Micarta - When is it appropriate for use?

Joss said:
My understanding is that it was developed as a "board" material for electronics that might be subject to knocks or strong accelerations (e.g., in missiles). Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

JD
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You might be right, but it would act as an insulator.
 
Kohai999 said:
G10 is a fiberglass laminate originally designed for the electronics industry.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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My undrstanding is that "Fiberglass" or FRP is glass fiber reinforcement "cloth", which can be woven, unidirectional, etc, generally saturated with either epoxy, polyester or vinylester resin as opposed to the phenolic resin used for Micarta. My limited exposure to the boatbulding business tells me that epoxy is the strongest and therefore the preferred materiel, but it is also the most expensive to produce by a fair margin. What you will find on some boats is epoxy/woven cloth in the high stress areas like the hull, engine mounts and stringers and one of the resins for the deck, console, etc. Suprisingly, the "plastic" boat building material with the highest strength to weight ratio may still be wood soaked with epoxy and encapsulated in a couple oof layers epoxied fiberglass mat or woven kevlar. I'm not sure which resin is used in G10.
 
Kohai999 said:
Welcome back, Thor.

1. The antique white ivory micarta was only a little off white when freshly worked, but yellows with time, exposure to light and air. It is some of the nicest synthetic material out there, but is very, very hard to find.

2. Linen micarta is made from a fabric with fine threads and a dense weave, and paper is made from just that. If you go to Busse Knives, they explain the difference on their website.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Thanks STeven.

Makes me wonder though, if the antique ivory Micarta is so nice, why isn't any one manufacturing it anymore? They make so many different colors, it would seem this one would be popular enough to be a no-brainer.
 
Thor I am said:
Thanks STeven.

Makes me wonder though, if the antique ivory Micarta is so nice, why isn't any one manufacturing it anymore? They make so many different colors, it would seem this one would be popular enough to be a no-brainer.
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Only speculating here, however someone mentioned it was a Westinghouse product that wasn't being used anymore. So they probably have a patient on it and have obsoleted it as it doesn't serve their purpose anymore.

They probably don't particularly care that it makes nice knife handles.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Only speculating here, however someone mentioned it was a Westinghouse product that wasn't being used anymore. So they probably have a patient on it and have obsoleted it as it doesn't serve their purpose anymore.

They probably don't particularly care that it makes nice knife handles.
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You got that right, Kevin. I tried to have some linen Ivory Micarta made once, through a plastics broker, and they came back with a 1,500 lb minimum.

Considering that the average knife MIGHT use 1/2 to 3/4 lb of handle material before shaping, that project did not move forward after the quote.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
You got that right, Kevin. I tried to have some linen Ivory Micarta made once, through a plastics broker, and they came back with a 1,500 lb minimum.

Considering that the average knife MIGHT use 1/2 to 3/4 lb of handle material before shaping, that project did not move forward after the quote.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Yes, a piece that size would tend to throw the balance of the knife off a bit:D
 
Kevin Jones said:
Only speculating here, however someone mentioned it was a Westinghouse product that wasn't being used anymore. So they probably have a patient on it and have obsoleted it as it doesn't serve their purpose anymore.

They probably don't particularly care that it makes nice knife handles.
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I think the use for knife handles came later. Originally it was an industrial product with both high strength and insulating properties that was used as mounting and bearing material in electrical power generation and distribution equipment. Color was probably a secondary concern after the performance specs.

It is still manufactured by Norplex. I imagine the availability for knife making depends on a retail vendor securing a sheet of a particular type and cutting it into blocks or scales for knife making. Or perhaps they are securing odd lots or cut offs. It would seem profitable for the retailer given the cost per block/scale but the question may be 'how many can you sell over what time period.'

I have seen blocks for sale that were cut from salvaged micarta. Since the stuff is so durable once you sand off surface abrasions you would never know it was salvaged material.

As far as color change with time on the ivory micartas I don't know how predictable the process is or how many types/formulas have been made over the years. You see some with a very yellow/gold color, others with a cooler beige tone. And how old is the piece in question? 5 years, 50 years, or more?

Let's see 1500 pounds divided by the huge number of micarta lovers on this forum...
 
rnrossi said:
I think the use for knife handles came later. Originally it was an industrial product with both high strength and insulating properties that was used as mounting and bearing material in electrical power generation and distribution equipment. Color was probably a secondary concern after the performance specs.

It is still manufactured by Norplex. I imagine the availability for knife making depends on a retail vendor securing a sheet of a particular type and cutting it into blocks or scales for knife making. Or perhaps they are securing odd lots or cut offs. It would seem profitable for the retailer given the cost per block/scale but the question may be 'how many can you sell over what time period.'

I have seen blocks for sale that were cut from salvaged micarta. Since the stuff is so durable once you sand off surface abrasions you would never know it was salvaged material.

As far as color change with time on the ivory micartas I don't know how predictable the process is or how many types/formulas have been made over the years. You see some with a very yellow/gold color, others with a cooler beige tone. And how old is the piece in question? 5 years, 50 years, or more?

