Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Custom knives and slippery grips...

This topic is similar to the filet knife arguement. Some like a flimsy (Rapala taught them this) blade moderately hardened so the user can resharpen it often.
I prefer a stiff blade with good heat treat. I know where it is cutting, it cuts through rib bones and holds an edge.
Seems most custom knife makers follow this patern when building one also.

As to slippery grips, I find most any grip surface works fine for me, and a little blood adds some 'tackyness' to a handle for me.
As noted above, it is easier to sell a highly polished knife off of a table.
And once again, to each his own.
jmho
Tim

My experience with the Kreins as well Vince.
He has really perfected the recipe over the years.
Deep enough blast with the right medium for just the right "grippiness."

Randome thoughts:

1) As mentioned, a sharp knife that allows for controlled, easy cuts will help eliminate losing your grip.

2) Blood has always been sticky to me and aided in grippiness... fish slime, when filleting; that is another deal.

3) Have a nice custom handle and want to temporarily protect it when afield and improve grip purchase?

Cut a piece of narrow diameter bicycle tubing to length and slip it on.

+ another for Tom Krein's beaded G-10...


As an aside, even the slicker of the phenolics can be made grippier by roughing and raising the fibers on the spine ala Bob Dozier. Top pic below is Dozier's standard polished flats, roughened spine. Middle is from the best filet maker out there IME, Phil Wilson. Phil prefers linen, with a 600 grit sandpaper finish on all surfaces. Bottom is an Ingram of course,with his very attractive beaded finish. It's quite grippy, but I raised the fiber on the spine with a flapper wheel out of habit...



Similar to add's bike tube, I use electrical shrink wrap on finer handles to protect and give purchase. Slip it on, hit it with the heat gun/hair dryer and it's there 'til you want it off, then you can't tell it was there once it's gone.

May's jigged/beaded/micarta handles grip pretty well:



Older Ingram jigged/beaded/micarta handle grips well too: