Best glue to attach new handle

We encourage you to post your questions about kitchen knives here. We can give you help choosing a knife.
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

I bought an amazing Tojiro yanagiba 270mm with a not very good handle. Big step between handle and ferrule. Irritated my hand. So I bought another handle from Mark, successfully removed old handle. What bonding agent works best securing handles?
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
silylanjie
Posts: 208
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 113 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by silylanjie »

You could use epoxy or hot glue to attached tang to the handle.
Wilson - Just an retired sushi chef
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

any brand of these products you've used and where did you procure them?
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
silylanjie
Posts: 208
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 113 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by silylanjie »

I have used Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy but I'm pretty sure there's other brands that other members could share.
Now usually just use hot glue because it's easier to remove the handle if I want to re-handle it.

Here is a good video by CKTG showing how to install a handle (Loctite Epoxy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbEMcq ... knivestogo

I also found a good post with steps + images on installing a handle
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14483&p=109254&hili ... ll#p109254
Last edited by silylanjie on Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wilson - Just an retired sushi chef
silylanjie
Posts: 208
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 113 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by silylanjie »

I also got a Tojiro Yanagi 270mm (BENT) from the Close Out section last year and hated the handle as well. So polished the blade and replaced the handle too. :D
IMG_20210817_225047.jpg
Wilson - Just an retired sushi chef
Bensbites
Posts: 2588
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:42 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 342 times
Been thanked: 247 times
Contact:

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Bensbites »

Your choice are 2pt epoxy, hot melt glue, or beeswax. The first is permanent, the others are easily removed. All ove pros and cons. I ding epoxy easier to install straight. Beeswax and melt glue will set up faster than epoxy, if your friction fit isn’t perfect that can be harder to install straight but are easily adjusted.
Pat Y
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:17 pm
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 35 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Pat Y »

I just installed my first handle and I used hot glue. The nice thing about the hot glue is it sets up really fast so your not having to hold it forever. Plus it should be easy to take off. I sealed the end with some food safe silicon.
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14741
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1954 times
Been thanked: 2324 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Jeff B »

I shave hot glue sticks and put it in the handle, heat the tang and then insert. Heating the tang melts the glue and seems to give plenty of time to straighten everything up before it sets up. Seal around the tang with the glue gun and then use an x-acto knife to clean up the excess after everything dries.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
taz575
Posts: 4920
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 2:54 pm
Location: CT
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 1143 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by taz575 »

I use JB Kwik Weld for my handle installs, but it is pretty permanent! I tried to hammer off a wa handle and it didn't budge. It's a thick epoxy, too and dark colored.
Robstreperous
Posts: 2497
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:46 am
Location: Long Island
Has thanked: 120 times
Been thanked: 453 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Robstreperous »

I've only done one. I used 2 part epoxy. I was lucky because the tang and drilled slot were pretty closely matched.

That said I ended up with some air bubbles and needed to fill the end of the ferrule with wax.

I'm pretty sure if and when I try it again I'll give the bees wax or hot glue a whirl.
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

I bought the 2 parter but between Rob, Jeff and Tim's info. I think I'm going to try the hot glue. I assume its at your friendly Ace Hardware?
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
Pat Y
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2020 2:17 pm
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 35 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Pat Y »

FisherMAn1298 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:01 am I bought the 2 parter but between Rob, Jeff and Tim's info. I think I'm going to try the hot glue. I assume its at your friendly Ace Hardware?
Hardware or any craft store. I think my wife picked some up at Hobby Lobby.
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14741
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1954 times
Been thanked: 2324 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Jeff B »

You can get glue guns and sticks at Lowes and Home Depot too, at least around here.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
silylanjie
Posts: 208
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 113 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by silylanjie »

I use hot glue tiny pellets, it save so much time shaving glue sticks.
Wilson - Just an retired sushi chef
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14741
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1954 times
Been thanked: 2324 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Jeff B »

I use the sticks because...well...they're already here. :D I could see the pellets being easier.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

Anyone try to remove a handle installed with hot glue?
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
silylanjie
Posts: 208
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 113 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by silylanjie »

FisherMAn1298 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 1:24 pm Anyone try to remove a handle installed with hot glue?
I have tried a few different way of removing it but I find the easiest (at least for me) is using a heat gun blowing around the handle... after the glue had loosen I will then knock it with a block of wood and mallet.
Wilson - Just an retired sushi chef
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

Just wanted to thank everyone for their contribution to the thread. I ended up using 2-part epoxy. Waxed and taped the cap of the handle, filled the groove, let it sit over night and the tape peeled right off and the wood was spotless! Many thanks all!
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
Miles
Posts: 236
Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:12 pm
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Has thanked: 615 times
Been thanked: 117 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by Miles »

My go-to handle removal is hot water technique. I don't know if this is the easiest, but I've put a piece of cardboard around the blade (taped/rubber banded) then placed in a vac seal bag (not sealed) with a rubberband sealed at the top. Then submerged only the handle in rolling (preheated) boil pot of hot water for 20minutes and then remove. With a silicon glove or hot mitt I pull the handle from the cardboard wrapped blade. It should just pull right out without too much work. See next paragraph if you're pulling dangerously hard. I showed a buddy and he removed a Masakage Yuki just the other day.

For epoxy, i had to drop in water 3 times and hammered each time. I used the piece 1" x 4" x 16" pine hand held on the blade with a mallet/hammer tapping the board which contacts the top of the handle. This was pretty painful, but after reading the forums, folks just said "do it again" it eventually came off. I've only done one/two epoxy removals and they smelled different than hot glue... Much stronger, yuck.
FisherMAn1298
Posts: 558
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:53 am
Location: Gloucester, MA
Has thanked: 535 times
Been thanked: 312 times

Re: Best glue to attach new handle

Post by FisherMAn1298 »

Any reason why you didn't cut the old handle off, or at least partially. Were you trying to reuse it? I popped the plastic ferrule off the Tojiro Yanagiba and split the handle in two. It was burned in so I had little problem. Thanks for all the great info.I'll keep that in the database for future reference.
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
Post Reply