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Kraton; love it or hate it?
- Thread starter nephron
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While there are superior materials available, Cold Steel's Kray-Ex offers a very comfortable and secure grip that is hard to beat.
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I don’t think it’s the best thing since sliced bread, but it’s comfy and fairly conducive to good edge alignment.
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When Lynn Thompson introduced this material back in the 1980's it was considered "cutting edge technology"! It continues to do today what it did 40 years ago, provide a secure and comfortable grip.
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It makes me laugh when it’s called a “space age material.”
Still, the Recon Tanto is one of my favorite knives ever.
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Generally I prefer higher end knives to have full exposed tangs with micarta slabs as found on knives from TOPS, Busse, Esee, etc.
However, I also like kraton and it has its place.
I've read reports of people who had their CS kraton handles break apart after years of use, but so far my most-used fixed blade, the Recon Tanto I bought in 1997, is still good. I've used it extensively as an outdoors knife over the years. I think the difference is that I use it when doing things like hiking or when doing yard work, but even if I do yard work several times a week during summer it isn't exposed to as much sunlight as someone who wears one every day almost all day.
I learned the insulation benefits of kraton one winter when I picked up my RTAK and the handle was so cold it was painful. My Recon Tanto did not have that problem.
A few years later I was at a knife fighting seminar and my training partner had a very difficult time disarming me. I always made his knife fly across the room when I did the disarm. He noticed this as well and asked why this was. We both had years of training and were both black belts. He was a bodybuilder and stronger than me. I had FMA training while he did not. I was also better at knife techniques and counter knife techniques, but that did not explain the large gap in our results. I then realized he was using a wooden tanto, a custom made one so it was not the slick "Karate store" trainers, but it still did not have the grip that my CS Recon Tanto trainer had. I figured this was the issue and suggested we switch training knives and he was able to disarm me and while I could still disarm him easily, it was not as extreme as when he was using the wooden tanto. My conclusion was that for defensive purposes, kraton or something similar is a better handle material than hard materials.
However, I also like kraton and it has its place.
I've read reports of people who had their CS kraton handles break apart after years of use, but so far my most-used fixed blade, the Recon Tanto I bought in 1997, is still good. I've used it extensively as an outdoors knife over the years. I think the difference is that I use it when doing things like hiking or when doing yard work, but even if I do yard work several times a week during summer it isn't exposed to as much sunlight as someone who wears one every day almost all day.
I learned the insulation benefits of kraton one winter when I picked up my RTAK and the handle was so cold it was painful. My Recon Tanto did not have that problem.
A few years later I was at a knife fighting seminar and my training partner had a very difficult time disarming me. I always made his knife fly across the room when I did the disarm. He noticed this as well and asked why this was. We both had years of training and were both black belts. He was a bodybuilder and stronger than me. I had FMA training while he did not. I was also better at knife techniques and counter knife techniques, but that did not explain the large gap in our results. I then realized he was using a wooden tanto, a custom made one so it was not the slick "Karate store" trainers, but it still did not have the grip that my CS Recon Tanto trainer had. I figured this was the issue and suggested we switch training knives and he was able to disarm me and while I could still disarm him easily, it was not as extreme as when he was using the wooden tanto. My conclusion was that for defensive purposes, kraton or something similar is a better handle material than hard materials.
I like Kraton (or whatever a company chooses to call it). As far as something with a comparable level of grippiness, I'd say coarse-textured G10.
I debated whether or not I think coarse-textured G10 "better", and I've decided that in my opinion, it is. It's VERY grippy, and VERY durable. In all the ways that Kraton is weak and vulnerable, G10 is the exact opposite- resistant to heat, chemicals, wear, sunlight, age, cuts/abrasions, etc.
It's my handle material of choice when I want both a high degree of grippiness, and durability.
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I do like the slight “give” of Kraton though. You know, the slight squishiness. All G10 I’ve handled were pretty stiff.
PeteyTwoPointOne
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Kraton kryptonite = DEET... it sucks when M&M's don't melt in your hand, but your SRK does 
OTOH, Resiprene-C-- like what's on Scrap Yard and other Busse & Kin-- will still be here after the cockroaches that survived TEOTWAWKI go extinct.
