Condor micarta handles , pins rivets, toughness

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noviomagus

Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
575
I am a 'fan' of the polypropylene handles that can be found on the Condor Bushcraft Parang and the Condor Eco Golok to name two of my favorite choppers.
Those handles hold up really well. They are tough. And I also find them comfortable in use.

How are the Condor micarta handles holding up under hard use for a longer period of time.

I read one account on Amazon where one pin near the guard came out. That was the case with the Condor Warlok.
How are the micarta handle slabs fixed to the tang? Epoxy, rivets, pins, peened?
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/micarta-seperating-from-tang-wtf.995856/
This is not what's going to happen with a injection molded onto the tang polypropylene handle.

On the other hand, I can't imagine there being many failures with those micarta handles, or else they wouldn't be so popular.
Though I did read accounts of even the indestructible Busse having the handle slabs getting loose from chopping or batoning..

What are the facts on these matters..
 
The handle scales are riveted, with some sort of adhesive under the scales, but in cases where a pin pops out it's usually because the handle was ground too much during shaping and the head of the rivet was ground off.
 
Baryonyx, so, they are riveted. Does this mean the flared head of the rivets prevents the micarta from going sideways off the tang?
(Sorry for my English, it's not my native language.)
So, it is fixed with an adhesive and the rivets.

Also, I know you have a lot of experience with Condor blades. Selling them , and you like them (me as well).
Is this riveted system a very reliable one?

I assume it is, giving the fact that so many machete's /large choppers .
Or do the revits get loose/come out after a couple years of hard work with it.

The guy I spoke of on Amazon, had it happening after only one month.
So there must have been something wrong , like you said. The heads of the rivets sanded off, something like that.
 
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Another thing.
I held a Discord machete once, and when I swung that blade(beautiful blade btw), the handle made some weird kind of screeching sound. Inside it, it seemed.
Is that an issue? Something being loose, or getting loose...
 
noviomagus said:
Another thing.
I held a Discord machete once, and when I swung that blade(beautiful blade btw), the handle made some weird kind of screeching sound. Inside it, it seemed.
Is that an issue? Something being loose, or getting loose...
Click to expand...

Not sure what the heck that might have been. Never had that happen before. Ultimately it's fairly simple to replace pins if need be, and it'd be covered under warranty either way.
 
Ok, yes I heard the warranty of Condor is good.

But in your experience... and I know you have a lot with Condor machete's/knives.
Did or do those rivets sometimes get loose when being used seriously.
Or is this really a marginal issue.

And if it happens put new rivets in and epoxy them?
I have zero experience with this...
 
I have personally never had a wooden- or micarta-handled Condor loosen up on me. Rivets that don't have the head ground off them aren't going to loosen. An impact-resistant two-part epoxy will definitely hold a replaced pin in place just fine.
 
Ok, so that rivet/pin in handle slab system is pretty tough then.

Not that I have read much about it, rivets getting loose.
Only one case on Amazon with the Warlok, which is a very interesting chopper...

I read a case when a knife was being abused, like stabbing it deep into wood and then twisting the handle sideways, which makes the handle slab seperate from the tang.
But this doesn't happen when chopping .
 
I have never had a problem with any Condor handle. If I did, I would contact Condor. I think you can be comfortable that you are getting a good functional product. I just got a Mayflower (3" fixed blade) with micarta handles. Have yet to use it for anything, but it appears solid. I think it's a real nice knife and well worth the price I paid for it.
 
22-rimfire,

Good to hear.
Because, Condor has quite a few products with those micarta handles that are appealing to me.
Warlok, Discord machete, and the new Wastelander machete as well.
 
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