Let's see 1500 pounds divided by the huge number of micarta lovers on this forum...
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Don, since you plan to start using micarta over ivory, you might want to look into it. :D :D ;)
 
Kevin Jones said:
Don, since you plan to start using micarta over ivory, you might want to look into it. :D :D ;)
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See Don, with a micarta handle a collector would also be able to use your bowie as an electrical tool, only in an emergency of course. :eek:
If that was tried with an ivory handle, the ivory and the collector would be smokin'.:D
 
I guess, as with ivory, OLD micarta looks better and is probably more stable than NEW micarta.

Guys. I really am going to look into this :D
 
rnrossi said:
Don,

Especially the old micarta that was found buried in Siberia.
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I don't know......I think that the old fossilized Bakelite that they are digging up nowadays may more desirable from a collector's standpoint.:rolleyes:
 
Wow! this thread has taken a lot of turns! Most having nothing to do with the posters question. As stated, the original Ivory micarta is no longer being made. It was called paper micarta. The Ivory thing is a handle we knife hung on it. I never liked it, because it would turn yellow after years of use. Turns out to be one of its mo desirable traits. The Antique micarta is a completely different animal. It starts sort of a beige color. True Paper Micarta is a very slight off white when new. The antique Micarta is still being made. As is a Very white version that doesn't discolor with age. I have all three here at the shop. The original Paper is highly sought after, as is the also discontinued Burgundy Micarta. It has a charm all its own.


As to when Micarta is appropriate, it is a staple in the tactical market. Since has had many uses in industry. Bearings, gears, even ballistic material. Sort of a pre Kevlar. Remember the old GI Helmet liners? The two tome brown ones? This is tuff stuff. Perfectly suited to the tactical role. It has a tacky feel when wet that g-10 and carbon fiber just doesn't have. It is right at home on hunters, and real fighters, combat blades. Not to mention folders that are actually carried every day. I have seen several examples by Kit Carson. Bob T.. TRO, Jess Horn, Michael Walker. Not the lower end of knifedom. Some with very nice engraving. I had the opportunity to examine a TRO engraved by Joe Mason a few months back with Burgundy Micarta scales. The scales really set the gold inlay work off in a very pleasant and understated way. The owner was carrying the piece in a pocket pouch as an EDC. He owns folder by some of the top makers in the world, but wanted one for use. He didn't want the worry of Ivory or Mammoth. He wanted to be able to truly enjoy one of his knives without guilt. I thin this works perfectly. And looks right at home on the knife. I would be proud to carry it! Mike
 
Michael Lovett said:
Wow! this thread has taken a lot of turns! Most having nothing to do with the posters question. As stated, the original Ivory micarta is no longer being made. It was called paper micarta. The Ivory thing is a handle we knife hung on it. I never liked it, because it would turn yellow after years of use. Turns out to be one of its mo desirable traits. The Antique micarta is a completely different animal. It starts sort of a beige color. True Paper Micarta is a very slight off white when new. The antique Micarta is still being made. As is a Very white version that doesn't discolor with age. I have all three here at the shop. The original Paper is highly sought after, as is the also discontinued Burgundy Micarta. It has a charm all its own.


As to when Micarta is appropriate, it is a staple in the tactical market. Since has had many uses in industry. Bearings, gears, even ballistic material. Sort of a pre Kevlar. Remember the old GI Helmet liners? The two tome brown ones? This is tuff stuff. Perfectly suited to the tactical role. It has a tacky feel when wet that g-10 and carbon fiber just doesn't have. It is right at home on hunters, and real fighters, combat blades. Not to mention folders that are actually carried every day. I have seen several examples by Kit Carson. Bob T.. TRO, Jess Horn, Michael Walker. Not the lower end of knifedom. Some with very nice engraving. I had the opportunity to examine a TRO engraved by Joe Mason a few months back with Burgundy Micarta scales. The scales really set the gold inlay work off in a very pleasant and understated way. The owner was carrying the piece in a pocket pouch as an EDC. He owns folder by some of the top makers in the world, but wanted one for use. He didn't want the worry of Ivory or Mammoth. He wanted to be able to truly enjoy one of his knives without guilt. I thin this works perfectly. And looks right at home on the knife. I would be proud to carry it! Mike
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i have a couple of customs with micarta handles. Perhaps the most interesting one is one of P.J. Tomes' little D2 integral hunters with the jigged Micarta handle. Very nice little knife.
 
Looks good to me!
Lovett_Grp2-w.jpg
 
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Even though Coop earlier stated that he thought that Green Micarta was the ugliest of all, he gave a rave review of this one. As well he should. You would be hard pressed to find a more fitting and striking material for this excellent design. Mike
 
I like the green Micarta on the Bona as it adds to it's high tech style. Have always liked that one.
However IMO, the fighters would look SOOOOO much better in stag, ironwood ivory.
 
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