OTOH, Resiprene-C-- like what's on Scrap Yard and other Busse & Kin-- will still be here after the cockroaches that survived TEOTWAWKI go extinct.
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does the resiprene melt with DEET? I don't like busse knives but I really like those scrapyard ones, are they avaliable? as for Krayton I like it but there must be something like that that holds up better...
I would really like a micarta or solid g10 with a hidden tang set up like a mad dog style... that would be cool on a sain mai recon tanto
I would really like a micarta or solid g10 with a hidden tang set up like a mad dog style... that would be cool on a sain mai recon tanto
Definitely G10 is hard and stiff, it doesn't have any give to it. I like it on some folders, not only for the characteristics I mentioned, but because it's rigid and pretty strong, and therefore makes for a stronger knife. Particularly folders with thin liners.
As I was typing this I remembered that there is a handle material called "Suretouch" from Norplex. It's a combination of G10 and rubber. Layers of each sandwiched together. Shaping it can expose the rubber. I'm not sure what type of "rubber" it is though. And I've never used or handled any.
I used coarse-textured G10 on these three folders.
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Beautiful knives there. Thanks for sharing.Definitely G10 is hard and stiff, it doesn't have any give to it. I like it on some folders, not only for the characteristics I mentioned, but because it's rigid and pretty strong, and therefore makes for a stronger knife. Particularly folders with thin liners.
As I was typing this I remembered that there is a handle material called "Suretouch" from Norplex. It's a combination of G10 and rubber. Layers of each sandwiched together. Shaping it can expose the rubber. I'm not sure what type of "rubber" it is though. And I've never used or handled any.
I used coarse-textured G10 on these three folders.
PeteyTwoPointOne
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Ques. #1...Not even close...hell, it barely melts with fire. Check out one of my all-time favorite threads:
Resiprene-C (and Basics) Resource Thread
Thought it might be of value to have some “Basic” threads about Res-C handled knives in one place for reference. Feel free to post links to your favorite Res-C and Basic threads. FROM THE BUSSE COMBAT WEBSITE: Resiprene C (Think of it as an all-terrain truck tire with better chemical...
www.bladeforums.com
Ques. #2...Scrapyard is fairly regularly putting out new models that are available to anyone...plus there's always a bunch for sale over on the Busse Exchange.
DocJD
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Good information .Kraton kryptonite = DEET... it sucks when M&M's don't melt in your hand, but your SRK does
OTOH, Resiprene-C-- like what's on Scrap Yard and other Busse & Kin-- will still be here after the cockroaches that survived TEOTWAWKI go extinct.
I've never had any of my old Kraton handles break down or get sticky , but never smeared the handles with DEET , either .
I do see how that could happen , though .
Anyway , the those survivalist roaches can use someone else's knives if mine are melted .
I've never seen a Busse at a price I'm willing to pay , no matter how good they might be .
I did grab a Cold Steel Medium Warcraft 3V with a G-10 handle at very good price . I think that'll do me just fine .
My old Recon Tanto CarbonV 's handle is still fine just has that tape wrap cause I wanted to practice throwing . Kraton is not a good choice for throwing . Too grippy !
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and whilst kraron offers great contact grippiness,
i have only fear and doubts
about the lifespan of the material.
i have also come to uderstand that low cost was one of reasons why kraton handles came about.
frankly they should have come up with replaceable kraton rubber inserts to longer lasting handles
a certainty for folks like me.
i have only fear and doubts
about the lifespan of the material.
i have also come to uderstand that low cost was one of reasons why kraton handles came about.
frankly they should have come up with replaceable kraton rubber inserts to longer lasting handles
a certainty for folks like me.
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Easily detachable handles are always nice on production blades. Should be the standard even. Make aftermarket customization easier for the customer.
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The Kray-Ex is more like a hard plastic with a little squish, definitely not as grippy or cushioning. The Kraton is a synthetic rubber. The Kray-Ex takes heat better not sure on anything else, not a lot of info. I could find.
It is a Synthetic Rubber, so it is like rubber, realistically you can expect it to act like it. Its a compromise that each individual should evaluate depending on there needs/likes with its limitations in mind.