Plastic plate for spacer material

RodneyJ

RodneyJ

Well-Known Member
A couple months back I saw a thread about using plastic disposable plates for spacer material. I did not follow it at the time put now I wish I would have. I have done some searching and can not find it. Can someone point me in that direction or give advise on weather it works ok. My doughter has asked me to make her a knife with pink scales and I was thinking about using red liners with it. The spacer material I saw at the knife supply was some kind of heavy paper I did not think would hold up very well.

Thanks
Rodney
 
The space material at the knife supply will hold up very well so you don't need to doubt that.

As for the plastic plates for liners you probably read that in another forum but the jist of it is to use picnic plates because they are brightly colored and fairly thick and show up very well as liners. Just remember not to try to squeeze out an extra liner if there is not perfectly flat material to do so.

The person that started that bought his plastic plates from Target or party supply stores to get almost any color he wanted.
 
Good idea, thanks guys. I too have gotten tired of the problems associated with fiber liner/spacer material. Brightly colored G10 and micarta are also available in spacer thicknesses, but I imagine the picnic plates are less expensive.
 
Not available in many colors ,but I have used those plastic
folders,like my kids use for school.They are not as thick as the plates.
I have tried to think of something a little thicker.....good idea.
Thanks Rodney,

God bless,Keith
 
Bob thanks for your reply I could not remember were I had seen it did not think much about it at the time. then when I started working on this knife it was no were to be found
 
Thanks guys Keith I had not thought about folders I will be buying alot of those for the kids real soon. SBuzek I will have to check that out I was in there a week or so back and did not see it.
 
A word of caution on use of plastic plates for liner material. Some of the plastic plates dissolve in acetone ! Ask me why I know !:sad:

Joe
 
I came across some of the G-10 liner material at the A.G. show. Phil from Masecraft gave me a piece to try out. I'll figure out a time to use it eventually.
 
Joe I had not thought about the affect of acetone when cleaning off epoxy that would be bad to have every thing glued up and then melt the liners. I may end up getting some G10 as Bruce, Murph and some others have suggested.
 
I bought a large quantity of engraving stock which works well.
It came in .020 and .030 thickness but I've seen up to 1/8" thickness. Although it was two years ago I'm sure someone has it on fleabay.

I mix epoxy on plastic plates and it peels right off when it dries. Maybe there are different types.


Rudy
 
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I am a Plastic Technologist. Plastic plates are normaly manufactured with PE (Polyethylene) or PP (Polypropylene) or PS (polystyrene). The problem with PE and PP are that their are no know glue or epoxy that can stick to it properly. Ps on the ather hand will be desolved by acetone, as Joe can testify. Now the little I know about knife making, being a newby, none of this are good for a knife handle.
This is just my 2 cents worth on the subjets.
Thanks
 
Thanks for the info, gentlemen. Guess I'm back to getting some thin micarta or G10.

FWIW... on another similar thread, someone mentioned that plastic from Clorox bleach bottles works great for liners... I asked if epoxy would adhere to it properly and was told, "I peen my pins, don't need epoxy." The same maker also told us to just run a little super-glue over the edge of fiber liners so they don't swell/shrink.

Now, I respect the fellow who said that very much, and don't mean to step on any toes. I peen my pins too, or use bolts... but I insist on using some sort of epoxy or sealant between everything if for no other reason than to keep moisture away from the steel (even if it's "stainless"). I sleep a lot better at night if I'm confident the material is stable to begin with. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I tend to think a belt AND suspenders is best, if you know what I mean.

I do use unstabilized woods for handles sometimes, but I inform my customers that no matter what I oil/seal/finish them with, I can't guarantee they won't shrink/swell over time. I think that's only fair.
 
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James I think you are 100% correct. Epoxy on the handles would keep out any bacteria as well if it is a hunting/skinning knife. Can't be to carefull.
 
Pieter thanks for your expert advice and the advice from others yall have saved me from making yet another mistake. Thats why I love this place thanks guys
 
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