Let's see your Traditional Knives with Westinghouse Micarta

[FLymon]

There seems to have been more than a few customs come up with the Westinghouse Micarta handles lately. I thought it might be nice to have a thread dedicated to the material for reference as well as general enjoyment.

So if you have any Traditional knives (old or new, custom or production) with this material let's see them!


I will kick it off with this Jared Oeser Shadow Trapper.
It's my first and only knife in Westinghouse Micarta and I liked it from the start, but it has grown on me even more in the weeks I have had it.

all photos by Jared Oeser

 

[jackknife]

"Let's see your Traditional Knives with Westinghouse Micarta"

Isn't that an oxymoron?


Okay, all kidding aside I do have what may be a traditional in the stuff. My old well used Buck 102 woodsman. Of course Buck calls it Buckcarta, but come on, who's kidding who? It holds up well, I'll give it that. This woodsman was a present from my better half because my old one was worn down to a sharp toothpick from steady use from 1967 to 2000. I took some 220 sandpaper and roughed up the surface for a better grip with wet hands.

 

[Modoc ED]

I have to plead "ignorance" here Stu. What exactly is Westinghouse Micarta compared to linen micarta and paper micarta or is it one of those two?

 

[MT Damascus]

Ed, Micarta was developed by George Westinghouse. Finding Micarta sheets that were made by, and branded Westinghouse, is thinning out.


Kris

 

[clutchcarter]

Here's my Lloyd in Westinghouse, It's one of my favorite knives!

 

[VCM3]

Another Lloyd. John told me they never offered this particular stuff for sale & was only used for their own applications

It was more tan than the pic shows

 

[M.FREEZE]

I have to plead "ignorance" here Stu. What exactly is Westinghouse Micarta compared to linen micarta and paper micarta or is it one of those two?

Westinghouse is a brand name. Over the years, non Westinghouse micarta, technically called phenolic sheets has adopted the term "micarta". It kind of like Shop-Vac. That is a brand name, but everyone calls the vacuum in the garage or basement their shop-vac.
As for paper or linen, Westinghouse used both materials. The ivory colored paper micarta yellows with age. Every once and a while I find small pieces at knife shows.

 

[phillipsted]

You'll also find that a lot of the original Westinghouse micarta "recipes" are substantially harder and denser than the phenolic material that is produced today. I've got a few pieces of Westinghouse linen micarta in my drawers and reserve it for bolsters on very special knives. It is fantastic stuff!

TedP

 

[FLymon]

I have to plead "ignorance" here Stu. What exactly is Westinghouse Micarta compared to linen micarta and paper micarta or is it one of those two?

Ed, Micarta was developed by George Westinghouse. Finding Micarta sheets that were made by, and branded Westinghouse, is thinning out.


Kris

Westinghouse is a brand name. Over the years, non Westinghouse micarta, technically called phenolic sheets has adopted the term "micarta". It kind of like Shop-Vac. That is a brand name, but everyone calls the vacuum in the garage or basement their shop-vac.
As for paper or linen, Westinghouse used both materials. The ivory colored paper micarta yellows with age. Every once and a while I find small pieces at knife shows.

That's my understanding as well.

The darker color in the middle of the handles on mine is the surface of the sheet used, and the lighter edges, where the surface was ground away, are closer to the original color.
Jared told me that the sheet used for my knife could be from the 1970's. I'm guessing the older stuff would be even darker.

Here is a cellphone pic that may shows the color in a little different light

 

[pmew]

FLymon, that one is lush.

 

[Modoc ED]

Thanks very much for the information guys.

Very nice knife I might add Stu and very nice knives that the other guys have too.