Is canvas micarta waterproof?

H

HardTripper

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Dec 13, 2010
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I just purchased my first knife with a canvas micarta handle and it almost feels like it could degrade or delaminate if it was soaked or frozen, anyone ever experience this?
 
I would want to test it when wet, prior to going into the outdoors. If it is going to fail, you want to know now, not later.
Get it wet, if it falls apart, send the knife back as defective. What is the brand? If it's custom, call the maker.
I've gotten my ESEE's wet, and other than being wet, there is no change in the micarta. In fact, if I towel dry the micarta, it will be completely dry within a minute.
Test it out, it should not soak up much water, oil, blood, etc.. just the surface should take the liquid.
 
OKC, Ontario? I own several Ontario's and they don't seem much different than the ESEE, as far as being frail.
They both absorb water, but it's just the outside layer of fabric. Underneath the first exposed fabric is epoxy/glue that should not be absorbant.
When you flick it with your finger, it should sound tight and solid. It should not shed dust, unless you are filing, sanding, scraping it, etc..
 
Good thinking ill soak it a bit before taking it out. Don't hate but its ontario rat 5 canvas micarta.
 
The outside layer should be hydophyllic, it likes water. Water will spread out when it contacts the fabric. Soaking, should not take long to know. Just get it wet under the sink. It should dry fast after you towel it off.
So, it's not "waterproof" but it should not go in deep.
 
A forumite tested micarta some time ago by submerging it in a variety of liquids, including oil, gasoline, water, etc, for weeks at a time. It was completely unaffected.
 
Micarta (Westinghouse brand name) is just about everything-proof.

There are "other" phenolic laminates which may/may not be up to snuff.
 
sodak said:
A forumite tested micarta some time ago by submerging it in a variety of liquids, including oil, gasoline, water, etc, for weeks at a time. It was completely unaffected.
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Russ Andrews said:
Micarta (Westinghouse brand name) is just about everything-proof.

There are "other" phenolic laminates which may/may not be up to snuff.
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What they said.

Commercially made Micarta is pretty bullet-proof.

Homemade "micarta" is normally extremely robust. Even if incorrectly made I would still expect it to be unaffected by water.
 
Just don;t put it in the dishwasher or you might have 2 pieces: a blade and some very water-resistant Micarta. (((:D)))
 
I was wondering if you contacted the manufacture of the stuff if they could recomend some sort of sealent. Or they may tell you that is not good to do. It would seem you could wax the outer layer or polish it in some way. But I would ask who you bought it from first. Sounds like it is pretty solid as it is but I would preffer a knife that does not even soak the first layer. I am curious as to what you find out. I have a knive being made for me and the scales are going to be green canvas micarta.

Daniel


StretchNM said:
Just don;t put it in the dishwasher or you might have 2 pieces: a blade and some very water-resistant Micarta. (((:D)))
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Micarta doesn;t really need a wax or sealant. Other posters to this thread have already said, and I agree. I recently took a detour from wood and began scaling knives with Micarta. Here's why it needs no sealer:

Micarta is layer upon layer of paper, linen, canvas, burlap, etc,. Each layer is soaked in an epoxy or other fiberglass resin (epoxy, for all intents and purposes) before being aligned and pressed to dry. As someone said earlier, if you sand Micarta and leave the first layer (or layers if sanded at an angle, as in knife scales) exposed, it still has the epoxy resin imbedded in it. If you feel the linen, for example, of that exposed layer, you're only feeling the very surface. Just thousandths of an inch down, you'll hit epoxy.

If a guy wants smooth, unexposed Micarta, he can sand the scales to shape with finer and finer grits of sandpaper (I stop at 280). Then, using a charged buffing wheel, buff the scales. When finished, they'll look and feel varnished or wax-coated, though they're not.

The reason I say don;t put it in the dishwasher is because it can free the epoxy bond between Micarta and knife blade. I doubt seriously if it would affect the epoxy embedded in the Micarta, though obviously I haven;t the experience of testing this. Maybe if you put some Micarta in boiling water, over a period of time it might break down. A theory based on my limited knowledge of Micarta and logic is all that is.

Here is a Micarta-scaled knife that has been sanded to 80 grit.... just getting started on it. But...if you look at the end of the scales, up front where scales meets blade, you can see where I've sanded and polished the Micarta before glue-up. I do that because it's the area of the scale that really can't be reached after glue-up, so it must be done before. The actual knife is completed now, but I don;t have pictures yet. The point is, only sanding and buffing is required to produce a smooth, shiny surface.

IMG_4216.jpg


Here is a picture as the Micarta arrives from the dealer. It's surface has been sanded and buffed. I don;t believe there is any type of finish on it other than maybe leftover buffing compound embedded in the pores...maybe.
IMG_4206.jpg


I have shellaced and waxed Micarta before. I made an Enzo knife (kit) with green canvas Micarta. I didn;t know much about working with Micarta at the time, so I figured I'd better "seal" it. So shellac and wax I did. Now I realize that was completely unnecessary.
 
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Yep... micarta, and g-10 because its basically the same stuff, are super tough. You don't need to do anything to them ever unless you want to change the way it looks or feels. It will not break down or degrade or warp from pretty much anything.
 
Canvas micarta shouldn't degrade or fall apart or anything when wet (SHOULDN'T), but it will change colors.
 
nativecajun57 said:
I was wondering if you contacted the manufacture of the stuff if they could recomend some sort of sealent. Or they may tell you that is not good to do. It would seem you could wax the outer layer or polish it in some way. But I would ask who you bought it from first. Sounds like it is pretty solid as it is but I would preffer a knife that does not even soak the first layer. I am curious as to what you find out. I have a knive being made for me and the scales are going to be green canvas micarta.

Daniel
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Sealant is not necessary to obtain water resistance. You might seal it if you want to prevent some discoloration. Whether this is necessary depends on how porous the surface is. Surface porosity won't affect the water resistance. Surface porosity can cause the micarta to discolor with grease and dirt.
 
And when it gets discolored and nasty looking you can use soap and water to bring it back to its original look..... just will need a few minutes to dry
 
i coated the canvas micarta scales of my bk-11 with polyurethane to enhance the look,but in my experience with micarta it is pretty much unaffected by anything ive thrown at it.ive had blood,mud,water,gasoline,sweat,motor oil,and various other liquids on the handle of my rc3,and all it did was get dirty.dish soap cleaned it right up.
 
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