G10 this stuff is tough

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kingjoey5000

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Jan 24, 2010
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I picked up a slab of g-10 with the attentions of shaping it into some scales, i have no power tool and this looks like it is going to take forever, any suggestions on shaping this stuff???? or should i just save it and pick up some wood.
 
Honestly the only thing I use my power tools for is to get the scale shaped to the blade profile. The rest of the fitting and shaping is with hand tools. Use rasps. round and flat. get a file card and clean very often. Then 120. Then 220 and so on. Use the sandpaper like it's free. depending on where I am sanding I use the "shoeshine" method (my own technical term for that...) and paper backed with a strip of leather. Less wear and tear on the thumb and you do not have to push as hard cause the leather is harder than your thumb pad.
 
If you are going to work with G10, you should wear a respirator. It is very nasty stuff for your lungs.
I have made parts from this stuff for many years using carbide tooling. Any of the high speed steel tooling I have used was junked shortly after using it on G10.

Destroyer of many sharp tools that G10...I itch just thinking about the stuff.
 
It's hard to cut but pretty easy to sand,workin on a folder w/G10 now.I like it better than micarta/
Stan
 
kingjoey5000 said:
have you used the g-10 material???
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Yes I have. G10, Jatmat's G11, canvas, paper micarta. Lemme tell you the G10 works way better than micarta. I forgot to mention the obligatory wear a GOOD respirator any time you are sanding or grinding anything, wood, composites (especially g10 and CF), and metal.

http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/half-face-respirators-7500-respirator-c-415_9_14_53_656.html
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/2091-p100-particulate-filter-2box-p-198.html

That respirator is AWESOME, you can wash it out with warm soapy water. it fits a whole bunch of different cartridges. I mainly use the 2091 P100 filters. Also it directs your exhaled air down so when you are wearing your trusty faceshield it does not fog it up, no excuses there...

You are right that wood (most of em, not all, try lignum or ipe that stuff doesn't even float and it loads up paper faster than G10) works easier than G10, but the G10 cuts down more uniform than certain woods. Just takes time to get what you want...
 
thanks for the replys, it just seems that i was making quicker progress shaping the steel then the g-10. ill try again tomorrow with new paper, that stuff is tough.
 
Yeah, I have some of JatMat's G11 as well, thought I could cut/shape it by hand - no way! I do have a grinder but the G11 is in 3/4" thick pieces so until I have access to a bandsaw to cut it in half it's going to remain a rock solid paperweight!

Good luck with your G10!
 
I have been working with G11 lately, The only way I have found to cut it is with a wet tile saw. ($75.00 at HD) It does grind and sand easily with a 2"x72" grinder and good sharp belts like Blaze and Gators.
 
kingjoey5000 said:
thanks for the replys, it just seems that i was making quicker progress shaping the steel then the g-10. ill try again tomorrow with new paper, that stuff is tough.
Click to expand...

Using round, half round and flat rasps (not fine cut files, that's too fine) will remove lots of material at a decent pace. Then use the paper to clean up the rasp scratches Just like you were going up in grit to remove the previous grit's scratch pattern.
 
yeah i picked up some 50 and 80 grit today, shaping up real nice. @ gixxer you listen to S.O.D. thats one of my all time favorites, al these years it still gets me goin. Ive seen M.O.D. play and they usually cover united forces, man thats a great band.
 
Yea bro I saw SOD live in Asbury Park NJ with Fury of Five when SOD just put out the Bigger Than the Devil album, and Billy Milano was larger than life. His stage presence IMO has only been topped by Corpsegrinder Fisher. --you do-- know who Corpsegrinder sings for, right??:):)
 
bhyde said:
If you are going to work with G10, you should wear a respirator. It is very nasty stuff for your lungs.
I have made parts from this stuff for many years using carbide tooling. Any of the high speed steel tooling I have used was junked shortly after using it on G10.

Destroyer of many sharp tools that G10...I itch just thinking about the stuff.
Click to expand...

+1 on wearing a full respirator. An hour of G10 dust is = to a year in a coal mine with no mask.

and I was amazed at how G10 wore out drill bits, and scallop bits on the dremmel.
 
G10 is an absolute bitch to cut. Cutting with hand-tools seems to take forever. Keep in mind, you're basically cutting glass with steel. Cutting with power-tools is obviously quicker but will smoke and stink up your shop like crazy; must be from the resins that hold it together. Use plenty of ventilation and a slow rate of feed and cut. I've had good progress using fine-tooth blades. It's not a material that responds well to fast cutting with a coarse saw.

I've found it machines really well; meaning it doesn't chip out or break apart when grinding or drilling. However, it will scorch and even develop bad "fuzziness" if you work it too fast and let it get hot. Seems like fast cutting heats up the fibers inside it and pulls them out. This can be a big pain; work it slowly.

Oddly, once the rough shape is cut, it sands pretty well. It has a really nice "grippy" texture that's still grippy when wet, and stands up very well to beatings. I think it may be one of the best handle materials for hard-use/low maintenence. The main thing is not to work too fast with it.

I've only made/re-handled a few knives with G-10, but both the customer and myself were very pleased with the results.
 
Itsh shapeing up great fellas. thanks for all the advice ill post some pics of the finished first knife in a week or so.
@gixxer,yeah i know who corpsegrinder is, did ya see em at the stone pony???? i spent 4 days or so in asbury park for a hollidays in the sun show. billys the man hes livin in austin texas now, my brother bumps into him all the time.
 
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