Bakelite Grip Crack

[mrerick]

I have repaired and reinforced bakelite grips, and so far (a number of years later) they have remained stable.

Epoxy adhesives come in a number of grades. Some are like thick paste or viscous thick liquid, and some are much thinner. In general, the thinner epoxy takes longer to "set".

By using an epoxy that mixes to a very thin slow setting liquid, you can get it to flow adequately into the inside of the crack itself and not build up appreciably on the fitted layer that fits against the metal frame. This helps prevent the crack from pulling apart more from the inside surface that you epoxy together. If you do get too much epoxy on the outside of the crack, it can be filed away after it's set hard.

Take your time, and use flat plastic tools to push the liquid epoxy into the crack under slight pressure. Wait at least a couple of times longer than the setting time before picking up the grips again to handle them to ensure that the epoxy is completely hardened.

One thing to note about "super glue" is that it requires an anoxic environment (completely tight seal) in order to set properly. That's why I prefer thin epoxy for grips that may have lost small bits of material.