Carbon Fibernosis? Malady or Nirvana?

The Burgh

The Burgh

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Jan 22, 2015
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Is anyone else here growing just a little tired of CF on knives, especially flippers/folders?

Yes, I own a few. Yes, I thought that they were stunning in looks, sleak in design and complex in visual perspective when I bought them. I still do. I really do like them and will make sure that my heairs get them.

I'll admit to being spoiled. I already own more knives than I will ever, ever use, and I'm still buying. So the durability of CF means very little (except that it won't fade or need care in the safe). But I am saying that, as I look for the next knife to "ring my chimes," I am finding it nearly impossible to get re-re-re-excited over CF. When viewed from an artistic perspective, I'm simply bored with the look of the CF medium.

Soooooooooooooo, I am switching my buying patterns to handmade, custom fixed blades.

But a few questions for you all:
1.) Are you suffering "Carbon Fibernitis?" What are your thoughts, pro or con? If you are suffering, what are you doing about it?
2.) Is it possible that this multi-years glut of CF knives will depress their values in the future on the secondary markets?
3.) If/when the use of CF on knives begins to wane, what new materials will rise as the "next CF?" In fact, will CF ever decline?

Hope to get us all stimulated, frothy and frosty, here. Sorry if I offended any CF zealots. Even if I did, speak up.
 
I don't see myself growing tired of carbon fiber, it is lighter than most other materials, strong, resistant to showing wear, and in my opinion beautiful. I see timascus gaining popularity amongst custom knife makers, but I perceive that as more of a fad than carbon fiber. While timascus is beautiful, it does not have a lot of the functional qualities that make CF great for so many different applications. In the same way micarta and g10 have become staples in a knife makers arsenal, I believe Carbon Fiber is here to stay!
 
CF zealot checking in:cool::D

I'm not tired of it yet, but I'll get back to you in a couple years;)


I think the wide variety of CF types available nowadays makes it almost impossible to get bored of it. Especially with all the custom pimpers out there making aftermarket scales.

And no I don't think it'll ever go out of style, simply because it's not really the center of attention now (or ever has been for that matter)........ If anything, the center of attention right now is G-10.

I think it's mostly in your mind that CF is overused. You probably only buy higher end stuff, and a lot of higher end stuff comes with CF. But you have to keep in mind the fact that a huge chunk of the knife industry is in the lower-mid level stuff that's all G-10, aluminum, FRN, steel, etc.......

There's only a small number of us knuts buying high end knives, and even fewer that are buying enough to get bored of CF.
 
I don't like CF as a handle material.

I read that carbon fiber is not very strong near points at which it is tapped for screws. On certain designs with body screws that are very close to the edge of a CF scale it seems like a liability if this is indeed the case.

Polished CF scratches easily and starts to look like crap pretty quickly when it's repeatedly carried. Restoring the polish to CF is not something that can be undertaken by your average knife user. CF dust is toxic. If the need arose I could probably take care of micarta or G10 with a few passes of 200 grit. I couldn't do that with CF, even if it had a matte finish to begin with.

It can crack and chip from impacts, too. I had a folder with G10 scales IWB a couple weeks ago and I slipped on the ice, slamming my side into a railing. The damage to the G10 was a dent in the material. If it had been CF it could have chipped or cracked (shattered was too strong a word, I don't think an entire scale could fail like that - sorry). I prefer dents to chips and cracks.

Aesthetically, I think it looks great. It doesn't keep up a nice polish very long if carried and used, though. If you own knives mainly to look at and to play with at home then carbon fiber's a good choice.
 
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asdf12345 said:
I don't like CF as a handle material.

I read that carbon fiber is not very strong near points at which it is tapped for screws. On certain designs with body screws that are very close to the edge of a CF scale it seems like a liability if this is indeed the case.

Polished CF scratches easily and starts to look like crap pretty quickly when it's repeatedly carried. Restoring the polish to CF is not something that can be undertaken by your average knife user. CF dust is toxic. If the need arose I could probably take care of micarta or G10 with a few passes of 200 grit. I couldn't do that with CF, even if it had a matte finish to begin with.

It can crack and chip from impacts, too. I had a folder with G10 scales IWB a couple weeks ago and I slipped on the ice, slamming my side into a railing. The damage to the G10 was a dent in the material. If it had been CF it could have chipped or shattered. I prefer dents to chips and cracks.

Aesthetically, I think it looks great. It doesn't keep up a nice polish very long if carried and used, though. If you own knives mainly to look at and to play with at home then carbon fiber's a good choice.
Click to expand...

