanol) which is another dandy solvent, as is cheap, unflavored vodka (70% ethanol). I'm a big fan of slow and steady. The alcohol will dehydrate the wood somewhat, so if you heat stress it too often, you may develop a crack. The key thing is that alcohol evaporates at a low temperature, so you don't have to get your oven very hot to drive it off. HOWEVER, alcohol vapors are also flammable, so I strongly recommend low heat and an electric oven, not a gas oven, unless you like blue flames. Remember also that if you evaporate a solvent, you're likely to end up breathing some of it. With ethanol, this isn't much of a problem, but other things are rather more toxic. I do suggest reading the warning label before playing with it. My 0.00002 cents, F

19th February 2013, 01:05 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Any possibility of a pin through the tang?