help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

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MT Cup
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help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by MT Cup » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:02 am

Trying to dismantle my jian...only to find that the handle was epoxied. I have a loose blade and obviously the tightening of the nut at the pommel was useless. Can anybody tell me how to remedy this situation? I also need a handle replacement...does anybody know how I can get this replaced? Thanks in advance.

Nik
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Re: help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by Nik » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:07 pm

Depending on the exact epoxy or glue used, you may be able to solve the hardened glue with a chemical agent. Say, multithinner, EVL thinner, etc. But if you are going to replace the handle anyways, using blunt force might be sufficient. ;) Either use an electric saw to remove the handle, or hammer it off with a rubber hammer, carefully fixing the blade in a bench vise cushioned with leather to protect the blade. You may need a wooden wedge to hammer onto, for getting the impact more central. The saw should be the solution that endangers the blade the least.

Philip Tom
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Re: help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by Philip Tom » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:04 pm

Epoxy adhesives (commonly available as a dual combo of adhesive and hardening agent that are mixed in equal quantities) typically release (un-bond) at just above 200 degrees F. Gentle heating of the metal parts with a torch, or immersion of the hilt for a period in boiling water, are useful remedies. If using a torch, shoot the flame into the recess in the center of the guard where the blade emerges; heat conducted from blade to tang should raise the temp above the required release point for the epoxy. Don't go hog wild, use as little heat as possible to do the job. The blade should not turn color. Once the epoxy disintegrates, it won't re-bond so you can wait til everything cools before trying to wrestle the hilt off.

Don't forget to file off any "mushrooming" of tang to pommel, and be sure that if there are any cross pins or lanyard hole bushings in the grip, that these are removed before you try to tap the hilt off the tang. Clamp the blade in PADDED vise jaws. if the hilt won't come off by pulling with hand and arm strength, use a shaped piece of wood as a drift punch, driven by a mallet. Place the punch at the very base of the blade. Don't try to hammer on the exposed extremities of the guard, you may put a dent there or cause the metal to split if the guard is thin.
Phil

Nik
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Re: help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by Nik » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:25 am

You can carefully try this procedure of warming up the epoxy, but please make sure you don't go over that 200° F. With temperatures of > 100° Celsius, you already come into the region where steel is tempered, meaning, you change the structure of the steel. This depends on the exact steel used for the blade. Water for example can't become hotter than 100° C, so this is safe to use.

It's also not guaranteed that it's epoxy at all. You can also use industrial glue which doesn't necessarily have to be heat-sensitive, within the temperature region you can safely use without impacting the blade. And be cautious with heating the "brass" parts of the handle, because often this isn't brass but zinc alloy. This will _suddenly_ reach its melting point and then it literally evaporates, it just vanishes.

MT Cup
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Re: help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by MT Cup » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:42 pm

Thanks for all the great advise. I did manage to remedy the problem of my blade feeling loose at the hilt. I removed the pommel and used a heat gun at the tang (?). I got it hot enough so that the glue was smoking. I tried to removed the handle by pulling it but to no avail. Yes, I had gloves on. Being that I only wanted to tighten the blade, I heated the tang up again. Only this time, I had replaced the pommel and had put some big washers to cover the base of the pommel and cranked down on the nut again. Voila, nice tight blade. I had previously crushed the pommel a bit from tightening down the nut. But due to the epoxy, the blade never got tight. I put the washers there to prevent me from crushing the pommel any further. I do have issues with the handle being cracked but I had wrapped a tennis over grip over the handle. Not very aesthetically pleasing but it helps my grip tremendously, especially because my hands sweat so much.

albertgill
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Re: help with dismantling when epoxy was applied...

Post by albertgill » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 am

hey thanks for your great advise..it would be helpful for me.. :D

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