Paint stripper and Micarta

L

Lennyo3034

Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
490
I'm considering stripping a TGLB and am wondering what would happen to the micarta if I were to dip the knife in paint stripper. I also would bead blast the blade afterwards and am wondering how the micarta would take that as well. I know removing the handles would be the best way to do it, I just don't have a way to reattach if I drill out the tube fasteners.
 
The bead blasting should not harm the micarta, in fact I prefer to have micarta bead blasted as it gives a different feel in hand. Just to be clear though, I am referring to either glass or ceramic type blasting. Sand blasting will eat away the micarta more readily and isn't recommended IMO.
 
Here's some pics of a Terror Monkey Desert Storm Fighter that was double cut bead blasted by AValenz here at BF, the handles were bead blasted along with the blade...... :)

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Etch the logo if you want to keep it. There is a very good thread on stripping a busse somewhere in here.
 
I definitely want to keep the logo, how would I go about etching it? And would it survive bead blasting?
 
Paint stripper didn't hurt the linen micarta on my FFBM...

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A few years later, after much use...

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I started out easy on cleaning my micarta handles, but have used full-strength bleach(SARQ) as well as Simple Green (SHSH2). It's tough material.
 
There have been some reports of stripper causing a whitening of G10. That has not been my experience on the one G10 knife I stripped.

As noted above, micarta will be fine. Done that many times. And I agree, micarta with a light blasting is a very nice grippy material.
 
I have only stripped three knives - all Busses. Used the same brand on each one. Results:

the black G-10 whitened considerably on my 3B2;
the tan canvas micarta on my ASHBM was fine aside from a slightly discernible whitening, but . . .
the tan canvas micarta on my AMS shrunk back a bit from the spine.

I ground the spine down to meet the scales again on the AMS and it turned out fine. However, the shrinking really and truly surprised me.
The whitening on the black G-10 was pretty superficial and remedied by refinishing the G-10.

Ken
 
I stripped both G10 and micarta. Both got a little white tint. Put some mineral oil on there and they were both good as new. I think the stripper just dried them out a little.
 
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