Delrin?

ArielSalaverria

ArielSalaverria

Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
1,617
Hi folks!

I was wondering what's the deal with delrin, is it looked as a subpar material for handles, is it ok to use, does it have negative connotation like my wood micarta with pakkawood, etc?

Thank you very much for you input!

Regards,

Ariel
 
Delrin is a trade name for Acetal. Operating temperature -40 to +185 F, good tensile strength.
 
Good tensile strength, but as I recall certain colors of it are UV sensitive and will break down fairly quickly if exposed to constant sunlight....

I would not hesitate to use it. Tough stuff..

Doc
 
Tough stuff structurally but seems easy to scratch up and hard to make look good in the first place. Also generally slick and thereby hard to hold on to.

John
 
It is very tough stuff. Almost impervious to impact but will breakdown with prolonged exposure to UV. It is flammable. I set some on fire without knowing it (It burns an almost invisible flame).

IMHO it makes better hatchet handles than knife. There are no glues for it. It cannot be painted although after sandblasting and a good wipe down with Acetone, I had very good luck using truck bed liner on it.

It is Heavy!

OH....It's expensive!

If you do a search, I had a thread a while back about using it on a hatchet. I'm still using the hatchet.
 
We use it for parts in measuseum interactives because its so damn tough. It will mill with ease but I dont think it will clean up well, BUT if left rough it would have a decent texture feel. I may just have to see if there are scraps. I doubt it because its expensive like Peter said.
 
I've had both cheap and more expensive production folders with Delrin handles, the delrin outlasted the blade on the cheapo, and someone stole the other one.... :grumpy:
but not until I had a good year of hard use put into it. ;)

I like the grip when it's blasted, it feels great in the hand.

Steve
 
I recently used some for the first time. It's great to work and polishes up beautifully. It is heavy, which can be a plus in that it gave the knife a real authoritative heft, but that could be negative if it was going to be someone's everyday belt knife. I like it and like Steve said the pocket knives I've had that used it held up well. My delrin was free. :D It pays to have scroungers for friends.
 
I have done carved handles from white Delrin and it carves like a hard wood, sands and polishes beautifully and looks like fine bone china. Just a little plain for most folks who prefer highly figured wood.
 
My only contact with delrin has been in the form of guitar picks. I used them for years as they were my favorite pick material. You can beat on steel strings with that thing forever. I would either lose 'em or throw 'em away before they would wear out. Tough stuff.

Now the bad side. Scratches. Seems sometimes I would get a mean scratch on the material and it would be sharp! Can't have that, so it would have to be sanded. :mad: This guitar player did not have time to be sanding picks...........

Now call me crazy, but since I used to hold em in between my teeth while finger picking, it would create a nice texture. Teeth blasted kinda thing. That was pretty cool for grip.

So now that I have rambled for far too long......

As far as handle material I would be worried about the scratches. Maybe with some type of textured finish it would be nice. I just don't know.

Please let us know if you give it a shot,

VV
Clark
 
villainvomit said:
My only contact with delrin has been in the form of guitar picks. I used them for years as they were my favorite pick material. You can beat on steel strings with that thing forever. I would either lose 'em or throw 'em away before they would wear out. Tough stuff.
Click to expand...

I'm the opposite, I hate picks made of delrin, for some reason they always make them with a really sharp edge that wears down and makes little pits that snag your strings.... maybe it's just the ones I get locally? (dunlop)
I find it almost too soft for picks, but then I like really heavy, stiff picks.
:eek: ;)
Steve
 
I like thick pics as well~

I used the thick purple Dunlop Delrins up until.......

One day about five years ago I went to Guitar Center and after testing amps ask the young fellow behind the counter to sell me four purple delrins. Sure, he says, that will be one dollar.

One dollar!!! :mad:

Told the guy I would play with a quarter before I pay 25cent for a pick. Been making my own ever since. Plastic mostly, but I do like to make one out of brass or steel every now and then.

VV
Mustard picks rule!
 
I'm not sure what the ones I use now are made from, they are still dunlop, I think they started out calling them gator grip?
they have a dry powder on them when they are new.

the best are still bread tags man! it's all about the bread tags!! lol

sorry for jacking your thread Ariel :footinmou ;)

Steve
 
I really like Delrin, I just wanted to check that there were not any negative connotations with that material :)

Thank you for the answers!

Ariel
 
How is Derlin from a health perspective? Does it emit toxic gas when grinding? Is the ground up “dust” hard on lungs? How would it compare to working with Micarta?
 
All plastics are hard on your lungs.
Check your yellow pages and call one of the local plastics distributors. Ask for Acital.
 
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