Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Micarta, good for anything?

Found this piece, could it be used for scales?



Roughly 10"x6"x3/4" less the holes.

Dark in color.


Thanks

You could get 4 or 5 blocks out of it.

Seem's I heard a time or two it was pert' near good for fashioning knife handles, a
















and I'm told that some knife-makers use it from time to time.


Best,


GWB

I would be inclined to wonder just what has been shot through it, if depleted uranium or similar it might be a good idea to avoid.

Also, what does extreme heat or pressure do to the existing chemical makeup of the material...is it carcinogenic?



But hey, I want to see my grand children.

Don't worry. If you glow in the dark, they will be able to see you.

Good point.

Some type of electrical component got very hot.

GW,

In the photo with the bear skin, please tell me about the knife that is second from the right with the cream colored handle. Also, is the knife on the far right a Crotts?

Thanks, RS

I work in an old Westinghouse plant, we have tabletops made of the stuff everywhere. It is unreal tuff, cant hurt it ith a hammer.

You need to take a skillsaw to work buddy.

I am not GW but that knife is a k2 dozier model.....the other one all the way to the right is also a dozier...

Make sure you use a respirator when cutting or sanding micarta, you do not want to inhale the dust.

I like micarta for a woods blade but not so much on a knife from cleaning kjand dressing game. Micarta will soak up liquid so blood will go into the handle.

So? What's the problem?

You have to seal the handle material with something, blood is good color........

That has not been my experience with either the Ivory or Westinghouse Micarta on my Ingrams. Neither have soaked up any blood that I can see. I'm not sure if Gene (and other knife makers)seal the Micarta but it hasn't been a problem.

I only have a few production knives with micarta scales and they soak up water like a sponge. One is a Becker BK4, I have a El cheapo condor and a ESEE Izula2. I think that is what makes them so good for a woods blade, they are very grippy when wet. I would think blood would make the scales stink and deteriorate. I'd say y'all are right with the customs, they probably are sealed. I don't own one so I wouldn't know. Po boy...

Dave, I would send that to a maker and have a knife made with it.

I think that's what I'll end up doing. Maybe have a matching pair made.

Micarta is pretty much impervious to water, blood, about all the common cleaning chemicals to include oil or gas and a wide range of cold and high temperatures. It's about as indestructible a handle material as can be had. Add G-10 in there as well. The idea the scales would soak up blood and stink/deteriorate isn't accurate from anything I've read or my experience with several dozen micarta scaled knives.

There are variations in micarta.
That made with paper or linen probably will not absorb noticeable amounts of what ever.
That made with canvas or burlap will retain some foreign materials unless sealed or soaked with something in my experience. You can apply something like exterior poly urethane or saturate with a light oil such as WD40.
Or you can just flush out the bad stuff with hot water and go on with it.
jmho
Tim