Problems with Spyderco Bushcraft

[Mountainwalker]

Umm bad news for the Spyderco Bushcraft; manufacturer has halted shipping due to the handles cracking.

I actually bought one for Xmas, really like the knife and my one appears ok, or at least for the time being.

Any ideas what I could do to ensure the handle doesn't shrink and crack?

 

[helixpteron]

To be honest, if the makers of what has possibly been the most hyped 'New' bushcraft knife have had to cease selling them from virtually the outset, I'd return it and wait till they launch one that's fit for purpose.

 

[Mike Harlos]

Umm bad news for the Spyderco Bushcraft; manufacturer has halted shipping due to the handles cracking.

I actually bought one for Xmas, really like the knife and my one appears ok, or at least for the time being.

Any ideas what I could do to ensure the handle doesn't shrink and crack?

After some reading about taking the best care I could of the maple handles of my Woodlore, I ended up soaking the handle for 24 hrs in Danish Oil, and after wiping off and letting dry for a few days I buffed the handles with Carnuba wax.

I don't know if that's the best approach, but I don't think it will hurt

 

[Omegarod]

Any ideas what I could do to ensure the handle doesn't shrink and crack?

Its a very beautiful looking knife, and stunning looking wood. However, the problem with wood that is that spalted is that some parts of it are incredibly soft. (Usually the very light parts). Spalting is really rotten wood, and it can be like balsa wood in places!

But.... it can be stabilised very successfully as it is so porus. After stabilising there's no way that it is going to crack or shrink! I work quite a lot with spalted maple, beech and poplar..... and here's my method.

First get through whatever finish is on the wood by light sanding. Sand no finer than 240 grit, as you want to leave a lot of surface area to the wood to accept the treatment. The existing finish will be very thin indeed. If you don't get all the finish off (because it has soaked in) then don't worry too much. You just need sufficient bare wood to accept the treatment, which will wick into the pores and soft parts, and spread right through the wood, especially on something as thin as knife scales.

Get some THIN CA glue (superglue). It must be the thin type for it to soak in. Flood the surface of the wood with the CA glue and it will soak in like blotting paper. It may gas off in a little white cloud as it dries, and that is nasty acrid gas that you won't like to breathe in. It may also leave a powdery white deposit on the surface after it dries. If some glue stands liquid on the surface, give it a light rub to spread it out, with your hand inside a plastic bag to protect your fingers

Leave it for an hour or more before touching it. Then give it a light sanding down to 1000 grit. If you want the finish to be highly glossy, then polish it with brasso or toothpaste on a cloth. I prefer a slightly satin finish, which can be done by just waxing it a little after the sanding.

The end result is wood that retains all its looks, but it is so impregnated with CA glue that it is rock hard all the way through, and there's no way that it is going to crack or split.

Rod

I source that thin CA glue from here:
http://www.ekmpowershop9.com/ekmps/...-cyanoacrylate--industrial-superglue-41-c.asp

 

[Leonidas]

Any ideas what I could do to ensure the handle doesn't shrink and crack?

Read about this on BB, great shame.
To uniformly stabilize or plasticize wood through to the core (Even on thin scales) it can take at least several hours...and these do not look like thin scales.
To date their is no quick process that will uniformly saturate wood to the core.

The wood / scales I process are subject to chemical formula I developed and also vacuum, pressure and heat....across a several day period, sometimes weeks for hardwood....this ensures sufficient penetration.
The process also fills in the cracks too

Have also developed a technique for stabilizing wood after it has been fitted (Even older blades).....

The danish oil treatment mentioned should suffice if you tweak your process a little

I would be inclined to place the blade in the oil and warm the oil slowly to a moderate but not a 'hot' temperature. Maintain the temperature for as long as possible up to an hour or so. Then switch off the heat and allow it to cool slowly.
The wood will swell, pores will open and it will take in more oil that if treated with cold oil.
Allowing it to cool slowly will help trap oil....
Recommend removal of the stabilized 'shell'...if the wood is allowed to swell too much it may induce a split.

Then it is a matter of letting the oil firm up, polish and hey presto.....

An alternative is to replace the handle but.....what gorgeous wood...and it can be stabilized fully in situ no problem

Put it this way, if they are being sold off I'll be buying loads of them and treating them

Tom

 

[Mountainwalker]

Thanks for the advice, I must confess I love the knife and would be loath to return it. So I will try and stabalise it. Reading the BB post it would appear that they had tried to do this by soaking the wood in boiled linseed oil. Any thought on that method? I did end up buying a bottle of the stuff as it was recommended by Spyderco.

I'm hoping it is only a small number of knives that were faulty and my one will last a life time. Just want to ensure that this is the case, otherwise I might end up getting a new handle fitted.

 

[Leonidas]

Boiled linseed simply has metallic compounds added that encourage the oil to harden....

The key is to heat, hold the temperature then cool the Danish or linseed oil slowly so the wood 'opens' up and soaks up the oil.
The blade should provide a lifetime of use with occasional maintenance.

The only caveat is if the wood is already split...thorough stabilization would be required..

Cheers
Tom

 

[Mountainwalker]

Boiled linseed simply has metallic compounds added that encourage the oil to harden....

The key is to heat, hold the temperature then cool the Danish or linseed oil slowly so the wood 'opens' up and soaks up the oil.
The blade should provide a lifetime of use with occasional maintenance.

The only caveat is if the wood is already split...thorough stabilization would be required..

Cheers
Tom

Thanks Tom, I will give your suggestion a go.

 

[robin wood]

Thanks Tom, I will give your suggestion a go.

I would suggest not too much heat, there is benefit in warming the oil as it makes it thinner and penetrates the wood more deeply, it can also speed the curing process of raw linseed, not sure if it helps boiled or not. To thin the oil all that is required is to stand the bottle in a jug of hot water.

I would not heat danish oil as it has thinners which will evaporate giving poisonous fumes, also the thinners do the same job as warming the oil carrying it deeper into the wood. If you get your handle much more than warm then the different expansion/contraction of metal and wood may cause problems.

 

[demographic]

Collectors piece of the future these knives... limited production run, recall and the possibility they won't make any more...

 

[Mountainwalker]

Well, I gave it a soaking in mildly warm linseed oil and will see what happens. Thought I might as well put this knife through it paces as if a fault is going to occur it might as well be sooner than latter. This knife is without question the sharpest knife I have ever owned, makes my Mora's seem blunt. The handle is very thick which suits my hand and gives me more confidence in wood carving pursuits. I actually think Spyderco designed an excellent Bushcraft knife. It's a shame about the handle I hope it is a sporadic problem and it does not deter them from making another run.

If my handle does end up with a crack my next question will be how to fill the crack.

 

[Leonidas]

Hi Mw.....nice one.....
If the handle does eventually crack (it most likely will not now though) please pm me...for a permanent solution

Tom

 

[Shinken]

Spyderco's youtube vid says that the handle is already stabilized as far as i am aware.

So don't know why it would crack

 

[Mountainwalker]

Well from what I gather the supplier of the handle material claimed it was stabilized but it would appear something went wrong in the process.

 

[Shinken]

ah, you could get it rehandled?