My ZT with CF has suffered drops and what not with no chipset damage. A few years in pockets with keys has left some very light wear. CF seems pretty tough, very light and good grip. Much prefer to Ti handles or Al.
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carbon fiber scales
- Thread starter Yonose
- Start date
My ZT with CF has suffered drops and what not with no chipset damage. A few years in pockets with keys has left some very light wear. CF seems pretty tough, very light and good grip. Much prefer to Ti handles or Al.
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"sorry peel ply is not that. it is just the texture on any laminated composite. so you can have peel ply on cf, g10, or anything else. it was misunderstood in its introduction and spread by word of mouth." -Mo2
This has been going around since (probably before) I joined BF in 2013. I've read so many posts where people confuse peel ply with a G10 laminate. I bet this specific misunderstanding has cost Spyderco quite a bit. A lot of people mention not buying a certain model because they don't believe it's solid CF
This has been going around since (probably before) I joined BF in 2013. I've read so many posts where people confuse peel ply with a G10 laminate. I bet this specific misunderstanding has cost Spyderco quite a bit. A lot of people mention not buying a certain model because they don't believe it's solid CF
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My bad typing ! No chips or damage to myZT 770 cf. looked at it just now, the cf is in better shape than the clip or back spacer, both metal, both have lots of wear and small scratches.
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easily removed with sand paper. use water and try not to get on your skin and cf dust is not good to breath or get in your eyes. but coarse paper for a more matte look and polish to a high grit for a more glossy look.
unfortunately that is not carbonfiber. carbonfiber for the most part can't be colored. the epoxy can be colored or it can vr mixed with other materials that can be colored. but the carbon fibers themselves cannot. textain is a type of composite with colors. otherwise colored composites are mostly something else like fiberglass, kevalar. I forget the actual type of material the lionsteel is using. some of these materials can be stronger or weaker than carbon fiber but most don't have the appeal of carbon fiber plate.
recently carbo quartz has hit the market and its the newest of the high end carbon products in knives. really high class stuff. doubtful well see it in affordable knives maybe ever.
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- Feb 24, 2018
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I always thought the rough/sandpaper finish on Spyderco's peel-ply CF looks less "premium" than the smooth finish that highlights the weave on something like a typical ZT handle. I'm not sure that perception matches reality there though, and I assume they use that finish because of the grip it provides. If you really want some beautiful "premium" feeling carbon fiber on a Spyderco, check out the fluted CF Native 5.
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I posted this video elsewhere last night. Demonstrates the composite layup process pretty well, and shows what peel ply really is. It really amazes me how much disinformation folks on the forum spout about what peel ply really is when they have no clue. 
The cloth used in a composite can be made of a lot of different materials. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, etc.
(Skip to 0:50 to see the layup process beginning.)
Carbon fiber cloth that is used to make carbon fiber composite comes in a lot of different weights and different weaves too. Heavier tow will have a wider pattern and coarser weave. Tow is the number of individual fibers in the "thread" that is woven to make the cloth. Common sizes are 3k, 6k, 12k. There are standard weaves, houndstooth, twill, triaxial, etc.
Therefore, lots of different possible handle scale patterns are possible too.
The cloth used in a composite can be made of a lot of different materials. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, etc.(Skip to 0:50 to see the layup process beginning.)
Carbon fiber cloth that is used to make carbon fiber composite comes in a lot of different weights and different weaves too. Heavier tow will have a wider pattern and coarser weave. Tow is the number of individual fibers in the "thread" that is woven to make the cloth. Common sizes are 3k, 6k, 12k. There are standard weaves, houndstooth, twill, triaxial, etc.
Therefore, lots of different possible handle scale patterns are possible too.
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- Apr 18, 2011
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I really enjoy peel ply carbon fiber. The texture gives it good grippiness like G10, but the carbon fiber still shows through for a subtle bit of flair.
Yes , but nothing can beat forged carbon fiber ...............I call it micro marble carbonTherefore, lots of different possible handle scale patterns are possible too.
