Longevity of modern plastic handles (Grivory, FRN, Zytel, etc)?

[The_Iron_Joe]

I've got an FRN Endura that's over 12 years old, and it's holding up great! I've used it a ton and the handles are honestly still about as good as a brand new model... Albeit, somewhat dirtier.

 

[Kryme]

My Endura's scales feel like new after over over 12 years, granted it's been sitting in my drawer for nearly half that, but it used to be my one and only knife for a long while before that. Had I used and carried that knife exclusively for the past 12 years the blade would have been worn down to nothing by now, and I'm sure the handle would have lasted another 50 years at least.

I don't know if it is used in a mass-produced knife, but I use corian as a handle in some of the knives I make. Great material. It absorbs some shock, is not affected by water and is fire resistant. Incredibly durable.

Edit: Has anyone ever tried to print and use a handle on a 3D printer?

Corian is quite common with custom makers in my country as a substitute for bone. Its original intended use was for kitchen counter tops if I remember correctly.

 

[19-3ben]

Corian is quite common with custom makers in my country as a substitute for bone. Its original intended use was for kitchen counter tops if I remember correctly.

My mother had a Corian countertop installed in her kitchen about 25 years ago and has seen daily use since then. It still looks nearly new. That stuff is incredibly durable.

 

[Tsujigiri]

It's all relative: it'll last for about 10 minutes in the hands of JoeX and then the pieces will last for a thousand years in a landfill.

In all seriousness, though, it won't be an issue under normal use. If you use the knife a lot, the plastic will start to smooth out and develop shinier spots, but it will still work. G-10 fiberglass, although stronger than FRN, has a tendency to splinter when dropped or knocked against a hard surface, whereas FRN will just dent.