Finish for micarta?

RustyRick

RustyRick

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Oct 24, 2023
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I have a small stockman peanut size I just rescaled (very poorly I might add) with micarta. I've done some searches but not finding (I must be missing it). I've considered super glue and/or tru-oil or just buffing. Thoughts?
 
You can go course and remove resin exposing the fibers or fine and make it smooth. Your choice. You can also use a light coat of mineral oil to darken it.
 
RustyRick said:
I have a small stockman peanut size I just rescaled (very poorly I might add) with micarta. I've done some searches but not finding (I must be missing it). I've considered super glue and/or tru-oil or just buffing. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I always end up wishing it were G10 .
I sanded one once with fairly rough sand paper trying to give it some decent bite / texture ; that just made it feel like suede ; that was a surprise / learning experience .

Then I ordered a nice dark green WE brand knife . The catalog photo was SO MUCH more attractive than the actual knife out of the box ; crisp rich green in photo image but actual knife all "faded" / whitish fuzzy haze over it .
That one I applied several coats of shellac and it looked good for a day or two then started to look all washed out again and took on that suede feel in no time .
AWFUL STUFF IMO . Only grippy when wet .

HA HA invariably when I show a micarta knife to a coworker I have had them react with a combination of pity for the poor thing , mild disgust at me as if I had mistreated it ( ? washed it in bleach water ?) to cause it to look that way and surprise that it is a brand new knife . . . to the point they do a double take to be sure I'm not kidding them .

At this point , for my next go 'round , I would be inclined to brush on some very thin epoxy clear coat and texture it some how ( = peel ply G10 ) , but that's just me.
. . . I'm just saying . . .
 
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Wowbagger said:
I always end up wishing it were G10 .
I sanded one once with fairly rough sand paper trying to give it some decent bite / texture ; that just made it feel like suede ; that was a surprise / learning experience .

Then I ordered a nice dark green WE brand knife . The catalog photo was SO MUCH more attractive than the actual knife out of the box ; crisp rich green in photo image but actual knife all "faded" / whitish fuzzy haze over it .
That one I applied several coats of shellac and it looked good for a day or two then started to look all washed out again and took on that suede feel in no time .
AWFUL STUFF IMO . Only grippy when wet .

HA HA invariably when I show a micarta knife to a coworker I have had them react with a combination of pity for the poor thing , mild disgust at me as if I had mistreated it ( ? washed it in bleach water ?) to cause it to look that way and surprise that it is a brand new knife . . . to the point they do a double take to be sure I'm not kidding them .

At this point , for my next go 'round , I would be inclined to brush on some very thin epoxy clear coat and texture it some how ( = peel ply G10 ) , but that's just me.
. . . I'm just saying . . .
Click to expand...
Yeah I was being impatient. I went with tru-oil and buffed it out with a buffing wax and a Dremel. It looks pretty good buffed out. Better then my plain ones from manufactures. But it's wax and tru-oil so it won't last forever. A poly or cyano would be more durable but maybe too clear(?). I am not sure how I feel about smooth. I actually wasn't paying enough attention when using hand plane to reduce and went too far and there was chatter which gave it some grip. If I sand it out the sides get pretty thin on one side so I opted to keep it. Grippy is nice but smoothe 1000 is nice feel too. I am not sure it _needs_ grip.

Knife rescale my post of the results
 
All micarta is not created equal. It seems to depend on who you buy it from and what the resin is laid over. Some of it has porous areas, especially around materials like canvas and burlap, while some of the paper- or linen-based micarta is not going to absorb much of anything.

CA glue should seal anything, eventually. It might take a lot of thin coats with the thinnest viscosity to get the finish started with a strong seal.

I hate working with CA as a sealer or finish! It is nasty stuff!
 
Tung oil works pretty well on Micarta and G10 and gives it the darker look. I usually go to 320-600 on Micarta and a couple coats of Tung Oil and call it good. Tung Oil is more of a satin finish oil, so it doesn't have the shiny Tru Oil look to it.

This is some orange canvas/natural burlap at 400 grit and tung oil.
Orange burlap.jpg
 
Taz said:
Tung oil works pretty well on Micarta and G10 and gives it the darker look. I usually go to 320-600 on Micarta and a couple coats of Tung Oil and call it good. Tung Oil is more of a satin finish oil, so it doesn't have the shiny Tru Oil look to it.

This is some orange canvas/natural burlap at 400 grit and tung oil.
View attachment 2810524
Click to expand...
Looks great.
 
RustyRick said:
Looks great.
Click to expand...
I AGREE !
That is a very nice looking handle and fascinating to look at .
WELL DONE !

personally . . . I am addicted to knife handles that have a velcro like quality ( to exaggerate slightly ) and so my outlandish suggestions ; I'm always trying to get more texture out of micarta because it always looks TO ME like it should feel like an old scratchy burlap bag / which is what I want .
I've finally learned to ignore its charming a lure because I will only have my heart broken in the end . 🙁 🙂
 
Try Ameragrip or Suretouch. They are laminates combining G10 and rubber. Super grippy!

GCarta is very velcro like at lower grits, too, but the colors don't come out as well and tend to look dirtier.

Terotuff is also grippier as is Damagrip, but again, the colors are more muted/lighter/dirty looking.

I just got a set of Grip-Tec scales in to try out. I think you will like them, super grippy/textured!
 
Taz said:
Try Ameragrip or Suretouch. They are laminates combining G10 and rubber. Super grippy!

GCarta is very velcro like at lower grits, too, but the colors don't come out as well and tend to look dirtier.

Terotuff is also grippier as is Damagrip, but again, the colors are more muted/lighter/dirty looking.

I just got a set of Grip-Tec scales in to try out. I think you will like them, super grippy/textured!
Click to expand...
WOW !
THANKS !
I'll keep a lookout and learn about .
haha this winter I took to putting gun grip film on a couple of Trappers ( to good effect; though maybe a bit vulnerable long term ; good thing I have A LOT of EDCs ) and learned that stair tread tape is not the thing for a knife unless you like a hand full of little shards of glass. Grippy though 😂

PS : The gun grip film I used was :
(be sure to follow the application process to the letter)

Talon DIY Material Grip Sheet - 5"x7" Adhesive Grip - Rubber type / style​

 
Wowbagger said:
I AGREE !
That is a very nice looking handle and fascinating to look at .
WELL DONE !

personally . . . I am addicted to knife handles that have a velcro like quality ( to exaggerate slightly ) and so my outlandish suggestions ; I'm always trying to get more texture out of micarta because it always looks TO ME like it should feel like an old scratchy burlap bag / which is what I want .
I've finally learned to ignore its charming a lure because I will only have my heart broken in the end . 🙁 🙂
Click to expand...
How about a blasted.micarta handle??? PL knives finishes some this way and.it looks damn good....But I love OD green canvas micarta finished any and every way😜.....Ill go look for a pic for ya😉

Here's one and you can.get to his site from the link by the price

Thread 'Single Barrel in Natural, 80CrV2' https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/single-barrel-in-natural-80crv2.2008735/

The brand definitely makes a difference too......!!!!
 
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