Cross Cut micarta

[Hurrul]

Since cross cut natural canvas micarta started showing up over the last few months I've been attracted to this unique look, and biding my time to get a hold of a Fiddbleback with such scales.

I also, have wondered a couple of things: can more colors or types -linen, burlap, etc - be cut in this manner? (this has been answered - black and green colors have been mentioned and used, and I purchased a linen cross cut Pocket Ninja recently).

On the Ninja, it reminds of root beer or maple syrup or dark, deep amber:

Yet, something else is noticeable with the particular cross cut linen on the Ninja - it seems to change color on the rounded portions of the handle and when it's angled differently to light. This is hard to photograph and easier to see in person, but some attempts:

Those pics don't really convey well.

However, I think this material is very expressive, and has a warmth to it that reminds me of certain woods.

Now that I have two Pocket Ninjas, my pocket pool skills have reached another level:

I wonder? can cross cut micartas be cut from all micartas or just certain varieties? certain thicknesses of stock?

Is it widely available or is Fiddleback Forge cutting it's own for their handles?

 

[Random Dan]

I have cross-cut micarta handled knives from KH Daily and Dan Eastland. Carothers offers it as well. So it seems to be available enough but there still aren't too many makers using it.

 

[Fiddleback]

Firstly. Great thread. And nice set of Pocket Ninjas! Yours is crosscut paper micarta not linen. Linen is opaque and wouldn't show that translucency that you're loving!!

I saw a crosscut canvas knife a couple of years ago and loved it. That's when I started experimenting. I'm in a good position to do this because of Pops. The challenge is that I have to table saw scales off of material that starts at 1.5" thick. This simply is not common. With Joey's help we've gotten a few sheets this thick in at Pops. Natural canvas and linen, two grades of paper, Tiffany Blue G10 (I'm pretty sure I'm the first to use crosscut G10), and black canvas arrived Friday. I've also found thick green canvas and black linen and crosscut that too.

I really like the finished product with crosscut micartas. It's like a whole new material!!! It's labor intensive for me. Not the easiest thing to cut on a table saw and eats blades. But it's worth it.

I'm glad you're liking yours and really appreciate you starting this thread.

 

[Hurrul]

Firstly. Great thread. And nice set of Pocket Ninjas! Yours is crosscut paper micarta not linen. Linen is opaque and wouldn't show that translucency that you're loving!!

I saw a crosscut canvas knife a couple of years ago and loved it. That's when I started experimenting. I'm in a good position to do this because of Pops. The challenge is that I have to table saw scales off of material that starts at 1.5" thick. This simply is not common. With Joey's help we've gotten a few sheets this thick in at Pops. Natural canvas and linen, two grades of paper, Tiffany Blue G10 (I'm pretty sure I'm the first to use crosscut G10), and black canvas arrived Friday. I've also found thick green canvas and black linen and crosscut that too.

I really like the finished product with crosscut micartas. It's like a whole new material!!! It's labor intensive for me. Not the easiest thing to cut on a table saw and eats blades. But it's worth it.

I'm glad you're liking yours and really appreciate you starting this thread.

Yes, paper micarta. An even finer substrate than linen fabric and explains more clearly why the "grain" is nearly invisible.

You could almost pass the paper micarta off as a G10.

Interesting to read about the cross cut prep process for your use. I had imagined that one would need big pieces to work with, to cut down into the actual scale blanks. I had not considered what it might do to saw blades. I imagine G10 with it's glass fibers might contribute more wear to your saw blades.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[dannyp]

I've never seen any in person, but it seems pretty interesting and definitely a different look. G.L. Hansen & Sons offer crosscut in a bunch of different colors and also make a lot of other cool patterns. They call it G-carta. https://gcarta.bigcartel.com/products

 

[rileybassman1]

I love crosscut micarta! I agree with your analysis... I find it very warm and woodlike as well, but with all the perks of micarta. I only have one knife with I at the moment, but it's quickly become one of my favorite materials.

 

[Hurrul]

I've never seen any in person, but it seems pretty interesting and definitely a different look. G.L. Hansen & Sons offer crosscut in a bunch of different colors and also make a lot of other cool patterns. They call it G-carta. https://gcarta.bigcartel.com/products

Some pretty cool stuff on that site. I'v never seen micartas like some on the site.

 

[Hurrul]

I love crosscut micarta! I agree with your analysis... I find it very warm and woodlike as well, but with all the perks of micarta. I only have one knife with I at the moment, but it's quickly become one of my favorite materials.

That's very cool. It's a nice touch that the grain of the pins is aligned with the grain of the scales.

 

[jaz322]

Firstly. Great thread. And nice set of Pocket Ninjas! Yours is crosscut paper micarta not linen. Linen is opaque and wouldn't show that translucency that you're loving!!

I saw a crosscut canvas knife a couple of years ago and loved it. That's when I started experimenting. I'm in a good position to do this because of Pops. The challenge is that I have to table saw scales off of material that starts at 1.5" thick. This simply is not common. With Joey's help we've gotten a few sheets this thick in at Pops. Natural canvas and linen, two grades of paper, Tiffany Blue G10 (I'm pretty sure I'm the first to use crosscut G10), and black canvas arrived Friday. I've also found thick green canvas and black linen and crosscut that too.

I really like the finished product with crosscut micartas. It's like a whole new material!!! It's labor intensive for me. Not the easiest thing to cut on a table saw and eats blades. But it's worth it.

I'm glad you're liking yours and really appreciate you starting this thread.

Last year some friends and I went to a local woodshop to buy some burls. I happened to have a 12x12 block of 1.25 in thick canvas micarta in the truck and asked if the store owner could cut some strips for me. His table saw blade had a fairly thick kerf....I couldn’t believe how hazy and stinky his shop was after about a dozen cuts!

The next time I went back to the woodshop and asked how he’d been doing, his answer was “good, I’m not cutting anymore of that stuff you brought over last time”. LOL - Live and learn. Makes you appreciate what Andy & company do on a daily basis!

btw, +1 on loving the look of that stuff, especially on a Fiddleback!

 

[Fiddleback]

Joey and I have used a bit of that GL Hansons stuff. Its pretty good stuff.