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Micarta Question
- Thread starter Anthony DeGeorge
- Start date
I've been using G10, Micarta and carbon fiber from Current Composite lately; they also supply AKS, Pops and Masecraft with a lot of their material. No issues working it. 95% of their stuff is US made, which is nice!
Slowing down the belt speed is critical and I often dunk a sponge in water and wet my belts with it when sanding. Let the belt do the work; don't apply too much pressure. Pressure means more heat and can burn the material, especially paper micarta. I have a set of scalloped belts, 2" wide, 120, 220, 320, 400 and 600 and I get well over 25 handles out of that set of belts. I change belts out around once a year for handles unless I break one or rip it accidentally. I use 36-40 AO or Zicronium belts for roughing and initial contouring, then a scalloped 80 Klingspor belt to clean up the deep scratches and and get it contoured and the edges rounded, then switch to the J Flex scalloped belts.
Slowing down the belt speed is critical and I often dunk a sponge in water and wet my belts with it when sanding. Let the belt do the work; don't apply too much pressure. Pressure means more heat and can burn the material, especially paper micarta. I have a set of scalloped belts, 2" wide, 120, 220, 320, 400 and 600 and I get well over 25 handles out of that set of belts. I change belts out around once a year for handles unless I break one or rip it accidentally. I use 36-40 AO or Zicronium belts for roughing and initial contouring, then a scalloped 80 Klingspor belt to clean up the deep scratches and and get it contoured and the edges rounded, then switch to the J Flex scalloped belts.
I know I prefer Currents AmeriGrip to Norplex's Suretouch. The colors are more vibrant and there is more g10 between the rubber layers.
Current supplies many places with material, so its hard to know what is actually Current material vs Norplex sometimes to do a straight comparison.
With getting material direct from Current, I do like how their material works and finishes! They also do burl type patterns and carbon fiber, and carbon fiber/g10 mixes too as well as day glo material. They can make up small custom batches of material as well!
Get in touch with Current and ask to speak with Ari.
Current supplies many places with material, so its hard to know what is actually Current material vs Norplex sometimes to do a straight comparison.
With getting material direct from Current, I do like how their material works and finishes! They also do burl type patterns and carbon fiber, and carbon fiber/g10 mixes too as well as day glo material. They can make up small custom batches of material as well!
Get in touch with Current and ask to speak with Ari.
Yup! Been down there a few times and Ari lives in the same town as me. I had the first set of Amerigrip scales delivered to my house by Ari a few hours after the product was announced and I made the orange handled knife thats on rheir website for the product for them too.
HPD
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2015
- Messages
- 191
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I like to use the zirconia 1x30 belts from Harbor Freight turned inside out to shape my micarta and Richlite handles. If you're making knives for money this might be too slow for you, but I use the belts to "buff sand" the handles. It really helps to round the scales. Also, as mentioned, run your 2x72 slow and make quick passes, and also clean the belt with the "rubber eraser" thingy Crag mentioned.