Making Micarta?

JSMcustoms

JSMcustoms

Joined
Feb 2, 2012
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I've got several pairs of old denim jeans that are no longer wearable (a bit small for me) and I got the idea in my head that they would make for some beautiful micarta. The question is, how do I go about actually turning them into the stuff? What would I be getting myself into?
 
cut them in 2" x 12" strips. Get fiberglass epoxy. Build a "press", easily done with 2 boards and some c-clamps. Now, the tricky part is mixing the epoxy with the hardener as the amount will depend on the jean's absorbency. If you mix all you think you will need it may harden too quick and you may need to prepare some more in the middle of the process. I use 2 oz. paper dixie cups measured to an ounce and add 10 drops of hardener individually. After one cup is done, then do the same with another cup.

Saturate the strips with the epoxy, then wrap the wet "slab" in wax paper and tighten in the press. give it 2 days to fully cure, then cut/shape.

If you feel like experimenting with colors and depth patterns, bleach and/or dye some strips and alternate when making the slab.
 
I've used denim, coincidentally my jeans were too small as well..... Anyway, I went to a local craft store and bought a ink roller. It looks like a miniature paint roller but has a solid rubber roller. I apply the epoxy and then roll it evenly between each layer of material. I totally saturate each layer, ensuring all the air bubbles are out and there are no areas that didn't get covered.
 
It seems to be a lot simpler than I imagined it would be. The ink roller sounds like a good idea. I've got four pairs that I can use to make it from, so I should end up with a fairly good amount.
 
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There are lots of vids on youtube showing this.
The hard part is that it can be pretty messy. If you do it in hot weather the epoxy can set up before you have time to build all of the layers.
I've collected a small pile of denim so I can try this myself.
 
An interesting pattern I saw was here on BLADEFORUMS. He used coffee bean bags. It looked similar to burlap.
 
I like the roller idea, I use a plastic bondo applying scraper thing and kind of squeegee the resin into the material then I can use the excess for the next piece. It works pretty good but I'm gonna give that roller a try and see how I like it. Thanks for the tip.

For material I go to good will and find whatever color jeans I want, you can get them for like 50 cents a pair sometimes. Also they make this really cool real tree burlap for making hunting blinds, it's really cheap and it looks awesome and has some nice texture to it also. You can get it at most sporting good stores a 12x6 ft piece for like 10$ I think it was.
 
I've never tried wool or flannel, the flannel might look cool though especially for a hunting or woodsy knife.
I've got a question, when you guys layer 2 different colors how many pieces of each color do you do? I've always done it by layering 1 & 1 but I was wondering of when you sand it and get some designs going if maybe 2 & 2 or even more would look better. Has anyone tried doing multiple pieces to a layer? How's it look
 
zuluninja said:
If you feel like experimenting with colors and depth patterns, bleach and/or dye some strips and alternate when making the slab.
Click to expand...

I wonder if it would the same effect to have the reverse side up (which is almost white)?

bdmicarta said:
There are lots of vids on youtube showing this.
The hard part is that it can be pretty messy. If you do it in hot weather the epoxy can set up before you have time to build all of the layers.
I've collected a small pile of denim so I can try this myself.
Click to expand...

It's been pretty hot here, so I can see that being a possible issue (75 degrees + during the day). Not so bad in the morning though. Seems like morning job for sure.
 
to answer the question a couple up, doing more than one layer over one layer looks good, only a few stripes as you dig in vs. many. When I apply the resin I just use latex gloves. works great, a roller is just more clean up, imo.

its fun to make, DO IT! easy, and something to be proud of when you have your home made scales out of your own materials. :)
 
Man, I wish I had pics of all the micarta I've made. I've made a lot of it. Always with denim or cotton fabric (think t-shirt) and have had good results. You've been given solid advice. The only thing I'd add is to be very careful with how much pressure you apply. Use a bit less than you might think you need. If you over do it you'll squeeze out too much of the epoxy and end up with voids or dry spots. Even if this happens you can usually salvage some of it for small projects. You might want to start with a short stack. Also be aware that epoxy acts as a sort of floating lubricant. It can cause your layers to drift, but there isn't a whole lot you can do other than application of even pressure.

Good luck, and let us know if you have questions. It's really pretty easy and fun. Practice makes perfect here. ;)
 
Oddly enough, as I was going through my storage tonight digging out a grinder, drill press and some other goodies, I came upon one of the first pieces of micarta I ever made. It's about 8 years old and covered in dirt/dust. I believe it's black and gray layered cotton.

I think that I never used it because the layers weren't consistent. You can see that on the side. Even so, it is extremely strong and probably useful in some capacity. If nothing else, for tool making.

Here's a quick pic in bad light.

IMAG1487_zpsf5b1bcb3.jpg
 
JSMcustoms said:
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Would this stuff be suitable as the epoxy resin?
Click to expand...

Definitely! I just made some micarta out of a worn-out pair of Diesel Jeans and that resin. I cut them into 4"x7" strips, saturated them with the mixture, and alternated outer and inner layers. Wax paper, 4 clamps, 2 pieces of flat wood, and you'll be set.

Word to the wise: That stuff cures WAY faster than you think. I had about 4 minutes to work with this stuff until it turned the container into a big HOT block. It slightly melted the plastic container I mixed it in. Make sure you have VERY good ventilation, or just do it outside. Nasty stuff.
 
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