kraton disintegration/decay

Cold steel likely does too. The handle on my trailmaster was VERY soft and rubbery, to the point where I could easily pinch a diamond or corner with my fingernails and rip a small piece off. The kraton on the other cold steel knives I've had (an SRK and Recon Tanto) were much harder, and I would not doubt they're a different composition.
 
The handle on my new Fallkniven A1 is anything but "soft and rubbery." In fact: It's quite stiff/solid.
 
Well, I guess we're aware now that calling a handle "Kraton" is sort of like
saying a blade is "stainless steel", in that there are so many grades and varieties.
(And price points, of course.)

Interesting.
 
rifon2 said:
Thanks, my error (and glasses) - I read "block" polymer as "black" polymer.

Anyway, still, with respect to Kraton D - whatever temperature is used for forming it -
High Temperature Performance (and Resistance to Prolonged Outdoor Exposure) are specifically omitted as performance parameters
for it by the manufacturer, Kraton.
[See http://www.kraton.com/content/includes/An Intro To Kraton.pdf at Page 11, Table 1.]
______________________________________________________________________________________

And Cold Steel does not readily disclose which Kraton grade it uses for its handles.
Based on the posts on BF, I doubt it's one of the better grades.

But it could be...
Click to expand...




AHHHHH Im familure with this phenomenon I just got new glasses LOL. Thanks for the link I was looking for one like that. I wonder if something can be added to inhance the performance in these areas?

For man made/inhanced materials I personaly like Micarta I think its one of best but you still have to be carfull around certian chemicals. Reciently I have also taken a liking to plain cord wrapped handles. The Japanese may have the best philosophy in that the handle does not belong to the knife/sword and is designed/ment to be replaced with age and wear.


Bors
 
yoda4561 said:
Cold steel likely does too. The handle on my trailmaster was VERY soft and rubbery, to the point where I could easily pinch a diamond or corner with my fingernails and rip a small piece off. The kraton on the other cold steel knives I've had (an SRK and Recon Tanto) were much harder, and I would not doubt they're a different composition.
Click to expand...

Good observation I've also noticed a difference in durometer between my trail master and my Gurkha Kukri (Satin Finished) the Gurkha Kukri apears to be much harder.

Bors
 
Chermical contamination is a good reason for deterioration of the Kraton. But, I have a Master Tanto II that is going gooey and it has barely even seen the light of day. It was a safe queen from the get-go because I just couldn't bring myself to use it at that time and was, for all intents and purposes, forgotten over the years. Hmmm...
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
They don't use kraton.
Click to expand...

The H1 and the A1 as well as others are advertised on Fallkniven's website as using "Kraton Rubber" for the handle. At first glance the A1 looks like it's even assembled like a cold steel by using the lanyard rivet to hold on the handle.
 
Bors said:
The H1 and the A1 as well as others are advertised on Fallkniven's website as using "Kraton Rubber" for the handle.
Click to expand...

I have seen the website, and they say the knives have Thermorun handles.


edit:
Looking again, it seems several are listed as Kraton. Must have missed them.:o
 
The first knife I had with a Kraton grip was a Buck 119, which Chuck Buck sent to me for an article I was writing for an outdoor magazine. Never had any problem with it and I gave it very high rating in my review. I have had no problems with the Kraton grips on either my SRK or Master Hunter. When wet, cold, greasy, covered with blood, it offers a superior grip to anything else I have used. I just wish CS or some after-market manufacturer would offer replacement Kraton grips.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
I have seen the website, and they say the knives have Thermorun handles.
Click to expand...

Here ia a link to their web site look at the "Blue" spec box it says for handle material "Kraton".

http://www.fallkniven.com/a1f1/a1_en.html



Here is the first paragraph of the H1 discription from Fallkniven's web site

H1 The Hunting Knife

This is our first true hunting knife, built upon the experiences from centuries of knifemaking in our part of the world. The strong, straight and very handy knife dates its origin from the ancient times of classic art of North-Scandinavian knife-making. Due to this, it lacks a standard fingerguard but still the grip is very safe since the handle is ergonomically shaped and made of tacky Kraton rubber with a textured pattern. With a handle this shape, you should preferably be an experienced hunter or outdoorsman for safely handling such an advanced knife as the H1 Hunting Knife.
Click to expand...


Bors
 
There are several grades of Thermorun as well.

Thermorun, made by Mitsubishi Chemical, is apparently a competing
product to Kraton, which is a product of Kraton Polymers LLC.

Both Thermorun and Kraton are thermoplastic elastomers.
 
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/lsx/books/Apr06/grattan.htm
This looks to have some relevant sections on plastic/polymer issues and conservation. Unfortunately its not available online. I'll check my campus library to see if they have a hard copy.
I used to be a conservator but i can't find any relevant info in the old texts/articles i have on hand. This is really a new problem. Most of the limited articles i've found relating to "plastics" conservation are on early plastics like bakelite.
 
My CS Master Hunter and SRK were both purchased in the 90s, and used EXTENSIVELY in the field. No problems whatsoever with the Kraton.

However, the only "chemicals" that I use on my knives are soap and water. I will also use a THIN coat of olive oil on the blade ONLY if the knife is to be stored for more than a month.
 
15 years out of my Buck filet knife with brown Kraton handle. Never had a problem with the handle degrading or coming apart. I usually only washed it with Dawn dish washing soap and fresh water. Sometimes just saltwater no soap and right into the sheath. I finally broke the blade this year and Buck replaced it for free. I plan on at least another 15 years out of the replacement knife with a black Kraton handle.
 
Well, all of this testimony affirming Kraton's durability leads me to one conclusion. And that would be, a bad batch of Kraton was used at some point. It seems there are others having similar problems with CS Kraton handles which may have been from the same batch's my knives came from.

I have various knives with Kraton handles from different manufacturers and the only one's going to goo are the Cold Steel knives.
All knives are stored the same, in the same place and have seen similar usage.:confused: I just don't know...:(

Edited to add:

All of my Fallknivens(A-1, S-1, F-1, WM-1) came with Thermorum handles and they are still rockin' and a rollin'. Stability issues aside, I like the Thermorum because it's firmer than Kraton.:thumbup:
 
Well my CS ready edge went to goo but so did my SOG desert dagger. But as i previously stated a buddy of mine has two SOG's bought the same time that have not gone to goo. And come to think of it i bought my SOG tomcat the same year and the kraton panels on that are fine, and i used that knife quite a bit. Maybe its a problem with particular runs of certain models at particular times. I guess its hit or miss, maybe they regularly change the kraton type or kraton formulation. All my kraton knives are at least 10 years old.Anybody here have a relatively new (less than 10 or 5 years old) kraton handle knife that has gone goo-ey?
 
Don't know if it's related at all, but the rubber tailgate bumpers on my '01 S10 turned into tar without being exposed to any sort of harsh chemicals or solvents. And when I say tar, I mean tar, it finally got so melted and soft it ran into the lockwork of the tailgate and really screwed that up.
 
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