Polished Handle Micarta Inlay

mattz357 · Jul 30, 2007

It seems as though my ideal Sebenza doesn't exist. I'm not a real fan of bead blast, but I am a fan of micarta. The ideal Sebbie for me would be the polished or brushed handle of a wood inlay with micarta inlay instead. I've removed the bead blast from S&W revolvers before, but I'm sure titanium works differently than stainless. In addition to that, the space between the inlays is SO small. Does anyone know if CRK would put micarta inlays into a wood inlay handle? If not, does anyone know who would be able to polish or brush finish a micarta inlay knife with bead blast?

Django606 · Jul 30, 2007

To refinish an inlayed knife, they take the inlays out and then put them back in. I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to do it, as long as they are willing to polish the already beadblasted handles.

alejandrino · Jul 30, 2007

From what I understand, the inlays on the sebbies are bonded with a thin 3M tape that is impossible to take out without breaking the inlays.

pbubsy · Jul 31, 2007

I'd just contact CRK and have them make one for me with the polished handle before they set the inlays in. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem

Django606 · Jul 31, 2007

I'm pretty sure CRK is capable of taking them out when they need to refurbish a handle - are you saying they cannot refurbish the handles of any inlayed knife?

They probably just heat up the inside of the handles and then they just pop right out, apply new tape and put them back in.

xaman · Jul 31, 2007

I'm with you -- polished would look way better with the micarta inlays...

I think the original idea in not polishing them, was that the micarta inlays would be for a "working" knife, more for a blue jean pocket - more so than the prettier wood inlays that tend to end up in kakhi pockets.

But I agree -- it ought to be polished. The polished blades and scales just take the sebenza to a different level of pretty IMO.

alejandrino · Jul 31, 2007

Django606 said:
I'm pretty sure CRK is capable of taking them out when they need to refurbish a handle - are you saying they cannot refurbish the handles of any inlayed knife?

They probably just heat up the inside of the handles and then they just pop right out, apply new tape and put them back in.

You could be right. I did contact CRK a while back about taking the inlays out and they said nothing short of destroying it would take it out. Now that you mentioned it, I am also sure heat would take it out as the titanium itself can take ahight heat.

iamsmiling · Jul 31, 2007

If you heated it enough to destroy the inlays you would ruin the temper of the lock at the very least. Then you'd probably have to reblast and polish them too.

alejandrino · Jul 31, 2007

iamsmiling said:
If you heated it enough to destroy the inlays you would ruin the temper of the lock at the very least. Then you'd probably have to reblast and polish them too.

I don't know. Will titanium get tempered with high heat? I have used heat to change the color of my titanium and I still have the lock bar springy.

Scott Dog · Jul 31, 2007

IIRC the inlays don't have to be removed to be refubed. They can be lightly sanded and polished.

Django606 · Jul 31, 2007

iamsmiling said:
If you heated it enough to destroy the inlays you would ruin the temper of the lock at the very least. Then you'd probably have to reblast and polish them too.

The whole purpose of heating the titanium would not be to destroy the inlays but rather the adhesive that holds them in. The handles probably don't have to be heated that much, and like alejandrino said, I think Ti can take a high heat. I'm sure if they wanted to destroy them they could just rip them out.

ScottDog said:
IIRC the inlays don't have to be removed to be refubed. They can be lightly sanded and polished.

So they just bead blast over the wood/micarta, or what?

mattz357 · Jul 31, 2007

I would be interested in modifying an existing knife, or just ordering a new one, either way is fine with me. If I were going to call or email CRK, does anyone know who I should ask for (any special favorite people in customer service or anything)? Thanks!

GarageBoy · Aug 3, 2007

Can you take em out, have work done, then tell CRK to replace em?

jprice76 · Aug 7, 2007

Django606 said:
.

So they just bead blast over the wood/micarta, or what?

Not sure about the wood inlay, but for micarta...yes..when they refurb the handles they just bead blast the micarta and the Ti together, they dont remove them since the micarta is bead blasted anyhow.

65535 · Aug 7, 2007

If it were me I would contact CRK first about the custom job, if that didn't work I would go buy a Sebby with micarta handles and break out the dremel sandpaper and mothers mag polish.

Scott Dog · Aug 7, 2007

Djang:

Yes on the micarta they blast the whole thing. On the woods they sand and polish or in their words,"take it through the finishing process." On the face of the wood inlay the titanium is polished while on the Micarta it's blasted. It's hard for me to imagine that they could take out the inlay without destroying it. I'm not sure about the wood but I'm sure about the Micarta. Mike the previous foreman at CRK told me that was the beauty of the Micarta inlay, they just blast the whole thing, no muss no fuss.