Micarta scales question

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
3,415
Ok I get my micarta in a 12" x 5" x 5/8 inch piece. When I put these on the blade with corby pins it is very wide and thick. Do you guys think if I were to cut these in half would that make the handle too thin? The reason I am asking on this last knife I made I had micarta dust all over the place. I was trying to thin out the handles. I like micarta but man is it messy to work with. Thanks.

-frank
 
It should not be too thin if you cut it in half, you just need to make sure you counter sink you corby's enough that you don't grind down to the inner bolts. I did that once and it can really be a pain in the a**.
 
I have the Steve Johnson subhilt video, and he drills and superglues the handle scales and liners onto the tang, and shapes the handle long before he puts the corby bolts in.

After the handle is shaped, he countersinks the holes drilled in the handle material for the bolts. When the bolts are glued and screwed in place, he cuts off the long ends of the bolts with a bandsaw and finishes it up with files and sandpaper.

Maybe you could try something like that?
 
Micarta is my favorite handle material but you must control the dust one way or another. It is not good for you. I don't make many knives but I replace handles on quite a few.

1. Try buying thinner material to start with if you think it will be suitable. I usually start with a 1/2" or 3/8" slab on either side. The less you have to grind the better and more economical.

2. I cut them as close as possible to finish size and then pin them to a blank blade form for close shaping.

3. Next I epoxy them to the knife tang and use either solid rods (brass or SS) or Stainless Steel tubing all the way through the handle. They will not come off.

4. Finally I finish sand on the belt sander and by hand then polish as necessary.

I Always use dust control vacuum during any shaping or sanding operation.

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I wear a respirator while working it, and then sweep up afterwards. I size my stuff at 1/4" think when I make it and it gives a good size/feel after it's shaped. So as long as you can get a good straight cut when you split it it should work fine.
 
Frank, using 5/8" material, you can carefully split e piece, giving you a nearly 5/16" thick slab.
 
I hate working with Micarta; toxic formaldehyde and phenol fumes, and Micarta dust all over the place. Make sure you use the appropriate filters in your respirator. I'm not kidding... that crap will kill you.
 
Troop said:
I hate working with Micarta; toxic formaldehyde and phenol fumes, and Micarta dust all over the place. Make sure you use the appropriate filters in your respirator. I'm not kidding... that crap will kill you.
Click to expand...

Check the Westinghouse MSDS. It is not that serious. grinding and machining does not produce toxic formaldehyde and phenol fumes. If you burn Micarta it can generate toxic fumes. The dust is a pita but that is why I use dust control and yes a respirator. But let's not blow it out of proportion.
 
Yeah, G10 is probably worse to grind on than micarta, respirator rules apply to all handle materials. I use 1/8" handle scales regularly, sometimes thinner. Your handles will not be too thin if you cut this stuff down.
 
If nothing else, get a respirator or something to avoid that stink. I have yet to "enjoy" the smell of stag or buffalo horn, but micarta STINKS when you grind it. A respirator is a good idea for myriad other reasons, but the smell does it for me (the least of all to do so).
 
There is nothing that would make it worth grinding 5/8 Micarta down. Buy 3/8 and save yourself hours of hassles. Geeze, how much work are you willing to do to save $10.00???

Rob!
 
vjb.knife said:
Check the Westinghouse MSDS. It is not that serious. grinding and machining does not produce toxic formaldehyde and phenol fumes. If you burn Micarta it can generate toxic fumes. The dust is a pita but that is why I use dust control and yes a respirator. But let's not blow it out of proportion.
Click to expand...

If you can smell it while grinding, you're inhaling toxic fumes.
 
Troop said:
If you can smell it while grinding, you're inhaling toxic fumes.
Click to expand...

You can smell micarta hand sanding or filing. If you inhale anything other than O2 while grinding, you're taking chances with your health, all he's saying is let's not freak out and make it out to be something it's not.
 
Rob! said:
There is nothing that would make it worth grinding 5/8 Micarta down. Buy 3/8 and save yourself hours of hassles. Geeze, how much work are you willing to do to save $10.00???

Rob!
Click to expand...

I think that's why he asked about cutting it...
 
Edro20 said:
If nothing else, get a respirator or something to avoid that stink. I have yet to "enjoy" the smell of stag or buffalo horn, but micarta STINKS when you grind it. A respirator is a good idea for myriad other reasons, but the smell does it for me (the least of all to do so).
Click to expand...

I'll take your micarta and raise you bone and ivory. That stuff makes me nauseous in about 5 seconds.

Anyway, I spend 2-3 hours a night either making or working micarta. It's getting to the point I feel naked without my respirator. Well worth the $30.
 
Troop said:
If you can smell it while grinding, you're inhaling toxic fumes.
Click to expand...

Toxic fumes and particulate dust are not the same and belt sanding or machining Micarta produces only dust. The material is stable to well above the temperature that it get to when grinding. Unless possibly you were to push a piece of it into the belt or wheel until it began to melt but then I would say you have a technique problem and should take lighter portions off.
 
I'm with indy. I kinda like the smell of micarta and diamondwood but bone and antler make me :barf: no kidding. I went to grind the crown of a whitetail antler off flat once and I thought I would die. The bone they make imitation stag out of isn't much better.
 
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