Best Combat Handle Material

VanDro said:
I just heard of the process from a friend, and yeah the oven I was going to use would get that high, but I was thinking to do it for the blade detail to give it a distinctive look. It would be a lot of work so I might drop the idea. CS does their Carbon V to around 65 like their SK-5 right?

There was another thing that I heard about, some sort of chemical dip that would produce a kind of oxydation or discoloration on the part of the blade that was heat treated. People use it on HI Khukuris. Anyone know what it is called?

Either way I want to blue the blade to prevent corrosion, whether that is with quench line or not is up in the air. Constant oiling is a hassle to me. I just want to set it and forget it once I shell out as much money as I will be most likely. Need to send it to someone for a convex edge as well.

I have actually heard that they have a compromise in their steel. Kind of an industry secret, nothing that is really excellent, but a home-brewed steel that is like a mix of O-1, 5160, and 1095 in terms of traits.

OK, so back to the handle. Highly polished micarta brings out the color and grain lines in the handle, but does it still maintain a good grip or does it get to be like a hard plastic with all that finish? I am thinking a rectangular bolster but I would still not like the feeling of doom as my hand slides slowly forward to the razor sharp blade. Maybe a black ray or lizard skin inlay and on green polished linen micarta wrapped in resin cord.

I might as well get a Saji Takeshi if I did not like the tanto so much.
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Cold Steel's info on SK-5 is misleading (hw unusual). They state that the "as quenched hardness is 65". That is the hardness before tempering. The tempered hardness of the finished SK-5 blade in your hand will likely be in the mid to high 50's as would be the Carbon V. This is a good hardness for that steel. Don't mess with it.

If you really have a Carbon V model, the blade was made by Camillus, who gave that steel a proprietary heat treat that is as good as you are going to get for that alloy.

I agree with Bill de Shivs about the finish and the handle.
 
VanDro said:
After I rip the finish off of a CS Recon Tanto in Carbon V, mirror polish the blade, and temper the edge , what would be the best handle material?

I am thinking micarta, but which type I do not know? And of course I will be replacing the Kryton finger guard with a stainless steel one.
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The fist of a motivated, determined and aggressive U.S. American serviceman, that sir is the BEST handle any knife could ever hope for, anything else is second best :D
 
For that much trouble, have you considered starting everything from scratch and building your own knife?
 
Here's a picture of an original CS Recon Tanto (back when they were made with the brass fittings) that I put a canvas Micarta handle on. I like Canvas Micarta for better grip than linen or paper Micarta. G-10 is much more of a health hazard to work with, and has few advantages in real life. I also re-handled the CS Trailmaster in this picture. And I made the extra scabbard for the tanto out of oak.

I also agree that messing with the heat treatment is a very bad idea. You are likely to end up with a knife that has the cutting ability of a ripe banana.

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