G-10 and carbon fiber??

Carbon fiber is a laminate composed of weaves of carbon polymer fibers that are heald together by a resin. Carbon fiber is an awesome material in non-knife applications because you have many parameters to work with: direction of fibers, ratios of fiber directions, layers running in alternate directions, thickness of layers, type and ratio of resin, etc that allow you to manipulate the very nature of the material.
G-10 is a similar compound in that it is glass fibers, I believe, possible unidirectional but I can't be quote on that, that are set in a phenolic resin. Similar to CF, but the polymers involved are different and G-10 is not as versatile as CF.

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My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
 
FWIW, I fly radio-controlled model helicopters; both of these materials are used extensively in the current crop of machines and have seen enough use to get an idea of how they perform.

Carbon fiber has more tension strength per unit, but it also more brittle; especially in shear. Hard impacts (such as crashing<G>) will almost always cause CF parts to at least crack, and when they break completely, they usually do some collateral damage to surrounding pieces/parts. This is tough stuff, and a pretty good crunch is necessary to break it. But when it breaks, it is ugly.

G-10 is more resilient, but is heavier. It was the material of choice for high-end machines until people discovered CF. It is now disappearing from general use, and the only manufacturer still putting it on models as a factory standard was just sold to a third party.

I have several G-10 handled folders. I think G-10 is a superior material for scales, because CF would be more prone to crack if dropped, and most importantly, if the edges are not properly dressed and sealed, you could get splinters of the stuff in your fingers or hands; and that would be very bad indeed. CF is quite hostile to the body, whether in the form of a splinter that works its way in very deep, or dust inhaled from grinding, etc.

Steve
 
That's what I was getting at...in load-bearing applications, such as bicycle frames, carbon fiber is a dream material. For knives it simply looks nice, in my opinion. G-10 is exceptionally harmful to the lungs, too, and as long as you aren;t sanding or grinding these materials you should be just fine. I would guess that CF would crack more easily than G-10, too.

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My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
 
I agree that G-10 is probably tougher then carbon fiber in knife applications but, I do`nt think cracking due to merely being dropped is of real concern with carbon fiber scales. Carbon fiber does`nt really crack. What it does is de-laminate. Minor de-lams can be repaired by edge injecting with epoxy,clamping the area and applying heat. 190 degrees max till the epoxy cures.Usually an hour. When carbon fiber is over heated it turns brown.

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never a dull moment
 
wondering about that comment regarding G10 and lung damage. I'm a little worried, as I made some G10 scales a few months ago and was not exceptionally careful about respiratory protection. Care to elaborate?
 
Carver,

Trust me; it will crack. Granted, a typical knife probably doesn't have enough mass, if falling and striking on it's own weight, to be cracked/broken real bad, but CF will definitely crack if the proper impact is out on it.

I, for one, can't understand why anyone would want this stuff for a knife handle. It looks and feels alien. Unless knife makers are using some other form of CF that I haven't seen yet. Yeah, it would be light, I suppose.

Carbon fiber dust attacks and interferes with the function of the mucous membranes. Suck up a moderate amount and you've done irreparable damage to your secondary respiratory filtration system.

The splinters are tiny and insiduous; they get in, burrow in, and disappear. You can't find them, so they sit there and and the wound gets infected, etc. I know a fellow who went to an emergency rom to get one out; they couldn't find it except by X-ray.

Steve
 
Steve, I do`nt doubt that you have seen carbon fiber structures crack in rc applications.I do`nt share your interest but,i`m sure parts used in an rc aircraft are sized proportunate to the scale of the model and are likely manufactured with light weight in mind rather then strength or transfer of loads.A panel made up of only 3-4 plies of carbon fiber cloth would`nt be very strong.FWIW, OSHA classifies cured carbon fiber dust as a nuisence dust.Proper dust collection and the use of dust masks is standard practice in the aerospace industry. I`ve been picking CF splinters out of my hide for 17 years and have`nt lost one yet.As with any matl. the use of proper safety equipment will prevent 99% of accidents.

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never a dull moment
 
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