Cutting Micarta (& G-10)

NPT

NPT

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Nov 3, 2018
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I bought some firedog micarta from Pops recently. It's to thick, so I have to cut it down. Do standard woodworking tools do ok? Basic carbide tablesaw blade?

Also, The surface of the blanks are very smooth and shiny. Does that have to be flattened or roughed up at all to glue and screw to the knife tang?
 
Normal wood working tools will cut it. The issue is that the speed on virtually all table and mitre saws for wood are relatively high and you'll rather fast accumulate burnt/melted resin on your sawblade teeth and then stuff is gonna burn and smell more as cutting gets worse.
So as a repeated procedure I wouldn't recomend it, you really want a speciality blade for epoxy, plastics etc and a variable speed saw. But for a few cuts here and there go for it and clean your blade with a good solvent. I have been doing that.

To glue up, roughen the surface with 80-120 grit paper.
 
I've cut a decent amount of micarta and G10 just fine with a portaband with the speed slowed down. Lately I just use my table saw with the crappy blade I got with it.

I flatten all surfaces on a disk grinder then some laps on a granite surface place with 120 grit. Down with glue lines!
 
I used the bandsaw. That stuff stinks! I'm going to sand the factory finish to 120 - ish as suggested above.
 
i too bandsaw it bi metal blades work fine i use the slower of the 2 wood saw speeds to cut down on heat and mess. for glue up i scuff the parts then lightly dish the back side with a course grit to help with an epoxy pocket
 
Get a cheap tile saw, they run wet and use a diamond blade. I have cut scales for about 1000 knives with one 10$ blade. $75 saw. It will eat G10 and Carbon Fiber up without even dulling. Way less toxic dust and operational cost plus the blade won't cut you unless you try really hard. I feel guilty when I band saw CF, lol....
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
Get a cheap tile saw, they run wet and use a diamond blade. I have cut scales for about 1000 knives with one 10$ blade. $75 saw. It will eat G10 and Carbon Fiber up without even dulling. Way less toxic dust and operational cost plus the blade won't cut you unless you try really hard. I feel guilty when I band saw CF, lol....
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Isn't that slow, on micarta in particular?
 
If it isn't, it's a great idea. I like the "wet" part. For now, I'm building 1 knife. If I build more, I'll certainly keep this in mind.
 
NPT said:
If it isn't, it's a great idea. I like the "wet" part. For now, I'm building 1 knife. If I build more, I'll certainly keep this in mind.
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I made my first 2000 or so knives with only a hacksaw to cut for the most part. Good luck with everything!
 
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