Micarta and Sweaty Palms

4

4TheLoveofSteel

Joined
Apr 3, 2021
Messages
126
Hi All,

For those of you that may have the same problem or just know of a fix I ask....what to do when you have a micarta handle/scales and the dreaded sweaty palm. I can hardly hold on to any knife/sword/axe that has micarta for more then a couple minutes before it becomes almost slimy and most definitely slippery and I have some pieces that I really love minus the micarta. So please share ideas that you may have on how to make changes to the existing micarta or something that can possibly go over the top to fixt the issue??? Please not there are some that I cannot simply get new scales that are not micarta for.

And I thank you!
 
Bill DeShivs said:
You can have them checkered, but it's expensive.
You can also stipple them with an electric engraving pencil. It works very well.
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The handle is checkered already...my hands get quite sweaty sometimes:(
JJ_Colt45 said:
I find micarta gets a better grip when it gets wet. Are you sure it's not G10?
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Yes its micarta. When it gets wet with water its not so bad but it the sweat that makes is pretty slippery.
 
Couple other things ill mention i have tried with little success:

camo form tape (and other types)-even though they say the dont as time goes by they leave a sticky residue
sanded the micarta down with different grits-will make it more grippy but unfortunately when the hands sweat the slippery wins out
 
4TheLoveofSteel said:
Couple other things ill mention i have tried with little success:

camo form tape (and other types)-even though they say the dont as time goes by they leave a sticky residue
sanded the micarta down with different grits-will make it more grippy but unfortunately when the hands sweat the slippery wins out
Click to expand...
Try cleaning them. Some common Windex can remove oil from the micarta and then it will take some time for it to build up over time. The issue (that I have found at least) is that while micarta can come grippy from the factory, and can often become more grippy when wet than other materials, it can become clogged with old hand oil and gunk and then has almost a greasy oily feel to them. A layer that you can scratch off with a fingernail if you will.

Spray some windex on the scales and let it sit for a bit. Probably about 5-10 minutes. Then wipe with a paper towel. The ammonia in the windex bonds to the oil trapped in the scales and as it evaporates, takes the oil with it. When they dry out see if they feel more grippy in your hands. Some regular cleaning can make them perform better even in sweaty conditions.
 
c7m2p3 said:
Try cleaning them. Some common Windex can remove oil from the micarta and then it will take some time for it to build up over time. The issue (that I have found at least) is that while micarta can come grippy from the factory, and can often become more grippy when wet than other materials, it can become clogged with old hand oil and gunk and then has almost a greasy oily feel to them. A layer that you can scratch off with a fingernail if you will.
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i never had a micarta handle but reading all this , i am sure now that i doht want to try it . will stick with carbon fibre, G10, FRN, titanium. no brass, copper, stainless steel, wood, micarta, aluminum for me!
 
kreisler said:
i never had a micarta handle but reading all this , i am sure now that i doht want to try it . will stick with carbon fibre, G10, FRN, titanium. no brass, copper, stainless steel, wood, micarta, aluminum for me!
Click to expand...
It's different for everyone depending on climate, how naturally sweaty you are, and even how much you pull your knife out and get your hands all over it. Personally I love micarta. Just really "warms" the feel of a knife up and is far more grippy than polished G-10, CF, Brass or copper. Really cleaning it is just a preference on if you want to restore the scales to what they looked like from the factory though a lot of people enjoy the 'aged' look of micarta as you use it and I would classify myself as one of those people. There are also those that want a knife steel that will patina with age and use and there are those that want the least stain and rust prone steel available. All preference and use case.
 
I really like micarta but my sweaty hands are what wrecks it for sure...when my hands are dry its one of my favorite materials....too bad they tend to be sweaty more than not. Cleaning does help but does basically the same as hitting it with sand paper, works great initially and then the dreaded sweat palm wrecks it again. Think I might look for an epoxy to go over the top of the micarta and mix in a bit of sand.
 
Looking at this problem from a different perspective- A lot of people have a problem with excessively sweaty hands affecting their grip and interfering with their professions or interests. Like gymnastics for one example.

Believe it or not but a lot of people with excessively sweaty palms actually use anti-perspirant on their hands. And there are also over the counter lotions specifically for such a problem. "Dry Hands" is one product that I am aware of. I don't have such an issue, nor have I used any such remedies, so I can't confirm there effectiveness.

There's no shortage of people with such a condition and likewise no shortage of discussion and info about remedies online.

It seems to me that if you like the feel of micarta when your hand is dry, then coating the micarta won't solve the problem because then you won't be feeling the micarta anymore. Perhaps the only solution that allows you to continue to enjoy the feel of micarta is to find a way to keep your palm dry.
 
I think it's more the texture than the material. I have some highly polished micarta that does get slippery, and some canvas micarta that's never going to get slippery. I would think a coarser grit of sandpaper would be helpful here.
 
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