G-10 without liners-good or bad???

J

J.Davey

Joined
Feb 10, 2004
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I've noticed this showing up on some nice knives lately, but I don't think I like it. Granted, having no liner on one or both sides of a folder may cut weight slightly, it just seems like it would be less rigid. Also, while I have no doubt about the strength of G-10, it does seem that it would be susceptible to chipping, and wear much quicker than steel or titanium. Opinions?
 
Some knives have cheaper G10 than others. There is a thread about that here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=787472
This said, the material is expected to be very tough but not indestructible. For what it is, it does it's job very well. Some knives need liners on both sides because the locks are dependent on them (Benchmade Axis Lock). Others not so much (Cold Steel Tri-Ad series).
It would be hard to say that G10 in so many vast forumulations could be better or worse than aluminum/steel/Ti in their various configurations. It's a matter of preference.
 
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As much as I dislike the Cold Steel: IN YOUR FACE THIS KNIFE IS A TACTICOOL AWESOME KNIFE AND WILL KILL ALL ZOMBIES IN A 10FT RADIUS WITHOUT EVEN BEING OPENED videos... they pretty well show knives don't need liners.... I still like them... but I don't see my recon 1 breaking... in fact, perhaps it's less likely to break due to the added flex... as for chipping and wear... the parts that would wear are metal, and g10 is some tough stuff, good luck chipping it accidentally.
 
Apart from the stainless steel bolster plates on my Hogue EX01's in G-Mascus they are all G10 handles and I can't imagine these all G10 handles giving out or twisting so bad that the performance of the knife suffered. It feels like it would take severe hard use for the handles to fail significantly if at all. My position is that it all has to do with the manufacturer.
 
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I wish I could find that picture of a forklift being suspended by a thick sheet of G10. It would make a believer out of you.
 
Al Mar makes a really nice series under the name "ultralight." By design, they are a lot thinner in most dimensions than the Cold Steel knives.

Maybe some one can chip in, since the ultralights have been around for a while. Mine is still pretty new.

Overall, I really like the concept of leaving out the steel liners. :thumbup:

I dont really consider the Al Mar to be an indestructible knife, but not all knives need to be built that way. It is a great slicer.
 
Call me old-fashioned, but I want my folders to have steel/titanium liners, and full liners at that. I'm sure the all G-10 handles will work, but they are not for me. I don't even like the combo of titanium on one side and G-10 on the other.
 
cutter17 said:
Call me old-fashioned, but I want my folders to have steel/titanium liners, and full liners at that. I'm sure the all G-10 handles will work, but they are not for me. I don't even like the combo of titanium on one side and G-10 on the other.
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This is my gut reaction as well. One practical consideration is that I really want to see the clip screws threaded into some sort of metal instead of into G10 or micarta.
 
Assuming I used clips on my folders, so would I. But I don't. So that's not a consideration for me.

G10 is plenty tough with or without a liner. So is Micarta for that matter. If I'm looking to carry something lightweight, I prefer linerless folders.
 
Yep. Basic cutting is pretty much all I do with folders. If I need a knife to do more than that, I prefer to use fixed-blades . . . and tough ones at that. ;)
 
+1 on full liners. Never liked the direction the recon series or the lawman series is going. If it is all so great to go linerless, why the new Voyagers have liners compared with the past which did not have liners?

I always liked steel to contact steel especially where there is load bearing or moving parts in the equation.
 
cutter17 said:
Call me old-fashioned, but I want my folders to have steel/titanium liners, and full liners at that. I'm sure the all G-10 handles will work, but they are not for me. I don't even like the combo of titanium on one side and G-10 on the other.
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I have plans to do the G-10/steel frame lock thing with my ZDP-189 Shallot. If found G-10 alone to more then enough for this kind of application. The G-10 will reduce the weight, add a little (much needed) girth, and texture.
 
Cotherion said:
+1 on full liners. Never liked the direction the recon series or the lawman series is going. If it is all so great to go linerless, why the new Voyagers have liners compared with the past which did not have liners?

I always liked steel to contact steel especially where there is load bearing or moving parts in the equation.
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That's because the New Voyages aren't going to be G10. ;)
 
Yep. Glad I got my Large Voyager before the model change. It's a whole lotta knife for 3.7 oz! :eek: ;)

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G10 is some surprisingly tough stuff. From an engineering standpoint, its material properties make it sufficient for use in most situations. I wouldn't shy away from a knife without steel liners.
 
Black Bear Knives makes their folders without steel liners, they use a recessed locking bar, and they are tough as nails.
A good friend just made me a CQC7 frame lock and the G-10 handle scale is solid G-10. Tough? You better believe it.
 
The Combative Edge M1 has no liner on the G-10 side. So far, no issues. I worry only about the stop-pin loosening, but it hasn't been a problem.
 
I have personally never worried about pocket knife weight. I actually like the substantial feeling of a stout pocket knife. I don't abuse my pocket knives, but it just seems that, over time, the G-10 will wear much quicker around the pivots and washers/bearings.

"I worry only about the stop-pin loosening, but it hasn't been a problem." This, too.
 
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