Micarta: worked with ease?

[pmew]

Generally speaking I bide my time in the traditionals subforum, but I have a question relating to a modern knife design. I am contemplating getting the boker cox slim, but only if I can easily remove the unsightly shoulders that protrude where the blade meets the handle. The scales are solid micarta. How easy is it to work micarta, I don't want to buy one and then ruin it straight away?

Paul

 

[pmew]

That says it all, think I'll slink back into my traditional cave.

 

[Seals]

Micarta works easily with machines.Pretty difficult by hand.Im not familiar with the knife so i can't comment on what it is you are wanting to do.

 

[james terrio]

Pretty difficult by hand.

I disagree. This fellow's project is already basically shaped, drilled etc. That's exactly where handwork comes in.

The fact that micarta is hard and stable means it's easy to finish with files and sandpaper without going too far and leaving gouges/deep scratches. It doesn't tend to chip or tear out. It can be sanded to a high grit and even buffed til it looks almost like glass. I'd rather work with micarta than soft wood any day.

If you just need to remove those tabs or ease the shoulders on a handle that's too blocky or "sharp", it's a simple matter with a small bastard or second-cut file. Then smooth it out with sandpaper wrapped around a stick or that same file. Start with 220 grit, get all the coarse file marks off and work your way up through the grits until it's as smooth as you want.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Good advice from James. I like micarta a lot. It's forgiving in that it takes a little more effort to screw up. It works a little slower than some of the woods that I've worked with, but in inexperienced hands that's a good thing.

 

[yoda4561]

Pretty easy and forgiving to work with using sharp tools and abrasives, using dull tools/abrasives, an exercise in frustration.