1/4 inche thick carbon fiber

Tom Krein

Tom Krein

Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
1,628
Does anyone have a source for thicker carbon fiber. I can't seem to find any. It seems that there is plenty of 1/8" material out there. Thanks,
Tom
 
I would also love to find a source for thicker than 1/8" carbon fiber. In addition to 1/4" does anyone have a source for 3/16" carbon fiber?

Tom don't mean to tromp on your post but since my interest was so close to yours I thought I'd add onto it.

Thanks,
Sean
 
Sean,
No problem, I would also like to find 3/16" carbon fiber, but figured I could grind/mill(mill with carbide) 1/4" down. If no one knows of a source for thicker material, does anyone have any experience laying up carbon fiber/phenolics? Can we make our own carbon fiber?
Tom
 
Mark,
I would like to find a steady source so I can offer it to my customers. I have seen it on knives so I know it is out there, just can't seem to find where. Thanks
Tom
 
Gordon Piser
Has what you are looking for,it is F18 and some of the best stuff I have seen,and it is around a 1/4 inch, and at a good price
Neil Blackwood put me intouch with him,
Gordon Piszar
220 Rethmeier Court
Ballwin Mo 63021

I misplaced his number
call info to get his home number
he is best reached in the evening
 
I've ordered from Gordon a couple of times now. He's a good guy, prompt and honest. The carbon fiber he sells comes from the wing panels of F18 fighter planes. Very cool looking weave to it.

Hugh
 
Nathan, Hugh, and Trace,
Thanks for the information I will get in touch with Gordan this next week. I appreciate the help.

Tom
 
Still need your help! I contacted Gordon and he e-mailed me back that he is out of thicker material. So we are back to where we started. Has anyone ever layed up any carbon fiber or micarta?

Tom
 
I was looking at the MSC online site today and ran across some G10 and other things that you might want to take a look at here is the link

http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=1824&Section_Id=1937


If you look around page 1824 (about 1810-1840)in their Big Book then you can see all of the various things like G10 that they have. They do not seem to have many colors but I hope that maybe this will help.
 
I often stack different types of Micarta one on top of the other, either to increase thickness or to have different coloured layers / weaves. Jeff Diotte had knives in a recent Knives Illustrated and he seems to do it often and the effect is striking. I don't know how he attaches the layers. I myself simply rough the mated surfaces with 240grit paper and use plain old superglue. Once mated together, the large surface area glued together makes the pieces act like one single piece. The bond is incredibly strong. I buy 1/8inch thick plates of material, and lots of it - that way I can stack the materials to any thickness I want. Jason.
 
Jason
The is a great idea,I have also see people use differnt color spacer material glued together to get the thickness up.
But I like your idea that would make for a stricking handle when
the layers are glued together and worked
:)
 
Jason and Mark thanks for the information. Jason that does sound like it would make an interesting handle, and this would be one way to get thicker carbon fiber. But carbon fiber prices are still very high for 1/8" material. My question about laying up may not have been very clear. I am actually wondering if anyone has bought the carbon fiber fabric and made their own laminate. It would appear that there is a wide variety of weave, and color. (when made with kevlar) Thanks,
Tom
 
Originally posted by Tom Krein
Jason and Mark thanks for the information. Jason that does sound like it would make an interesting handle, and this would be one way to get thicker carbon fiber. But carbon fiber prices are still very high for 1/8" material. My question about laying up may not have been very clear. I am actually wondering if anyone has bought the carbon fiber fabric and made their own laminate. It would appear that there is a wide variety of weave, and color. (when made with kevlar) Thanks,
Tom
Click to expand...

Augh! I just found some carbon fibre yesterday while browsing around for handle materials. I think it was available in 1/4", but I don't remember where it was now. I can try to find it again, if you like.

As far as hand-laying carbon fibre, I don't have any experience with that, but you might have luck looking for people who make custom car parts/accessories in carbon fibre. They'd probably be an excellent resource, as carbon fibre is common in a lot of sports car circles.
 
Is this stuff really as nasty to work as I've heard or are the stories just bs??
I love the way it looks but the things I've heard about it scares me away from it.
What do you guys do when working it, put on a space suit and work in a sealed room or something??
Sorry for the paranoya, just would like to know for sure so I can get in on the cf craze. Thanks!!!
 
I made 1 knife with the stuff and it was my last with the stuff. It was the 1/4" F16 fiber. I guess if you know what you are doing it may not be so bad. I cut the slabs with a bandsaw and drilled with a drill press. I even backed it with some wood when I drilled it. Should have used something harder. When the bit broke through it splintered. After handling it my fingers looked like I had been attacked by a miniature porcupine. The dust is also terrible stuff. My shop is probably killing me slowly from the dust that is still in there. Never again.

I have a crapload of some thin Carbon fiber that anyone who wants the crap can have for the shipping costs.


Mark
 
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