Removing Epoxy

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

a previous owner used epoxy to bind the blade in the handle. i've tried heat gun and acetone (not at the same time!!!), and was able to dig some of the epoxy.

any suggestions on how to remove this?

Kind of depends what the hilt is made of Spunjer.
If it's an all-metal hilt that's not going to be hurt by chemicals then you can sort of go for broke, but if it's a composite/fragile material then you might simply have to dig it all out physically, if lucky with a dremel and an engraving bit.

What are we talking here? What type of hilt and how much epoxy?

Personally I'd try using something like petrol or white spirit and leave it to soak in. Acetone will evaporate before it gets a chance to get into the 'join'.
See if you can loosen the bond between the epoxy and the hilt or blade then get them apart.

Failing that you could try one of the 'professional solutions':
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you...lve_epoxy_glue

[Spunjer]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

What are we talking here? What type of hilt and how much epoxy?

Personally I'd try using something like petrol or white spirit and leave it to soak in.

Failing that you could try one of the 'professional solutions':
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you...lve_epoxy_glue

Hilt is wood, but it's covered with metal. The acetone was working to a certain degree; whatever epoxy that was exposed, i was able to dig it out with a nut picker (my wife doesn't know it yet, lol). After letting it dry, heat was applied to the blade and it turned the epoxy into a crumbly putty-like. The epoxy that seeped deep inside is the one that i can't get to budge and i reckon the only way to loosen this was some type of chemical.
Ariel, can you buy those products you mentioned at the local Lowes hardware?

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi Spunjer,
to remove epoxy adhesive you should use special dissolvents which vere made for this purpose. You will "google" whot is for disposal in your country, for sure. We have here "Epoclean Ceresit 51" or epoxy stripper "AX53" - allegedly suitable for wood surface. But I think you could only remove thin layers chemically...
Regards,
Martin

[Spunjer]

Thank you, Martin.
Went to our local hardware and found a spray can called Jasco's. Seems to strip the epoxy albeit very slowly.

[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.

[TimW]

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]

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]

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