Micarta and G10 conditioner?

T

ThirdEdge97

Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
105
First off, sorry if this question has been asked /answered before, i looked for half an hour and couldn't find anything about it

i made some denim Micarta (turned out pretty good) but after handling the knife, with the scales on it (not set due to the knife not being finished) it got really, really dirty
i don't know if that is normal for micarta if it doesn't have a conditioner/oil on it or if my micarta doesn't have enough resin (epoxy resin to be specific)

Here's my question, what should i use for a conditioner?
i was told by a friend i can use butcher block conditioner, something i don't have but can get... what i do have is danish oil, lots of it too
i made some green burlap micarta and put danish oil on it to test it out and it looked awesome but i want to know if its recommended for Micarta and G10 or Not..

thanks in advance! :thumbup:
 
interesting, when you cut and sand your Micarta and G10, how do you clean it up?

do you sand it with a higher grit paper or do you buff it?
 
It sounds like the home-brew micarta may have some pitting in the surface that is collecting dirt. I would get the scales as clean as possible - then seal them with some CA glue. Spread it on thin and sand it down and then put another coat on until it gets smooth. Then you can top it with some paste wax to make it shine.

TedP
 
Micarta will darken when it gets oil on it. Possibly from your hands. Try scrubbing it with dish soap and letting it dry.
 
I usually only go to 1000 and then buff. It gives me what I want for a knive that is to be used. Frank
 
I've heard of people using tru oil to treat micarta. Can't say I've seen the end result though.
 
leifjl said:
I've heard of people using tru oil to treat micarta. Can't say I've seen the end result though.
Click to expand...

It works pretty well - but I like using CA glue better. It seals harder and quicker.

Just make sure to lightly sand between applications of any top coat materials.

TedP
 
If you have pits or voids use CA and sand. You can finish with Ren Wax for an added layer of protection. BTW sand to 1000 grit after the final CA treatment. You can then buff if desired.
 
The problem is that you don't have Micarta or G-10. You have basic epoxy resin of some sort with cotton cloth in it. I call the home brew stuff MyCarta. The MyCarta I have seen is always fairly soft and get dirty/gummy easily.
Micarta is thermosetting phenolic resin, and G-10 is a woven glass material made with a very hard epoxy resin.

When Micarta or G-10 get dirty in sanding, clean with soap and water, or denatured alcohol. Oil will just add an additional contaminant. The same goes for putting a coating, like True-oil, on it. Why get a hard and attractive material and then varnish it?
 
wow. guess I see why it's abbreviated. cyanoacrylate just doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. so in the event of pitted g10 or micarta you can fill the air pockets with super glue?
 
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