All About Cutlers Resin

[Knife Knut]

Since I do not have a website going yet, and this is currently the forum I am spending the most time on, this will be the repository of my research on this elusive adhesive, since it is on topic for this subforum. In my research I was unable to find a single comprehensive source on the subject, thus my creation of this treatise. Some formulations use materials we are already familiar with (Rosin for hand stitching), rosin, and beeswax. My original reason for researching it is that I would like to attatch a spearhead to its shaft, and my research showed that cutlers resin was used both historically and in the present to good effect for this purpose.

What is it?:

Cutler's resin is an primitive hot melt adhesive for attatching handles to the tangs of knife blades. It can be melted and poured into a hollowed handle and the tang inserted, or be used to attatch scales or broad, thin pieces of handle material to wider tangs.

The Old Recipies:

I have found There is much conjecture and error in current sources compared with old sources, which is one of the reasons for my search for multiple older sources. At this time, all of my older sources come from Google Books. Apparently reciepts has been replaced by the word recipie in modern word usage. Redundant recipies will not be posted from multiple older sources ( they are often repeated from source to source), as I will link to the sources, and so the sources listed are by no means exaustive. Text will copied and pasted as these references have passed into public domain.

Wrinkles and recipes: compiled from the Scientific American. A collection of ... edited by Park Benjamin

http://books.google....as_maxy_is=1860

Cutlers': (1) Pitch 4 parts, resin 4, tallow2, and brick-dust 2. (2) Resin 4, beeswax 1, brickdust 1. (3) Resin 16, hot whiting 1, wax 1. This is used for fastening blades in handles

Chambers' encyclopædia: A dictionary of universal knowledge, Volume 3 By William Chambers, Robert Chambers

http://books.google....20resin&f=false

Cutlers' Cement, used for fixing knives and forks

in handles, is made of equal weights of resin and brick-dust melted together; or, for a superior quality, 4 parts of resin, 1 of beeswax, and 1 of brick-dust.

The Working man's friend, and family instructor, Volumes 1-2

http://books.google....20resin&f=false

Cutlers' Cement, to fix knives and forks In tlieir handles. Black rosin, four ounces; beeswax, one ounce ; well-dried and finely-powdered brick dust, one ounce. Melt, and blend the ingredients intimately, and use in a liquid state. Thia will be found useful in families, as many, even of the best knives and forks aie not rivited into the handles. At. the same time, persons ihould avoid plunging- the handles into hot water, or exposing them to heat.

Workshop Receipts: for manufacturers and scientific amateurs, Volume 1

http://books.google....AAJ&output=text

Cutlers'.—This is the name given to various kinds of cement used for fastening knives, etc., in their handles.

(1) A very firm cement is made of 4 parts resin, 1 of beeswax, into which, when melted, 1 part of fine brickdust is stirred. It adheres with great firmness.

(2) Take powdered resin, and mix with it a small quantity of powdered chalk, whiting, or slaked lime, Fill the hole in the handle with the mixture, heat the tang of the knife or fork, and thrust in. When cold, it will be securely fastened.

(3) Take 1 lb. resin and 8 oz. sulphur, melt together, form into bars, or when cold reduce to powder ; 1 part of the powder is to be mixed with 1/2 part of iron filings, brickdust or fine sand ; fill the cavity of the handle with the mixture, and insert the tang, previously heated.

(4) Pitch, 4 parts ; resin, 4 ; tallow, 2 ; brickdust, 2. Melt the first three ingredients, and add the brickdust hot and finely powdered.

(5) Chopped hair, flax, hemp or tow. mixed with powdered resin and applied as above.

(6) 16 oz. rosin, 16 oz. hot whiting, 1 oz. wax. (7) 5 parts pitch, 1 wood-ashes, 1 hard tallow, melted together.

(8) 4 lb. black rosin melted with 1 lb. beeswax, and 1 lb. red hot whiting added.

(9) 16 oz. rosin, 8 oz. sulphur ; melt, and when cool reduce to powder. Mix with this some fine sand or brickdust, and use as stated.

(10) Take a portion of a quill, put it into the handle, warm the tang, and insert it into the quill in the handle and press it firmly. This is a simple method, and answers the purpose required very well.

New Recipies

Here are contemporary recipies that are not from primary sources.

Cutler's resin- any recipes?

http://forums.dfoggk...?showtopic=1403

5 parts pitch

1 part beeswax (tallow can replace this-available from your butcher)

1 part filler (wood dust, ash, metal dust, etc)

http://www.marquis-k...u/mt/000646.htm

8 oz pine pitch, 1/4 cup carnauba wax and 4 oz of beeswax,

Making Pitch Pine glue or cutlers resin...

5 oz Pitch pine resin

1 oz beeswax

1/4 oz carnuba

1 oz powdered charcoal

poured it onto a sheet of baking paper and let it just spread out under gravity. I kept an eye on it, and as it started to cool to the texture of putty, I rolled it up into cigars

Pine pitch is the key

http://www.bladeforu...046&postcount=5

1/2 lb of pine pitch

1/4 lb of beeswax

1/4 cup of flaked carnauba wax

Glue Recipies

http://www.knives.co...pies_glues.html

Cutlers Cement

• Pine Resin, 8 parts
• Sulphur, 2 parts
• Iron filings, 3 parts

Cutlers Cement

• Tar, 10 parts
• Wood Ash, 2 part
• Tallow, 1 part

Cutlers Cement

• Pine Resin, 4 parts
• Bees Wax, 1 part

http://www.janellest...l/adhesives.txt

8 oz pine pitch,

1/4 cup Carnauba wax

4 oz beeswax

I just ran up to the shop and tested - with my marking knife attached to

a ceiling clamp by the blade, I was able to hang from the handle with no

ill effects to the joint.

Pine Resin and Charcoal Glue Recipe

i use an empty minwax 1\2 pint can.

i fill the can about half way with pine resin

roughly 1- 1.5 tablespoons of wood ashes

roughly 1- 1.5 tablespoons of bear grease that has been thickened with wax (my bear grease is thickened to consistency of crisco vegtable shortening or a creamy peanut butter)

What I use is about equal parts pitch, bees wax and charcoal powder or fine saw dust.

Cutler's resin by Chuck Burrows, a knifemaker of stout repute:

5 parts pitch

1 part beeswax (tallow can replace this-available from your butcher)

1 part filler (wood dust, ash, metal dust, etc)

well I quit for tonight, gettinng dopy, still a lot to do:

more contemproarey revipiex

Ingredients description

proceses for micxing.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Knife Knut

[Knife Knut]

Well darn, the time window for editing closed, I will have to finish this up elsewhere. Will post the final results.

[Denise]

Knife Knut,

Just add the rest in another post or contact one of us to get it put in here. Thanks for putting the work into compiling all this information and making it available. I am sure it will help others.