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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Micro-textured request thread.
- Thread starter XtianAus
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2014
- Messages
- 801
Obviously I haven't felt it yet, but I think this is a great step forward. I typically prefer G10 and with some texturing to aid grip I think this is great. I have a few things coming but I don't think anything in G10 so maybe if i order a 2.7 or 4.1 I'll get one of the textured G10 ones if they're available. Thanks Survive for always looking ahead!
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2014
- Messages
- 801
Guy/Ellie - is this something that is done in shop? Does it add expense? Thanks!
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2016
- Messages
- 13,873
I really like the G10 grip and texture on my Spyderco Para-Military 2. If their new textured G10 comes close, it will be an instant hit. As much as I love the colors on my GSO 5.1 Black/Orange G10 scales, I will switch 'em over with the drab camo canvas and then let them go with my 20CV. I don't have HUGE hands (M+ to L- range) so I would hate to take a chance for such a sharp knife to accidentally slip out of my grip when my palms are sweaty and wet.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2015
- Messages
- 59
The micro-textured canvas handles look like they'll be a religious experience for me. I'd love to try them!
- Joined
- May 31, 2015
- Messages
- 166
Yes, looks awesome. Hopefully they can streamline the process enough to work with their production schedule
Hard Knocks
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Messages
- 8,756
I normally avoid the orange, but I love the way it looks in their picture. If it's got good grip it will be a winner. Bring on the micro-texturing!!
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2016
- Messages
- 13,873
Sufer, it is a newly tweaked version with presumably better traction. Survive! is selling their current G10 scales in the $30's range, so I guess that the new micro-texture versions when offered as accessories will also be in the same price range. Not a deal breaker by any means!
- Joined
- May 7, 2012
- Messages
- 4,971
I've got my hands on a pair of grips with a R&D texture, which was a little different than the pic shared, and I for one can vouch for how awesome the texture is.
If I could, every handle I ordered from S!K would be in G-10 now, textured of course. I wrote a long review about it, but lets say:
TL : DR this is the best grip development in a while. All the benefits of G-10, none of the sliperyness.
Now if I could just get a little traction on the synthetic suede lining on the kydex sheaths, I would be very happy crossing off all my improvements I am pushing for. A good day indeed!
Edit:
Paste from my review follows:
Grip:
The R&D texture (I have no better name for it) provides a ton of rounded peaks and valleys which work well as setting the knife into the surface they encounter. For me this is skin and nitrile gloves. They are much grippier than I expected from G-10. They do not have the typical once you start slipping you can keep slipping thing going on. This is helping me with not over-gripping the handle to try and prevent slipping. Part of the reason I over-grip is lack of confidence in the grip.
Naturally I tend to over-grip as I apply force in an effort to prevent slip. From years of motorcycle racing I have issues with the muscle in particular in my right forearm. This leads to what is commonly referred to as arm pump. This is made worse by the small grip size of the old style 3.5. It's quite thin, and my fingertips wrap completely around the grip and push into my palm right around the base of the thumb or the Thenar. So basically blood backs up in the muscle and they then become very hard, like a rock. Also, every painful. So it becomes literally a pain to use the knife.
So what happens, when I try to get a solid grip is my fingertips are being pushed into the base of my thumb, and that prevents me from getting a really hard grip without putting uncomfortable pressure on the knuckles of my fingers. So the whole thing goes south fast if I am doing anything past a light grip.
How this texture helps is it prevents slippage not just along the horizontal axis of the blade, but right in the palm swell. It feels like its much hard to get moving. I prefer this to knives like the Nyala that have groves designed to prevent slippage. If I squeeze hard with bare hands, the texture is enough to just leave small imprints in the skin. Nothing uncomfortable about them however. With gloves that feeling is removed. I noticed with thickgloves, the handle is just too thin to grip well, so I am going to pass on that testing as well.
The texture is fairly simple to clean. A little more than a wipe down helps due to the valleys. I found a soft bristle tooth brush moved in gentle circles cleaned up fat and connective tissue from everything really well. It was also quick. I cloth with some loop in it would have worked just as well, but my wife has gone to all sponges now, and I don't use those due to my fear of her wrath.
I prefer G-10 as there is nothing to absorb blood, grow bacteria, they can be wiped with harsh chemical cleaners like isopropyl, they maintain the colour and don't need to be oiled etc. This is definitely giving the G-10 the benefit of increased grip when it is the preferred material for other reasons.
In summary of the grip, if I was looking at a small G-10 grip and I had the choice between the standard finish, and this R&D finish, I would take the R&D all day long.
