Micarta Question

[MIKE MACINTOSH]

I bought my first BRKT knife a Gameskeeper in July 07 it has green canvass micarta. In the last few months half of the right grip slab has turned an almost chocolate brown is this normal for green micarta . the knife has never been exposed to sun light I really like this knife and don't wan't to send it back to BRKT, any one else have this happen is this normal
Thanks Mike

 

[JCaswell]

Canvas micarta most certainly changes color as oils are absorbed. The good news is that this soiling is usually pretty superficial and can often be cleaned successfully. I've heard a number of procedures for this, some simple, some not so simple. My approach is somewhere in between. Often, I'll just take 'em off, and clean them in a strong ultrasonic cleaner. The bath I use for this is water, a little borax and some Kirkland general purpose degreaser you get from Costco (they used to sell it as floor cleaner). There are probably a bunch of things you could use.
I find it brings canvas micarta right back essentially to new condition. I'd avoid scrubbing or abrading the scales to clean them.

 

[yoda4561]

It's just surface staining of the exposed canvas fibers on the very outside of the handle, very easy to clean. I normally just leave them be but a bit of dish soap and warm water and a good scrubbing will make them look new again. Any good degreasing cleaner should work, and if you want a blast with gunscrubber will do the trick too.

 

[MIKE MACINTOSH]

JCaswell & yoda4561
I tried the soaking and cleaning with dish detergent/degreaser that you both suggested and it seems to have done the trick a little more elbo grease and it should be good as new Thank for your help MIKE