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- Feb 8, 2018
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I just got a zt 804cf, I never seen or handled in person, I expected the cf to feel and look similar to the zt 452 but my carbon fiber looks and feels more slick than what it looks online. It's a lot more smoother than the zt 452cf and feels like there's a coating on it. How does your 804 carbon fiber feel?
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Looks like a 3-year-old finger painted themYes , but nothing can beat forged carbon fiber ...............I call it micro marble carbon
Almost................. I tried and did not succeed to make scale/one in time/ , but learn something . In this moment I have in oven another one...............
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/forged-carbon-fiber.1555008/
I tried and did not succeed to make scale/one in time/ , but learn something . In this moment I have in oven another one...............https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/forged-carbon-fiber.1555008/
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I'm just kidding (obv). They look great. I love the depth of how they look. Almost like ominous storm clouds rolling in. CF in general is such a beautiful medium for knives.Almost.................
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/forged-carbon-fiber.1555008/
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I don’t have the 0452cf, just the 0562cf and the 0804cf. The 562 is a much thinner piece of cf, with a steel frame. I’m not carrying either at the moment, but from memory I think they are about similar texture. I’ll let you know if I’m wrong.
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That Rubicon looks good.
Hi there,
Besides knives, I have another hobbies and among them is the making of wooden spearguns. Sometimes I laminate CF fabric in between the wood pieces to add ridgidity and prevent warping. One of my last ones was also fully wrapped in CF vía vacum bagging. I learnt a lot during the process. I use a three ply material on top of the CF (peel ply, breather and wicking material). Once the piece is bagged, vacumed and cured, you remove the last two layers and leave the peel ply. It is meant to stay on the piece untill right before you add another layer of CF for a very good reason.
Epoxy coats (or CF layers with epoxy) addhere to the previous one via two mechanisms. The first one is chemical adhesion, it takes place when the first coat is not fully cured. This is the strongest mechanism. The other kind of adhesion is mechanical, and for it to happen, you need a textured surface. The rougher (to some extent), the better.
When you use more than one layer of CF to wrap a piece, you usually sand in betwen them to remove imperfections. To sand properly you need to allow the epoxy to fully cure. That's where the peel ply comes VERY handy, because when you remove it, it leaves a neat texture on the epoxy for the next layer of CF/epoxy to adhere to. It also protects it from getting contaminated (grease). When I sand imperfections I only do it in those spots who really need it, the remaining surface of the piece is left untouched. That's exaclty what the peel ply if for.
I always aim for a smooth glossy finish to protect the CF so I use two/three epoxy top coats without allowing them to fully cure in between coats (all in a rottisiere to prevent dripping). Some makers leave the peel ply finish, it looks good as well, but does not let you put stickers on it.
I hope this helps!
Besides knives, I have another hobbies and among them is the making of wooden spearguns. Sometimes I laminate CF fabric in between the wood pieces to add ridgidity and prevent warping. One of my last ones was also fully wrapped in CF vía vacum bagging. I learnt a lot during the process. I use a three ply material on top of the CF (peel ply, breather and wicking material). Once the piece is bagged, vacumed and cured, you remove the last two layers and leave the peel ply. It is meant to stay on the piece untill right before you add another layer of CF for a very good reason.
Epoxy coats (or CF layers with epoxy) addhere to the previous one via two mechanisms. The first one is chemical adhesion, it takes place when the first coat is not fully cured. This is the strongest mechanism. The other kind of adhesion is mechanical, and for it to happen, you need a textured surface. The rougher (to some extent), the better.
When you use more than one layer of CF to wrap a piece, you usually sand in betwen them to remove imperfections. To sand properly you need to allow the epoxy to fully cure. That's where the peel ply comes VERY handy, because when you remove it, it leaves a neat texture on the epoxy for the next layer of CF/epoxy to adhere to. It also protects it from getting contaminated (grease). When I sand imperfections I only do it in those spots who really need it, the remaining surface of the piece is left untouched. That's exaclty what the peel ply if for.
I always aim for a smooth glossy finish to protect the CF so I use two/three epoxy top coats without allowing them to fully cure in between coats (all in a rottisiere to prevent dripping). Some makers leave the peel ply finish, it looks good as well, but does not let you put stickers on it.
I hope this helps!