Is it just me or?

Comeuppance said:
Maybe, but now that kratom (largely unregulated recreational drug) is a thing, they’ll probably not be returning to that particular nomenclature.
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Had to look it up. A plant and a drug. Nope, not likely that they return to that designation.
 
Personally I'd call it Thermoplastic Fluorocarbon Rubber rather than these silly made up proprietary names, that can easily be forgotten or misspelled but that is just me...
 
Allan DeGroot said:
Is it just me or does it seem that "G10" grip material is a bit "over hyped/sold/advertised" compares to any real tactile difference?

Because frankly I can feel no difference between G10 and the "cheaper" glass filled Nylon used by Kershaw.... What is supposed to make the material "special"?
I don't understand, someone explain please?
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BladeScout said:
Its just you.
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I concur.
 
They're apples and battleships. I wouldn't say g10 is necessarily "better" than frn, but it's certainly different. Milled rather than molded, very hard and the peel-ply varieties offer extreme texture and grip.

As I've said before, I don't have the feeble grip of a toddler, nor do I work in extreme conditions so I'd prefer something smooth like wood or titanium that doesn't destroy my pockets.
 
I don't really care about what type of plastic or w/e is used as long as it works well in hand. I do worry about longevity over time though. Hear me out...

When I was younger, I used to build RC cars. The plastic parts were more resilient than aluminum, as they could take a hit and spring back. However, as the parts got older (say 10-20 years old) they would become brittle (oils evaporating) such that the same hit would cause them to crack/break. I don't know if FRN, G10, etc. have this same issue. I also don't know if oiling parts reduced this degredation.
 
all plastics suffer from age, but epoxy (g10) is still the strongest... the best way to protect it is to have uv protection built-in, as that is the real cause for degradation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_degradation

most g10 (and frn/gfn) has uv protection built into the material these days
(oiling plastic will not help, but covering it with a leather wrap (tennis grip etc) will minimize uv exposure almost completely)
 
BladeScout said:
What is your point and what is Kratex? Do you mean Kraton or perhaps Cratex?
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jlauffer said:
He may mean Kray-Ex, which is what Cold Steel is calling it these days
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BladeScout said:
I see. Didnt CS use the term 'kraton' ever?
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jlauffer said:
Yes, for many years. Not sure if Kray-Ex is actually any different from Kraton, or they just wanted a new name with Ex in it, to go along with their Secure-Ex sheaths.
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Kraton is a trademarked name for a family of SBS polymers developed by Shell Chemical back in the 80's. Now, Kraton Polymers is a manufacturing and distribution company all their own. SBS polymers are widely used in tires, shoes, asphalt, coatings and...knives.

I think at some point CS bought branded Kraton SBS polymer for the handles of many of their knives. In recent years there's been a lot of imported, brandless SBS polymers available. My guess would be CS switched to a no-name polymer to save a little money but could no longer call the material Kraton. Enter the clever term Kra-Ex.
 
I'm just a user... nothing as knowledgeable as some of the folks that have responded. But here my .02. I have chipped out (think golf course divot) G10 on a 14210 when it fell 3 feet onto a concrete patio. OTOH... I have dropped an FRN scaled Delica 10 feet or more onto a concrete warehouse floor with absolutely no damage.

I also have a Gerber LST with their late '90's-era FRN-like material. I carried it to work in a cabinet warehouse for every day years. The handle is entirely unmarked now and could pass for new. Come to think of it, the lockup on that Gerber is as tight and solid as it was new and the blade is still centered and undamaged, and it's at least 16 years old now.

I agree that FRN & G10 have different "feels" to them, but FRN has always impressed me as being tougher than G10. Not more rigid, maybe not absolutely "stronger", but tougher and more resilient. I value that in a tool handle.
 
Big fan of G10, feels good in the hand, and not cheap feeling like some thermoplastics are. However, FRN as done by Spyderco has a certain durability, comfort and trustworthiness that is reassuring.

Speaking of "is it just me?", does any one else have trouble sometimes telling the difference between G10 and Micarta?"
 
For grip difference I agree, I really dont see much performance difference. I do think G10 feels less like plastic which I like. I think G10 looks way better to.:)

i have never really seen it marketed as a super special handle materiel so I am not sure I can respond to that. I do believe it is stronger than FRN, its readily available, and consumers like the look of it more than other materials. I think that is the biggest drive behind it.
 
This discussion reminds me of a 'rule' I have had to learn the hard way many times... "Don't drop your knife". (and the corollary: "if you do, don't try to catch it")
 
I'm not that picky. I can tell the difference but for a premium I'd prefer upgraded steel over scale material between those two materials. stag, bone or wood changes the game for me.
 
Allan DeGroot said:
Is it just me or does it seem that "G10" grip material is a bit "over hyped/sold/advertised" compares to any real tactile difference?

Because frankly I can feel no difference between G10 and the "cheaper" glass filled Nylon used by Kershaw.... What is supposed to make the material "special"?
I don't understand, someone explain please?
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Random comments:
  • Comeuppance Comeuppance "Heat transfer coefficient"
  • FRN is "Fiber Reinforced Nylon". Short glass fibers, typically 10-30 wt%. They make the polymer stronger and more dimensionally stable than just Nylon polymer by itself.
  • G10 is layers of glass fabric held together by epoxy resin. The name "G10" derives from an industry spec for circuit boards.
  • Nylon parts are manufactured using injection molding. For this to be economically feasible you have to make a large number of them at one time. The molds are expensive because they need to stand up to molding temps on the order of 500F and pressure on the order of 10,000 PSI. Requires a robust mold. G10 parts are machined from large pieces. A lot of those are made in heated presses. For just a few pieces, G10 is less expensive. If producing a large number of identical pieces, FRN is less expensive.
  • Neither epoxy nor nylon are particularly UV resistant. They both degrade in the sun. But it take A LOT of direct sunlight. Months in direct sunlight. And it's a surface reaction. So either handle would last a very long time.
  • Epoxy is more dimensionally stable than Nylon and is stable across a wider temperature range. However, at temperatures at which most folks are comfortable and are using their knives, the difference isn't noticeable.
  • Worth noting that Nylon polymers can get brittle at extreme low temperatures, temps lower than about -40°F. They can shatter. Epoxy is unaffected by extreme cold. It can be used at cryogenic temperatures. At room temp, FRN is tougher.
  • Kraton is a trade name for a line of synthetic rubbers, not a nylon. Cold Steel did have some knives with Kraton handles. Grippy. Tough.
As long as they are well done, either G10 or FRN is sufficient for my needs.
 
knarfeng said:
really just way too much to quote.
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Edit: I had a point I intended to make here, but its validity and content have been sabotaged by the painkillers I am on due to some dental issues. This is compounded by my inability to just delete my response.

So, just continue on and ignore this post. Thanks.
 
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What's the difference between G10 and Micarta? I thought one was glass fiber reinforced the other everything else.. Is this just a result of people calling their homebrew stuff micarta when technically it isn't?
 
I like g10, but its a bit over hyped. People act like if your pocket knife doesnt have it itll slip out of your hands and cut you at the first opprotunity. Many a deer has been gutted (a slippery, dirty job that is much more than the average pocket knife ever endures) with stacked leather handles or micarta or wood or......etc etc you get the point. So I think its over hyped. It is good stuff though, I like it alot.
 
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