Aftermarket Shaman micarta scales

All are good depends what you expect the micarta to feel like.rgt canvas feels different then sharp dressed knives micarta and so on
 
TeroTuf has a bit "softer" feel than any other handle material...trade - off is that it's got a bit more flex in it too if you crank on it. Of course, if you use your knife as intended the extra flex shouldn't come into play.

Aramis has some nice offerings also.

Additionally, you owe it to yourself to try some "skinny" profile handles...you'll likely enjoy them.
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
TeroTuf has a bit "softer" feel than any other handle material...trade - off is that it's got a bit more flex in it too if you crank on it. Of course, if you use your knife as intended the extra flex shouldn't come into play.

Aramis has some nice offerings also.

Additionally, you owe it to yourself to try some "skinny" profile handles...you'll likely enjoy them.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Sounds like it's kind of like Benchmade griptilian material maybe?

I emailed RGT and asked them about the difference between tero tuf and micarta, they said it has a similar texture to canvas micarta, it provides better grip when it is wet, and is lighter. I asked if it takes rit dye like micarta, they were not sure, but thought it would since it's so similar.
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
TeroTuf has a bit "softer" feel than any other handle material...trade - off is that it's got a bit more flex in it too if you crank on it. Of course, if you use your knife as intended the extra flex shouldn't come into play.

Aramis has some nice offerings also.

Additionally, you owe it to yourself to try some "skinny" profile handles...you'll likely enjoy them.
Click to expand...
I forgot I had a set if skinny Shaman, micarta scales with an inlay, till I just read your post! Lol..
 
winnerone23 said:
I ordered the SDK OD micarta and the Fireside terotuff..
Fireside didn't show up for a good bit of time, so they never got installed.

I've used the OEM micarta and the SDK..

I like the SDK. I work in construction and on cars. They haven't ever got slippery or felt unsafe.
https://imgur.com/snEkqMU
https://imgur.com/DPLd0Nx
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Looks great! Is this the Natural Brown Canvas Micarta?

I bought some OEM green canvas micarta scales from a forum member, but USPS has seemingly lost them :(
I'm trying to plan ahead in case they aren't recovered. Thanks!
 
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Backslider said:
Looks great! Is this the Natural Brown Canvas Micarta?

I bought some OEM green canvas micarta scales from a forum member, but USPS has seemingly lost them :(
I'm trying to plan ahead in case they aren't recovered. Thanks!
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They are the "OD green".. Tho they come very much like a Foliage Green.

Oily, greasy, diesel fuel, brake dust covered hands, turned them the color they are. Lol..
 
winnerone23 said:
They are the "OD green".. Tho they come very much like a Foliage Green.

Oily, greasy, diesel fuel, brake dust covered hands, turned them the color they are. Lol..
Click to expand...

Right on. I was asking because I don't even see OD green as an option on SDK site, but it doesn't matter anymore because my mail carrier found the package that he delivered to the wrong address on Monday, so now I have the OEM Spyderco od green canvas micarta scales I bought from a forum member here.

I was trying to decide which route to go if these ended up being truly lost. I landed on RGT od green canvas, but yeah, no longer in the market.

This canvas micarta has a much better feel to it than the super smooth G10. Oh, and it's funny how my phone's camera can take such drastically different pictures of the same exact knife/scales. Same exact Spyderco od green canvas scales, taken just moments apart in the same kitchen, but very different pictures. Dark wood background is more natural light (window), cutting board background is more artificial light.

