Installing metal spacers

L

levernut

Well-Known Member
I plan on building a couple of full tang fillet knives that include .030 inch nickel silver or stainless steel spacers beween the Micarta bolster and Micarta handle material. One knife will have a dovetailed bolster while the other will not be dovetailed. Will super glue or epoxy hold the metal spacers securely or do I need to fasten them mechanically? Thanks.
 
If you're running pins of some manner through the bolsters you'll be fine. In my opinion all bolsters need more than glue or solder. If you're doing that and make sure to rough up the spacers you'll be fine. I am a huge fan of corby and loveless type fasteners to provide a second clamping mechanical joint versus just the shear resistance of a straight pin, especially with spacers added under scales.
 
Frank,
Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, the metal spacers will not be located under the scales, rather, they will be stacked between the bolster and handle. I will alternate between Micarta and spacer for a striped effect. Does this change your answer?
 
You'll be fine. I have never seen anything but epoxy for the small spacers in that case and have never seen any problems.
 
You could drill a couple 1/16" holes in your spacer material to allow the epoxy to flow through the spacer and get a better hold. That would be easy.

I always pin mine with hardened steel hidden dowel pins........................................but I tend to overbuild everything. :) ;)
 
Like John Doyle said , but I drill a couple small holes in the spacers then grind a little out of the back side of the bolster and handle mat'l next to the tang , and I call this glue rivets .
 
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