Cement for a hollow handle knife

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi, I’ve got few silver knives. The blades are attached into hollow
handles. But after washing in a dishwasher the filling cement broke
inside a handle and the blade is moving. What filling or cement may
I use to attach the blade firmly into a handle? May I use a
dishwasher afterwards to wash the knives? Thank you.

jarekmn

2

In older flatware plaster of paris was often used to set the blades.
You could use one of the waterproof epoxy putties to fix blades that
have loosened.

Sterling flatware should never be washed in a dishwasher. Always
wash sterling flatware by hand.

3

Hi Jarekmn,

In general it’s not a good idea to put a hand made knife in a
dishwasher, or immerse it in water, just clean the blade.

If you use a dishwasher with one of my knives you’d void the
warranty.

Regards Charles A.

4 
May I use a dishwasher afterwards to wash the knives?

Never. Always handwash.

Elaine
CreativeTextureTools.com

5 
Hi, I've got few silver knives. The blades are attached into
hollow handles. But after washing in a dishwasher the filling
cement broke inside a handle and the blade is moving. What filling
or cement may I use to attach the blade firmly into a handle? May I
use a dishwasher afterwards to wash the knives?

To answer your last question, DONT put any knives or forks or spoons
that have bone, horn, ivory, mother of pearl, wood or simulated ivory
ie from celluloid handles in a dish washer.

anyone who does desrves to get them ruined.

As to repairing your hollow handled knives, the following was used,
pitch, plaster of paris, rosin mixed with powdered chalk.

Try and identify what was used, then track down the same and mix up
or melt, depending what it is, pour into the hollow, press in the
steel tang hold in place true!! till set.

Clean off surplus.

6

I’ve always been told never to wash silver in a dishwasher because
it can damage the silver and - as you have found - mess up
connections. So I never have.

Hope you find some solutions for your problem: silver flatware is so
nice to use!

7

Jeffrey Herman should have the real answer for the knife handle
cement.

I use my sterling silver flatware every day. I put it in the
dishwasher.

However I always hand wash the knives unless I’ve had a dinner party
and am too lazy/drunk to hand wash. So I set my dishwasher on a
gentle no heat cycle. It is the heat that destroys the knife handle
cement.

I also make sure that the dish washer detergent is chlorine free.
This is very important. Chlorine and silver? A big no.

In the years past when I was a liturgical silversmith I used a
formula for knife handles that involved plaster mixed with shellac
and if I recall correctly a little bees wax. I can’t find it or
remember it any more. For the correct formula from a real expert or
someone who can fix the knives perfectly, contact Jeffry Herman at
hermansilver.com. He’s “The Dude” when it comes to fine silver
restoration.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

8

Hi Jo (Dudette),

I use dental plaster since it’s more reliable and harder than pitch.
If I had to remove a blade I installed (I haven’t for almost 30
years), I would cut the bolster and drill out the tang. Knives made
after 1950 (approx.), have material called Saureisen, a
concrete-type cement that can be drilled with diamond bits. But I
don’t bother removing the tang because the bur or bit could drift and
go through the knife handle. That wouldn’t happen with the plaster.

Regarding dishwashers: Silver polishing, silver cleaning, and silver storage

Jeff Herman
hjermansilver.com

9

This is the jig I created to set-up knives with newly cemented
blades:

800×500 158 KB

Jeff Herman