Micarta Pins - how to use them and where to find 1/4" ones

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leozinho

Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
143
I have a couple of questions about using Micarta rods as scale pins.

One – I've got smaller sizes already, but I'm now looking for ¼ in black. USA Knife Supply is out (and also priced pretty high.) Any place that sells them that won't kill me on shipping such a small item? I've read replies that said McMaster Carr, but I only see brown colored rods. I've searched all the other usually knife supply places without luck. Maybe I'm missing someone?

The second question is about how to use them. I assume they can't be peened like metal pins. Do I still oversize the holes in the scales to allow some glue in? Or do I want I tight press fit? Naturally, I don't want a gap between the scales and pin. I'm going to use them with black micarta scales and some alternate ivory micarta scales (for the contrast between black and white. Gaps might show pretty easily with that color combo. I'm not sure. I'm very inexperienced, as you can tell.)

Thanks.
 
Leozinho,

I see a 12" black linen micarta rod at 1/4" for $17.95. Jantz does a flat rate shipping charge of $9.99 as well. (http://www.knifemaking.com/product-p/mi224.htm)Get a few more things to make the shipping charge work for you. Texas Knifemaker's Supply has them as well, but not at the diameter you are looking for. (http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=87_35_627_632&osCsid=236f681b19ce557f0112d3bff4caa989)

#2 - You should be able to just drill your scales and tang to 1/4" for a tight fit. Rough up the pins and use some good epoxy. That should be all you need.
 
Thanks for the advice.

I bought 3/16 from Texas Knifemaker's Supply for $3 a foot (and reasonable shipping.) At $17.95 a foot plus shipping for 1/4, it looks like I'll be stickign with 3/16. :D Thanks again.
 
I think most of the black 1/4" pins you're seeing are in reality, black 1/4" fiberglass pins. Do a search on Bing for black 1/4" fiberglass rods. You'll find they are more than reasonable. And yes, I agree, $18 plus shipping for 1/4" black micarta rod IS on the high side!
 
Or try any industrial supplier , like MSC, and search under garolite, which is what it is called outside the knife industry.
 
leozinho said:
I have a couple of questions about using Micarta rods as scale pins.

One – I've got smaller sizes already, but I'm now looking for ¼ in black. USA Knife Supply is out (and also priced pretty high.) Any place that sells them that won't kill me on shipping such a small item? I've read replies that said McMaster Carr, but I only see brown colored rods. I've searched all the other usually knife supply places without luck. Maybe I'm missing someone?

The second question is about how to use them. I assume they can't be peened like metal pins. Do I still oversize the holes in the scales to allow some glue in? Or do I want I tight press fit? Naturally, I don't want a gap between the scales and pin. I'm going to use them with black micarta scales and some alternate ivory micarta scales (for the contrast between black and white. Gaps might show pretty easily with that color combo. I'm not sure. I'm very inexperienced, as you can tell.)

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I buy 1/8" thick ones all the time for a couple of dollars a foot. For some reason the 1/4" pins are roughly $17/ft. I very seldomly use them because of this. If you choose a different size, then the price drops a lot. The industrial name for our phenolics is Garolite. Do a search for garolite at Mcmasterr-carr and there is an explanation page for their naming conventions. They aren't going to have the color variations that we enjoy in the knife community. As you said, you can only get the canvas in natural color. You have to find the black at knife supply houses. Its spotty.

Drill the pinhole ~0.003 larger than the pin you want to use and use West Systems G-Flex epoxy. I've never had a failure, and you can't see a glueline at all either. DO NOT drill a 1/4" hole and try to force the pins in there. You shouldn't do this for steel pins either. These aren't steel and will just make you go insane breaking on you this way.

There is a big difference between the 77 cent for 4' black fiberglass rod and micarta rod as pinstock. First, black micarta pinstock will completely disappear in a black micarta handle whereas the black fibdrglass is kinda hides itself, but is definitely discernible. Scond, it is easy to burn the end grain of the fiberglass rod in a permanent way. Also, the fiberglass rod will fray on you pretty easily if you have to persuade the pin to seat in the handle.

Just so we don't have to address this question, they are strong enough to hold the scales on the knife. I've done close to 2000 handles with phenolic pins and have never had to fix one loose scale.

You can see 1/4" nat can pins in the top knife and there are four 1/8" thick black canvas pins in the bolster of the bottom knife. They are hard to find even when the knife is in your hand.

20130125104_7905Copy-vi.jpg


Again, there are 4 pins in the bolster of this knife.

20130301100_9692-vi.jpg


More pics.

20130621IMG_0201-vi.jpg


20130628IMG_0249-vi.jpg


20130621IMG_0190-vi.jpg
 
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