IMG_1103.jpgIMG_1102.jpg
 
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Have any of you guys used the burlap scales? I have a shaman for work and looking for the best grip. The burlap look pretty grippy. Or am I better off trying to get ahold of Mr Putman. Sorry to hijack but hate to start a new thread with all you fine shaman owners already here. 🙂
 
BlindMouse2of3 said:
Have any of you guys used the burlap scales? I have a shaman for work and looking for the best grip. The burlap look pretty grippy. Or am I better off trying to get ahold of Mr Putman. Sorry to hijack but hate to start a new thread with all you fine shaman owners already here. 🙂
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I was also attracted to the burlap scales I've seen, but I did some digging and found the OEM Spyderco burlap scales are actually very smooth (allegedly). Since all of the micarta stuff is basically a bunch of fabric layers soaked/sandwiched in resin, the actual texture of the outside layer is not dictated by the material used, but rather by the craftsman making the stuff. It's about how they finish the outer layer.

My biggest concern is with grip/texture. I don't want smooth handles usually. I have OEM od green canvas micarta, as well as OEM black G10, but I'm looking at coarse canvas micarta from RGT and I just bought some rough sanded black canvas micarta scales from SDK as well. I'll probably buy/try a few and maybe sell off the ones that don't suit me.

As far as grip though, I really dig these from Cerberus. Didn't know they existed until today.

IMG_6299__44977.jpeg
 
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BlindMouse2of3 said:
Keep us posted. I turn wrenches so I'm also looking for max grip.
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SDK skinny, black canvas micarta.
Slightly less grippy than my OEM od green canvas micarta

The chamfered edges of the SDK scales do give a tiny more grip than the smooth edges of the OEM Spyderco canvas micarta, but the actual scale surface is slightly more grippy/textured on the Spyderco vs SDK

I may try the RGT coarse canvas micarta instead, but I might just leave well enough alone.

FED4C903-A775-45A5-A69C-78CC9167B8F9.jpeg94909E52-7AA7-4593-AD03-0FAB5D70B461.jpeg
 
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BlindMouse2of3 said:
Keep us posted. I turn wrenches so I'm also looking for max grip.
Click to expand...
So I was trying to keep this, but I guess now is as good as any..
I find a special place for Z-wear and is by far my favorite.
This is my friends Z-wear.. he took a break from turning wrenches at the local Subaru dealership, this summer. He came to work construction and now back as Subaru.
His use of his Spyderco's, has a Spyderco in most of the other techs pockets.

This was his, at end of season.
https://imgur.com/i2m8G0c
https://imgur.com/wIsDArf
that's a waterproofing, we use, on the blade. Rubbery tar, type roll. (He used it to cut through the roll, on concrete)
On the handle is 2 part epoxy paint..
This is the layer of Liguidnail, under the tar.
https://imgur.com/ghXoskR
https://imgur.com/fHSaFaN
I used the edge of the broke blade as a scraper(at 90°), on the scales and then took a wire brush, in a dremel, to further clean up the scales.
https://imgur.com/LuiMi1Q
https://i.imgur.com/6RAkzok.jpeg
They turned out Amazingly fuzzy and grippy! Looked amazing as well!
upon taking it apart, i found more of all the gunk inside.
cleaned it all up, to lube and sharpened it.

The stock scales are Great and he has never once mentioned any slippage, in hand.

He and I both feel it's the shape, more then the material the scales are made out of, that give it that feel in hand and grip. (Probably why my micarta skinny scales just sit in a drawer, unused)

Not that I have any time for the smooth scales that come on the non micarta Shaman.
 
I just popped on here to update that I had “roughed up” my SDK canvas micarta with some 220 grit sandpaper I had laying around and it has the same fuzzy grippy feeling you mentioned. Funny coincidence! That is definitely closer to the the texture I was looking for. Very nice!
 
Couple additional observations-

The "skinny" Shaman scales don't actually feel skinnier to me. Sure, that curve/hump for the less choked up grip option is deleted, but that's a minor difference, and the actual "stack" thickness feels thicker than stock to me. "Slim"or "skinny" is a misleading name for the scales.

Most of us are using this knife in the choked up position, with our index finger and thumb on the upper and lower jimping. Because of that, the amount of grip on the handles doesn't really matter much, aside from personal preference.
 
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