I carry a CF knife every day and it does not show any scratches. I find myself choosing my CF sebbie over my plane jane because the titanium gets scuffed and scratched much easier. I use tech wax 2.0 on it and really work it in, after that even when left in the same pocket as my keys I cannot decipher any scratches. I have also dropped my knife (6 year old has knocked it off entry table a couple of times and it has not cracked). Of course this is all anecdotal, and non-scientific but I figured I would share my experience.

Your point about screws near the edge of the scales is valid, but smart knife makers will take this into consideration. See below:

 
asdf12345 said:
I don't like CF as a handle material.

I read that carbon fiber is not very strong near points at which it is tapped for screws. On certain designs with body screws that are very close to the edge of a CF scale it seems like a liability if this is indeed the case.

Polished CF scratches easily and starts to look like crap pretty quickly when it's repeatedly carried. Restoring the polish to CF is not something that can be undertaken by your average knife user. CF dust is toxic. If the need arose I could probably take care of micarta or G10 with a few passes of 200 grit. I couldn't do that with CF, even if it had a matte finish to begin with.

It can crack and chip from impacts, too. I had a folder with G10 scales IWB a couple weeks ago and I slipped on the ice, slamming my side into a railing. The damage to the G10 was a dent in the material. If it had been CF it could have chipped or shattered. I prefer dents to chips and cracks.

Aesthetically, I think it looks great. It doesn't keep up a nice polish very long if carried and used, though. If you own knives mainly to look at and to play with at home then carbon fiber's a good choice.
Click to expand...

Don't believe everything you read. Lest you become a part of the misinformation machine.

CF shattering from you falling on it?!?!!! Only if you're made out of lead. #wth

CF holds up amazingly well in the pocket with a variety of other abrasive objects.

To go one further, I've designed, built, flown, and mainly sold a huge array of high performance remote controlled airplanes and helicopters built with substantial amounts of CF...humans cannot remotely generate similar G-forces or incidental peak pressures.
 
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I've had no significant issues with my CF knives besides a few scratches from sharp objects.

They've been dropped without any shattering problems.
 
It works great for bicycle frames and such, but that got boring and a pain price wise. I can see its use for knife scales but you won't see me wasting money on that when G10 and etc are equally nice and cheaper to boot. Sorry, been there and done that on one hobby saving money this time.
 
J_Curd said:
Don't believe everything you read. Lest you become a part of the misinformation machine.

CF shattering from you falling on it?!?!!! Only if you're made out of lead. #wth

CF holds up amazingly well in the pocket with a variety of other abrasive objects.

To go one further, I've designed, built, flown, and mainly sold a huge array of high performance remote controlled airplanes and helicopters built with substantial amounts of CF...humans cannot remotely generate similar G-forces or incidental peak pressures.
Click to expand...

What I had in mind when I said "shattered" was not a dramatic failure of an entire scale or inlay. It was a poor choice of words, cracked or chipped would have sufficed - I apologize.

I owned a Microtech Option II with a polished CF scale for a while. It never contacted any hard abrasive objects or even the inside of my pants - only the inside of the Microtech nylon wallet I used. It got dull and worn after some months. What was the finish like on the CF on your knife?
 
I don't mind it. It doesn't seem to chip, break, shrink, crack, warp, or absorb moisture or odor. I can't really ask for much more than that.
 
jakemex said:
It works great for bicycle frames and such, but that got boring and a pain price wise. I can see its use for knife scales but you won't see me wasting money on that when G10 and etc are equally nice and cheaper to boot. Sorry, been there and done that on one hobby saving money this time.
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Equally nice?;)

Not to me........

Here's some pics of keymans work......

DSCN6503_zpscb4e1ff9.jpg


DSCN9254_zpsfcc5047a.jpg


DSCN5633_zpsf0c9c84e.jpg
 
I like carbon fiber, hope it never goes away. So far, I haven't had any damage to the couple of knives I've dropped with carbon fiber. I have 2 Big Chris knives with carbon fiber and I can see the difference in comfort and fatigue using them.
 
I think it looks better as an inlay, or maybe a back spacer. For the handle I prefer textured G10 or Titanium!
 
I personally dont like it as a primary handle material....maybe as an accent or something. Honestly, though, I'd love for someone to change my mind!
 
Inlays yeah but whole scale nah. The stuff will chip and crack with impacts. I remember the CF craze in the mid nineties with high performance bike frames. Cracks and damage from torque and crashes were common. Why put it on a hard use tool? For looks that's why.
 
I think cf is fine. IMO, no better or worse than lots of other handle materials, just another option.

My favorite is ti, by the way.
 
Depends on the CF for me...
I'm not a fan of high-tow CF's, I prefer the look of a finer twill pattern.

Specialty Cf is cool too, like marble, unidirectional, lightningstrike, etc...

I've always liked the stuff, even as a kid when I'd see it on cars and such. I've always been a carbo-holic'!
 
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