Looks:
So this is a part of the handle that is important not to overlook but massively subjective. The texture leaves quite a matte finish. Some will like this, I among them. I am not too into bright colours and blingy stuff. So the matte looks great in my mind. The peaks and valleys are not random, but not all in line either. I would prefer either or for my OCD. But I realize these are not a finished product and accept that they will end up random most likely, which will look fine. Random is better than poorly aligned which these are not.
So, one question I would have is, can this texture be applied to other colours, and will that make them matte? I can see this being a deal killer for some.
New info:
It appears the valleys/peaks are a bit smaller in the pics on facebook than the grips I have, and the matte is much less matte as well.
If I could, every handle I ordered from S!K would be in G-10 now, textured of course. I wrote a long review about it, but lets say:
TL : DR this is the best grip development in a while. All the benefits of G-10, none of the sliperyness.
Now if I could just get a little traction on the synthetic suede lining on the kydex sheaths, I would be very happy crossing off all my improvements I am pushing for. A good day indeed!
Edit:
Paste from my review follows:
Grip:
The R&D texture (I have no better name for it) provides a ton of rounded peaks and valleys which work well as setting the knife into the surface they encounter. For me this is skin and nitrile gloves. They are much grippier than I expected from G-10. They do not have the typical once you start slipping you can keep slipping thing going on. This is helping me with not over-gripping the handle to try and prevent slipping. Part of the reason I over-grip is lack of confidence in the grip.
Naturally I tend to over-grip as I apply force in an effort to prevent slip. From years of motorcycle racing I have issues with the muscle in particular in my right forearm. This leads to what is commonly referred to as arm pump. This is made worse by the small grip size of the old style 3.5. It's quite thin, and my fingertips wrap completely around the grip and push into my palm right around the base of the thumb or the Thenar. So basically blood backs up in the muscle and they then become very hard, like a rock. Also, every painful. So it becomes literally a pain to use the knife.
So what happens, when I try to get a solid grip is my fingertips are being pushed into the base of my thumb, and that prevents me from getting a really hard grip without putting uncomfortable pressure on the knuckles of my fingers. So the whole thing goes south fast if I am doing anything past a light grip.
How this texture helps is it prevents slippage not just along the horizontal axis of the blade, but right in the palm swell. It feels like its much hard to get moving. I prefer this to knives like the Nyala that have groves designed to prevent slippage. If I squeeze hard with bare hands, the texture is enough to just leave small imprints in the skin. Nothing uncomfortable about them however. With gloves that feeling is removed. I noticed with thickgloves, the handle is just too thin to grip well, so I am going to pass on that testing as well.
The texture is fairly simple to clean. A little more than a wipe down helps due to the valleys. I found a soft bristle tooth brush moved in gentle circles cleaned up fat and connective tissue from everything really well. It was also quick. I cloth with some loop in it would have worked just as well, but my wife has gone to all sponges now, and I don't use those due to my fear of her wrath.
I prefer G-10 as there is nothing to absorb blood, grow bacteria, they can be wiped with harsh chemical cleaners like isopropyl, they maintain the colour and don't need to be oiled etc. This is definitely giving the G-10 the benefit of increased grip when it is the preferred material for other reasons.
In summary of the grip, if I was looking at a small G-10 grip and I had the choice between the standard finish, and this R&D finish, I would take the R&D all day long.
Looks:
So this is a part of the handle that is important not to overlook but massively subjective. The texture leaves quite a matte finish. Some will like this, I among them. I am not too into bright colours and blingy stuff. So the matte looks great in my mind. The peaks and valleys are not random, but not all in line either. I would prefer either or for my OCD. But I realize these are not a finished product and accept that they will end up random most likely, which will look fine. Random is better than poorly aligned which these are not.
So, one question I would have is, can this texture be applied to other colours, and will that make them matte? I can see this being a deal killer for some.
New info:
It appears the valleys/peaks are a bit smaller in the pics on facebook than the grips I have, and the matte is much less matte as well.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2011
- Messages
- 694
Yep, I do it in the shop. It will probably add some expense, since it does take some time to do this. There just aren't any short cuts that I've found so far. Right now we are trying to figure out how best to offer it. I could most likely do this as a service on old spec knives as well, I'm just not certain on a cost yet. Aside from getting opinions on it, the purpose of these samples we're sending out right now is to see what my efficiency is for this operation. I know we unveiled it kind of prematurely, with a few questions still unanswered. We just like the new micro texturing so much that we felt bad hiding it from you guys. I'm really happy with it.