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Can you take the shine out of Micarta by using coconut oil?
- Thread starter csisland
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I wouldn't use it for that anyway. Coconut oil gets a bit rancid with time (starts to smell a little 'off'), and I'd think that wouldn't be so easy to clean up, if it soaks into the fabric (linen, paper) of the micarta.
David
David
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I don't think it'll ruin them, per se. I'd just avoid getting too much of it into the micarta; with the cleaning cloth, that may not be an issue anyway, if it's just leaving a light coat. If it starts to feel a bit sticky (might collect dirt) or smell a little funky, that'd be my clue to tone it back a little, or use something different.
David
Modoc ED
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Evidently, you're pretty set on using it. Go ahead. Take some before and after pics. In order to save you time, you can take the rancid, coconut oil, smell out with dryer sheets.
Just kidding. Why take the chance. Use a bit of Fromby's or the oily rag you use on your knives. Be careful if you're treating canvas micarta - it will soak up whatever you use and will then be difficult to clean.
Just kidding. Why take the chance. Use a bit of Fromby's or the oily rag you use on your knives. Be careful if you're treating canvas micarta - it will soak up whatever you use and will then be difficult to clean.
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I've got the same cloth. The coconut oil is really just there as a solvent for the abrasive; it won't hurt the canvas, but as others have said, the canvas will absorb it to some extent.
If you're set on using it, I've had luck washing oils out of canvas micarta using dish detergent, water, a cotton rag or soft sponge, and a little elbow grease. That tends to be my go to method for cleaning micarta scales anyway.
If you're set on using it, I've had luck washing oils out of canvas micarta using dish detergent, water, a cotton rag or soft sponge, and a little elbow grease. That tends to be my go to method for cleaning micarta scales anyway.
Here's the one I'm talking about and I guess you have also. I wipes the miracle cloth on and off my Micarta 71 a few times, and than wipes it off with a separate cloth.
So it wouldn't harm the Micarta or make the Micarta lose it's color?
I'm new to the Micarta and curious about how it or if it changes or loses color as you wash it. I just took a sponge with some warm water and dish detergent to the GEC 71 and it looks like it's lighter now. Is this normal with the cleaning and drying process for Micarta?
220 then 320 sandpaper works great to take the shine off , I like the grip of slightly rough micarta. If you don't like the surface go to 400, 600, 1000, and 1500 grits and you're back to shiny
Regards
Robin
The 1000 grit wouldn't remove the color of the Micarta?
The colour should be all the way through the micarta. It's made with layers of cloth, burlap canvas etc that is either a natural colour or dyed. It's either encased in polyester resin or epoxy resin so I can't see it fading. If you sand a dark colour it will get lighter looking because of the surface change, I sanded out a shiny black handle right through to the grain of the cloth, it was a deep grey colour when finished rough.
To answer you original question, sorry. 1000 grit is really a polishing grit.
Regards
Robin
To answer you original question, sorry. 1000 grit is really a polishing grit.
Regards
Robin
Here's a before and after. I've been carrying it and using it ever day for a week. The first picture was when I first got the #71 Bullnose and the second picture is after using the Miracle cloth with coconut oil and wiping off. I also just washed the knife with soap and water.
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Modoc ED
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I think you're making too much of an issue with the maintenance and care of the micarta covers on your knife "csisland". Just use it as you would any other knife and wife if off with a very lightly oiled rag once in awhile. Heck, even carrying the knife in your pocket should keep it in good condition. Enjoy your knife and don't worry about it so much. Those covers should darken again just fine after using it in your hands a few times. Those are great, tough, working, knives.
Here's a good one for you. Rub your thumb alongside your nose and then wipe the oil from your thumb onto the covers. Works great.
Here's a good one for you. Rub your thumb alongside your nose and then wipe the oil from your thumb onto the covers. Works great.
Coconut oil has many great uses other than for cooking. You can use it for bug repellent, removing rust, stains from wood, and many other uses. So I don't think coconut oil would discolor or damage Micarta scales. I was just using my Bullnose while my hands were wet and the Micarta actually becomes grippier when it's wet. It's amazing and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another knife with Micarta scales.
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It depends in part on how finely it was buffed. A glossily finished canvas will have a smooth and water-repellant surface, in my experience. Rougher canvas micarta slabs have a bit of exposed raw canvas on their surface, which will absorb a tiny amount of water. They dry very quickly. Otherwise, the canvas is completely infused with resin, and will repel water. Is it waterproof in the same way that delrin or other poly materials are? No. But it's 99% of the way there. You don't need to worry about exposure to water; it won't hurt it.
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The agitation of the surface with sandpaper would slough off materials that may appear white, but it is the color the canvas and the epoxy is very fine amounts, similar to powder. Think about when you sand a piece of wood, you basically get the same results.
Luckily there is quit a lot of information online available to read and learn from. When it gets "washed" it will lose some amount of color and turn a lighter shade of whatever it's original hue was. Because it is losing any surface treatment that was originally applied thanks to the detergent. There is no real cleaning and drying process that I am aware of for Micarta. It's usually been considered a very low maintenance material, unlike Ivory, Horn, or other natural material. Most folks just tend to let it age as it ages. A word of caution, I would not take to washing a pocket knife with O-1 tool steel as the blade as you may end up with significant rust in areas where you may not be able to reach and clean.
The canvas is porous, so not entirely water resistant. The canvas fiber and and will shrink and expand with humidity and dry weather, as well as soak up oil and other fluids if exposed for any length of time. In short, don't be overly concerned with it, as stated enjoy your knife and let it age as it was intended to.
Thanks for the information. I'm just becoming neurotic thinking I lightened the color of the Micarta with the Miracle Cloth I used. It looked like there was a little compound left from the factory, and I decided to try the Miracle Cloth to try and get it out. Wipe on and wipe off with a separate cloth.
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No need for that, not a life or death issue. You should be more concerned about repeatedly washing a carbon steel knife, especially one that can and will rust.