Blood and Gore.... and Canvas

Whiskey River

Whiskey River

Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
1,598
Ok so here is a serious question. I used to do a LOT of Deer and Antelope hunting. I used a Schrade fixed blade for about 15 years, you know... the ones with the hard brown type plastic handles. The knife was pretty simple to wash the blod and fat off of.

I'm curious if the Canvas Micarta scales would actually hold a lot of nasty crap inside. How can you really clean the gook out so the knife could be safe to eat off of!?? Would a hunter or even a military guy be better off using the G10 scales if he really knew his knife would get blood and guts all over it?

On a side note, I did a test with the G10 scales.. got them all wet and icky.... Man!!! I was surprised how good they were to hang onto when wet. They "look" slick.... but when wet they hold just fine!

I'm debating all G10 for my real users (once I figure out which ones those will be), I use a BAD Black G10 daily..... so that ones taken care of... but I am working HARD on completing my Bigger user group.

So what do ya'll think? :)
 
The micarta is a natural material trapped in a resin, correct? I can't imagine bacteria penetrating into the handles far enough to matter.

I think that washing in hot antibacterial soap followed by a good hot water rinse would be all you'd need.

lunde used a SJTAC with snakeskin micarta to clean an antelope. Looks like it cleaned up just fine.

lunde said:
It works great on antelope:

10012008-antelope-03.jpg


10012008-antelope-04.jpg


10012008-antelope-05.jpg


And, here it is all washed up, next to the same antelope (though now in a Euro mount that is now hanging on my office wall at Adobe Systems), and with its Chuddy Bear sheath:

antelope-ken-euro-10012008-1.jpg
Click to expand...
 
He got it that bloody just gutting an antelope? I hope he had on them cool shoulder-high rubber gloves they use for workin on livestock! LOL..... goodness! (Sorry Lunde, no offense meant).
 
I havn't cleaned any big game with my swamprats but have used my canvass handled Ratmandu on several dozen fish (trout, salmon and halibut). I have cleaned up the blade and handle with warm soapy water no problem, followed by a light oiling.
 
After washing with soap and water, if any blood remains in hard-to-get-at places, a good way to get rid of it is to rinse (or better yet, soak) the knife in hydrogen peroxide. It does a great job on bloody folders, for instance. :thumbup:
 
I would be pretty confident that G10 would be less prone to absorb bacteria and easier to clean. So, if you want something closer to dense plastic, G10 is closer.

G10 is made with fiberglass fibers and resin that don't "wick" or absorb liquids as readily as the canvas/linen (cotton) in micarta. The paper micarta seems so saturated with the resin. The pores are pretty tight and small, so I doubt it absorbs much if any more than G10. Similarly, linen seems to wick a lot less than canvas, but slightly more than paper or G10.

That said, micarta is not much more porous than MANY wood handled, antler and bone handled knives and LESS porous and absorbent than stacked leather. All of these materials have been used for centuries and I don't recall hearing about too many people getting sick from bacteria from their knife handles. (????)

I think most any bacteria that could be wicked into micarta shouldn't likely be wicked into the micarta any further than an anti-bacterial liquid could be wicked in to kill the bacteria.

Bacteria is everywhere. At some point, you will accumulate bacteria between the scales and tangs on ANY knife - AND in your sheath. Do you worry about the germs and bacteria in your sheath? No big deal. Part of life unless you live in a bubble.

Just wash with soap, call it a day and don't worry so much.

Wipe or clean the blade part of the knife prior to food prep or using as a tool for eating. You will do worse in most cases eating a sandwich, fries, chicken or most anything you touch with your hands.

Personally, I would chose the material you like the most based on other properties. I have a slight preference for the feel (touch/tactile) and weight of canvas micarta. G10 can look very nice and feel fine, but it is heavier. Linen and paper are in-between. Looks and feel are both subjective. The weight difference is just a fact. A typical mid-sized knife with a G10 handle weighs about 1 ounce more than micarta.

Germs and bacteria?... meh... they are everywhere. You can kill them, but they will be replaced by others.

Don't worry about the knife handles..... it is the grocery shopping cart handles and public bathroom door handles that should make you REALLY paranoid! :eek: :barf:

.
 
True the resin "fills the voids" of the natural material whether it is paper or linen however you can apply mineral oil to the grips to achieve a richer color. The linen and paper micarta grips will become darker with extended use too. Therefore, I would deduce that the linen and paper micarta scales are susceptible to staining or absorbing what is applied to them.
 
gatorzingo said:
True the resin "fills the voids" of the natural material whether it is paper or linen however you can apply mineral oil to the grips to achieve a richer color. The linen and paper micarta grips will become darker with extended use too. Therefore, I would deduce that the linen and paper micarta scales are susceptible to staining or absorbing what is applied to them.
Click to expand...

Yes, but a hot soapy wash takes the darker color back out, correct?
 
My AD is black canvas micarta and I have used it to field dress and butcher several deer. It comes clean with warm soap and water. I am starting to prefer machined G-10 over Micarta but blood, guts and fear of bacteria aren't why.
 
Guyon said:
Yes, but a hot soapy wash takes the darker color back out, correct?
Click to expand...

I am sure you are correct. I wash all of my knives with hot soapy water after I use them no matter what the handle material just to be safe.
 
Over here our Health and Safety laws require knives used on game for larder work to have a none porous handle material and G10 qualifies....not sure about linen micarta...or paper micarta....I have not seen this material used nor listed as approved....G10 would be a better choice IMO if this type of use was your dominant knife use.

Personally I like a Magnum Linen Micarta handle which I can sand to a bespoke size of grip for my various uses and have not had a problem with this handle material on game/blood absorption and use this type of knife in the field on larger blades.

In the larder I use a G10 Ratmandu.
 
I just use dish washing detergent and a nylon bristle brush on my canvas micarta. It better work again cause it's gonna get some pig fat and blood on it Friday and Saturday!!
 
I think you guys are make a big deal over nothing. Micarta or G-10 just wash it off afterwards - no big deal. In reality, tests have shown that plastic cutting boards are much more liable to become contaminated than natural wood cutting boards. The natural wood cells close off any penetration from bacteria whereas the plastic forms little pools where the bacteria thrive. Just check out info on sites that offer cutting boards and you will find the opinion of pros that wood is much more hygenic than plastic. For knife handles I don't think it really matters as much as in cutting boards, though. My two semnse!
 
Alex p. Schorsc said:
I think you guys are make a big deal over nothing. Micarta or G-10 just wash it off afterwards - no big deal. In reality, tests have shown that plastic cutting boards are much more liable to become contaminated than natural wood cutting boards. The natural wood cells close off any penetration from bacteria whereas the plastic forms little pools where the bacteria thrive. Just check out info on sites that offer cutting boards and you will find the opinion of pros that wood is much more hygenic than plastic. For knife handles I don't think it really matters as much as in cutting boards, though. My two semnse!
Click to expand...

I've also read that mineral oil not only helps condition wooden cutting boards; it also helps keep them more sanitary.

Wonder if the same is true of micarta handles.
 
Mate, stick it in the dishwasher if you have one. I put my ASH1 with black canvas handles in it all the time. Comes out great. Otherwise just straight hot water and soap. Make sure it dries properly.
 
Dear Rob Stanley. Stick a Busse in a dishwasher is a mortal sin. When you die you will be condemned to use Pakistani Bowies for eternity.:D
 
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