Is it just me or?

[Sonnydaze]

I like G10 a lot, it's srtong and withstand dings pretty well. It can be awesomely grippy (Emerson's).
It feels strong and looks good.
To me it's a much better material than micarta, FRN, grivory or aluminium.

I like G10; I absolutely hate the feel of aluminum. I am also very fond of sand-blasted titanium slabs.

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

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?"

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?

Micarta is a brand name for a line of epoxy-based laminates using a variety of fabric substrates (cloth, fiberglass, Kevlar, etc). G10 is a generic name for an epoxy-based laminate using glass cloth as the substrate. You can have glass-based Micarta that is equivalent to G10.

In the knife industry, “Micarta” usually refers to laminates using a traditional textile like linen or burlap.

 

[sixplymaple]

I really don't think there is much of a difference between FRN, G10, and Micarta for regular EDC use. Most people will never find themselves in a situation where the limits of the material are tested. IMO It's all just preference. My brain tells me that FRN = plastic and plastic = cheap, so I don't like FRN. That's just my brain deciding what I like based on life experience, not based on facts/stats.

 

[tiguy7]

Micarta is is a Thermosetting compression molded Phenolic plastic that has a long dwell time in the die to allow it to kick over. It cannot be remelted like a Thermoplastic and has a much improved resistance to heat. Some pan handles are made of it. It is often filled with canvas, linen, paper, etc. Think Bakelite.
Cold molded Epoxy lay ups also have improved resistance to heat over Thermoplastics.
Fiber reinforced Nylon is full of short glass fibers to improve strength, but they are neither oriented nor woven. The percentage of fiberglass in G-10 handles is higher than in FRN, and the fibers are much longer, oriented, and woven.
Kraton is known for its resistance to chemicals and maybe UV light.