Natural or synthetic scales - BRKT Bravo-1

I work at an Orthopeadic Surgical Center as an X-ray tech. Many of the instruments we use have natural Micarta handles. These instruments go thru thousands of sterilization cycles every week. That means going thru a HOT water washer, into a steam autoclave, up to above 212 degrees for 10 minutes and then a rapid cool down.
Once sterile we use them to cut flesh and bone. We pound them with hammers, pry and drive screws with them. All this is in an environment literally dripping with blood and saline (salt water).

Some of these handles have been in service for years and look brand new.

Try that with wood...........

All my rough duty knives have Micarta handles.

;)
 
VANCE said:
i like the antique ivory micarta.
"old school" look & tough as crap!
Click to expand...

It is one of the cheapest as well... along with black micarta. I just recived two Bark Rivers (Aurora and Canadian Camp) and both have Antique Ivory Micarta handles. My mom just said: "Geee... those look like kitchen knives!" WTF!!!:confused:
Mikel
 
With reference to Civil War period handles...I would suggest that they didn't have micarta as a choice. As much as I enjoy beautiful wood grains on handles, for a user that will see plenty of wet and dry conditions, micarta is a safe pick IMHO.
 
Fiddleback said:
I took the thumb ramp off mine.:thumbup:

Bravo683-vi.jpg
Click to expand...

Andy, I saw in your pic the Hultafors. Aren't they awesome? I have three of 'em. That SK-5 steel is nice.:thumbup: A lot more balls than the standard-type of Moras, in my opinion.
- Mitch
 
Stickman said:
With reference to Civil War period handles...I would suggest that they didn't have micarta as a choice. As much as I enjoy beautiful wood grains on handles, for a user that will see plenty of wet and dry conditions, micarta is a safe pick IMHO.
Click to expand...

Come on guys, give it a break. ;) First, I am a retired mechanical engineer and I DIDN'T retire before Westinghouse put @Micarta on the market. I have worked with thousands of tons of Micarta in the hydro industry for many, many years. I know the product intimately. Too, I have also made my share of knives with Micarta handles. I know it is a shock to some, but Micarta was not invented for the knife making industry.

Also, I am a historical reenactor of many decades (have worked with PBS on two documentaries), a primitive survival skills instructor (private and college), a primitive bowyer (private and local college), and have an additional degree in American History. I find that not only do most people not remember their history, they know almost nothing about the basic tools and life-style of their predecessors. As a reenactor, we use wooden handled knives only. We use them hard as they did then. And by God's grace, for some strange reason they hold together! This really shouldn't be a discussion.

Certainly Micarta has some superior characteristics over wood. Most would agree that beauty and warmth is not one of them. And yes, Micarta makes wonderful knife handles and does a great job at what it was designed to do in the electrical industry. For some reason, since the invention of Micarta and plastics, we modern men and women think that wood has now become vastly inferior and obsolete in many areas. I'm sure glad my hard-use wood furniture isn't made out of Micarta! Or my wooden canoe that I am so proud of. Or my sons favorite hard-use baseball bat. Or my hard-use favorite hammer and axe handle. Truth is, few of us use our knives on a daily basis to begin with...like our forefathers. If the handles happen to be made out of wood (like theirs were), I seriously doubt that most normal people will outlive their wooden knife handles. Take pride in those wooden handles and pass those knives on down to your grandchildren. :)
 
I got micarta handles on my Bravo-1 because I felt more comfortable beating the crap out of it - which is what my Bravo-1 is for. My two other barkies (canadian camp and pro scalpel) have ambonyia scales which look far nicer and feel better in my hand. The wood would probably hold up to more abuse than I could ever dish out - but they look so nice that I would feel bad about it.
 
denverco said:
Why cant we pass down our micarta handled knives?
Click to expand...

Well, I hope we can, cause I have a pile of them. :thumbup:

I was thinking, too, I have a few wooden guitars that I used on stage for years (musicians will understand). There isn't a knife made that will ever see the use and abuse of one of my old Fender Stratocaster's! :D Hot, cold, wet, humid, dropped, thrown, tore from my hands by an over-zealous fan, kicked, sloshed by quantities of booze; and still, it plays the blues ever so sweetly. :D
 
Since I would like to be able to beat on my Bravo-1 without guilt, you people have talked me into the synthetic handle. I will however still take some grief, since, I went with Tiger Stripe g10 and not micarta. I just liked the look of the knife with that handle. My knife is on order and I hope to see it in the next week or so.



BTW I spoke to someone at BRK&T and they told me that a set of Bravo-1's are back from heat treat and being ground. So if you want a special handle now would be a good time to put in your request.
 
No matter what you get, you will get a great user! I'm a Barkie Bamboo man myself. As Judy said, "Use it like you stole it!" ,M
 
That tigerstripe G-10 is sweet looking. CONGRATS! Love my bravo 1 more than any other knife i own.
 
It's not an option on the Bravo-1 but leather washers is a handle much overlooked by many. They are impact resistant, non-slip, and durable. I have a Fallkniven NL-5 with oxhide handle. I love it.
 
Fiddleback, I really like the look of the bravo 1 without the ramp, was it a lot of work to remove it?
Micarta is good strong stuff, but I have not seen many barkies with wood handles. Such a beautiful knife would only benefit from a nice hardwood handle, and if it ever breaks, you have an airtight warrenty. My next barkie will have a curly maple handle I think.
 
Fiddleback, I too am thinking about removing the thumb ramp from my Bravo1 (which BTW has black and green linen micarta handles = amazing look!). Anyway, how much work was it and what did you do to make sure you didn't compromise the heat treat?
 
Like you I thought long and hard about micarta vs wood scale - I opted for rosewood. Glad I did, it's a beautiful knife.
2313164761_9038e616b1_b.jpg
 
Liam Ryan said:
Fiddleback, I really like the look of the bravo 1 without the ramp, was it a lot of work to remove it?
Micarta is good strong stuff, but I have not seen many barkies with wood handles. Such a beautiful knife would only benefit from a nice hardwood handle, and if it ever breaks, you have an airtight warrenty. My next barkie will have a curly maple handle I think.
Click to expand...


No. It really wasn't any work at all. 5 minutes on the belt grinder. I went real slow. I was real careful not to scuff any other parts. I went up to 400 on belts then did a scotchbrite finish to blend it in. You'd never know it wasn't this way originally.

I had a huntsman with curly Maple. Very sweet knife. Bark River does a lot of woods too. Vast choices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top