Canvas Micarta- weird effect and new found love!

[Chiro75]

I have had this knife laying around for about 5 years. It's an AT Barr Combat that he sold me as a kit knife. Great knife, but I slipped on my bench grinder and the stone dragged over about 1/2" of the blade. Also used these super thick natural canvas Micarta scales that just seemed dry and lifeless. Then I screwed it up further by trying to add a bit of grip to the handles by filing in some 1/8" round grooves. So, here's what the knife looked like until this weekend:

So, spent some time this weekend getting it into better shape. Contoured the handles a lot more and removed enough material to get below the grooves, so they disappeared (not fun with a bastard file, let me tell you!), but the weird thing is these "ghosts" of the grooves remain! I could probably file enough to remove them, but I thought it was weird. The Micarta must've soaked up some oil or something. I think I oiled the hanlde a few times. Anyway, after refinishing the handle I used a couple of new processes on it and I'll be damned if it doesn't look a lot like a vintage sunburst Les Paul now! Also spent some time on the blade and got the slip-up grinder scar out of it (took surprisingly little effot. Wish I would've done that years ago!). So, here's the reconditioned knife, much better, I think! I'll definitely be using more of this Micarta in the future, but hopefully I can keep the ghosts out of it!

 

[Maqua]

That's nice! I understand your issues with the bastard file. I guess it's appropriately named.

 

[Kim Breed]

Try a checkering file to create some cool patterns then lightly sand blast, with a super light buff. makes patterns jump out at you.

 

[Chiro75]

Kim, that sounds like a lot of work. For this, I used the following process:

1) Filed to shape.
2) Wet sanded with 220 grit sandpaper
3) Dried the handle.
4) Oiled several times with tung oil, using gentle heat and hand rubbing.
5) Cleaned up any excess oil, let it sit for a day, then waxed with TreWax.

The difference between the raw, sanded canvas Micarta (really dry and lifeless) and the treatment I gave it is night and day.

 

[Ripper]

Congrats Steve, that cleaned up rather nicely.
Regards,
Greg

 

[Sando]

That looks great Steve!

Steve

PS did you wear your respirator for that Micarta work?

 

[Gossman Knives]

Looks great. I really like micarta. Damn shame it's so messy and hazardous.
Scott

 

[Ilovetoolsteel]

but the weird thing is these "ghosts" of the grooves remain! I could probably file enough to remove them, but I thought it was weird. The Micarta must've soaked up some oil or something.

The handle looks cool but it's not oil that made those lines it's age and light. The natural micarta (amber) darkens with age and probably exposure to light. I buy micarta all the time that looks brown on the outside and when you grind into it it's amber. Notice how the handle is brown all the way aroubd the perimiter of the handle and fades to amber in the middle. Where you filed those lines you cut deeper in to the micarta and started process there. You allowed the light to penetrate deeper in those areas.

I have some amber paper micarta that is burgundy on the outside and bright yellow when you grind away the burgundy.

As far as I know only the amber does this. The dies that they use to get the other colors probably have UV protectants in them to help preserve the color.

I have some 1/4" amber micarta I am going to try and age this summer to get it brown all the way through. I am going to leave it out in the sun for a few months and turn it every day and see what happens.