Instructions - Glue blade and hilt together

We make life-sized and functional basket hilts, but they are so big that it is extremely expensive to post, except if we send the blades and hilts separately. Two smallish packages are waaaay less expensive than one big one.

This means you, the customer, have to glue the hilt and blade together. Here are instructions.

You will need:
- Glue - 2 part, rapid cure (5 minute) epoxy is what I use, eg 5-minute araldite. I would send you some except that it's "dangerous goods" so you'll need to supply your own.
- A mixing stick and mixing surface. Paddlepop sticks and cardboard work just fine.
- The bade and the hilt.

You may also need:
- A work surface. Table, bench, ground, whatever, but I suggest you cover it to protect it from drips of glue.
- Paper towel, or a rag.
- Gloves
- Methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol

Step 1:  Prepare

Cover your work surface, gather all your materials within arm's reach.


Step 2: Mix glue


Most rapid epoxy glue will use even amounts of two parts of the glue, but check the instructions for your glue. Squeeze, scoop, or pour out the glue onto the mixing surface.

You'll need approximately enough to fill a bottle cap or two, too much is better than too little

Take the mixing stick and mix thoroughly.

Step 3: Spread on core


Scoop up the glue and spread it over the core, cover every part of the surface of the core.

Scrape the excess off, and keep about half the glue to put into the hilt hole.

Step 4: Spread inside hole

Scoop up the glue, for a one-handed sword you'll need about the same volume of glue as a marble, spread it evenly around the inside of the hilt hole at the top. As the core is pushed in, this will coat the inside of the hole in the hilt.

Step 5: Push core into hole

Push the core into the hole until the base of the blade foam seats into the pocket in the hilt, or flat against the hilt. It may be fairly firm, you may need to push fairly hard.

You can also twist the blade and hilt if you need to to get the core all the way in, be careful not to twist the foam off the core.

Beware of dripping glue, wipe away immediately, rubbing alcohol or methylated spirits may help to remove a glue drip. The glue may crackle and pop as air escapes from the hilt hole.

If something goes wrong and you absolutely can't push the blade in all the way, probably the best thing to do is to pull the blade completely out and clean the excess epoxy away. Then contact us, and we'll work out what to do next.

Step 6: Align

Hold the hilt and look along the blade, twist the blade if you need to to make the blade edge line up with the hilt.

Step 7: Hold

Air in the hilt hole may push the blade out, or the blade may twist or move in the hole. Hold the blade in place while the glue cures. For 5 minute epoxy, hold for approximately 5 minutes.

Step 8: Wait


Check the instructions for your glue. Even 5 minute epoxy will only reach maximum strength after several hours or even a day or so. Don't use the sword until it has reached maximum strength.

 

End of instructions

Enjoy your sword!