- Joined
- Jul 3, 2007
- Messages
- 334
As some of you are aware, I have been selling a few composite scales here and distributing samples for a short time and hopefully,
I will be getting some from feedback from the various folks that I have sent samples out to,as well as from my first few customers.
I want to provide a place for that feedback (and pictures!), as well as a place to answer questions and entertain comments and suggestions.
I want to say I will be honest with the understanding that I would like to carve a niche in the knife handle market,
so please keep in mind I might feel a need to be vague about some details.
On the other hand, I would not be as far as I am just now without the informative people here and other forums.
Also thanks to a few folks I have been working with for thier help and encouragement. They know who they are-Thanks!.
I have been doing this for for a relatively short period of time,
and this can considered to be somewhere between a hobby run amuck and small business.
I am far from expert, and am still climbing the learning curve, but on the other hand,
I feel I have turned out some unique and good, quality parts.
Like any other type of manufacturing, quality counts,
and I am using high quality quality clear epoxy resin and a mix of different substrates.
Regarding materials, I have been trying some different things- cotton cloth, yarn, felt, paper,
burlap, denim, a couple high-techs (carbon fiber/ texalium/basalt fiber).
Some I feel are worthy of selling with out any reservations, namely the cloths of various types,
as long as the prep has been straight forward.
Epoxy
I am using a high quality, relatively expensive epoxy resin to makes this all stick together.
It is very low yellowing compared to polyester and other epoxy systems.
It is non-blushing with excellent gloss and color retention and has excellent impact resistance and balance of strength and flexibility.
It exhibits excellent water/salt Water, chemical and solvent resistance.
Tinted Epoxy
I should note I have access to tints and I can tint the epoxy about any color.
I have played with similar colors (e.g.-blue cloth with blue tint) and contrasting colors (e.g.-red cloth/black epoxy).
This has endless potential if it is found to be aesthetically pleasing.
Glow Scales
Another additive is glow powder.
Some substrates work better than others to hold it in.
Yarn and burlap work well-it seems material with open, coarse fibers seem to trap the fine powders,
as well as allow the powder to migrate fairly evenly through the part.
The excess epoxy squeezed out is fairly free of the glow powder, indicating the fibers are trapping most of the powder.
With cloth the epoxy can flow, but the powder is "filtered" and tends to stay where poured,and not spread,
so careful planning and spreading is needed to make it work out with tightly woven cloth.
When using a yarn substrate with different colors I have found that the lighter color portions glow brighter than the darker
so cool mottled patterns are seen after dark.
The glow powder is available in various colors and brightnesses.
Also note that it needs to be "charged" with light before they glow.
My thoughts were that the glow scales would end up tacky or cheesy looking, but now I think they are just plain cool,
I'm sold and I am pretty sure I need a big camp chopper (golok?) with glow burlap scales.
Substrate Materials
Some materials are easier to work with than others and some compress easier than others.
Just about any fiber that does not have coatings in general should work,
anything with waterproofing or anti-mildew or similar coating will fail to stay together.
There should be no problem compressing parallel strips of anything,
but the labor involved with preperation will drive the price up a little on some things.
Rolling is a good compromise with some materials and would be my first choice for one or two color cloths.
The softer cloths can be reliably twisted, folded or crumpled.
The stiffer materials have the potential for voids when rolled and twisted.
I have not gotten enough feedback to decide whether or not the voids should be considered a defect or not.
I think it might be like voids in natural materials and treated the same,
but I am not the one to decide on that, my cusomers will be.
Yarn
The yarns are cool in the sense that it is easy to work with, available in all sorts of colors and combinations,
takes glow powder readily and produces really neat looking finished blanks, with unique random, organic patterns.
Cloth/ Burlap
Ill not talk too much about cloth except that due to his being a handmade operations I can try all kinds of different patterns,
rolls twists, cable twists, strips...whatever, if you have an idea, I'll entertain doing it.
The same for burlap, and rolled burlap might be my favorite to work with, as far as ease of working.
I have not tried any color combos or twists, but it just a matter of time until I do.
It is a great choice because not only does it look nice, it is inexpensive,
available in a handful of colors takes glow powder nicely and I have been told it works and finishes similar to G10.
It can be polished to a gloss, or finished coarse for a grippy surface, that stays grippy went wet.
I should add, if I can't find bulap in a certain color, perhahps I can tint the epoxy or dye the burlap to get something special or the right color.
Paper
Paper has its own unique set of qualities which make it a little problematic to work with, especially in the small scale.
I can stack it deep (1-1/2"+)and a good example is the black with white pinstripes I poster in the for sale section.
Instead of the sheets running parallel (as if stacked on the tang),
I have them running perpendicular to the tang for what has been described to me as "elegant", which I agree with.
I really am especially looking forward to feedback on this idea, and I planning other color combinations.
I can also do the same with scales having the pinstripes run parallel to the tang, for something different than the factory stuff.
(example: 1/8" of primary color, then contrasting color, then another 1/8" of the primary)Ivory with a dark green stripe. Black and white.
Any color I can get paper in will work, although I would be leery of trying really thick papers.
Other Materials
I am open for suggestions. I've done a couple "high-techs"- carbon fiber/ texalium/ basalt fiber.
I have gotten a lot of questions about the texalium (like a silver G10), which I would not have guessed. I can see it as a cool bolster material in addition to scales.
I can recycle tee-shirts, drapes etc... as long as they don't have coating dicussed previously.
By this time, you should get the impression I am not afraid to try different materials,
and a visit to my photobucket album should confirm this.
I know the good folks here will sugest some things I have not yet considered.
Orders
I expect to be able to have a turn around time of about a week for relatively simple scales which I have the material at hand or or can pick up locally.
Anything I have to order or other special substrates may take longer, but I'll be happy to work with you to get you what you want.
Prices will be in the 30-35 dollar range for a pair of blanks 3/16"-1/4"x 1-3/4" x 5-1/4"
I'll be happy to quote you the costs for additional labor for PITA materials,
glow powder, exotic materials, or even recycling customer provided materials.
I also look forward to any ideas and suggestions you may have. I'll be happy to discuss with you any special projects you have in mind.
I just would like to ask that if there is any problems with my work or any criticism you have about me,
I would like the oppurtunity to address it in a discreet manner before airing it in public. Constructive criticism is welcome anytime though.
Also, please be patient waiting for responses, my internet service at home is in a state of flux just now,
so I might not be able to get back right away until I get more reliable service.
Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to working with you on any ideas you may have.
I will be getting some from feedback from the various folks that I have sent samples out to,as well as from my first few customers.
I want to provide a place for that feedback (and pictures!), as well as a place to answer questions and entertain comments and suggestions.
I want to say I will be honest with the understanding that I would like to carve a niche in the knife handle market,
so please keep in mind I might feel a need to be vague about some details.
On the other hand, I would not be as far as I am just now without the informative people here and other forums.
Also thanks to a few folks I have been working with for thier help and encouragement. They know who they are-Thanks!.
I have been doing this for for a relatively short period of time,
and this can considered to be somewhere between a hobby run amuck and small business.
I am far from expert, and am still climbing the learning curve, but on the other hand,
I feel I have turned out some unique and good, quality parts.
Like any other type of manufacturing, quality counts,
and I am using high quality quality clear epoxy resin and a mix of different substrates.
Regarding materials, I have been trying some different things- cotton cloth, yarn, felt, paper,
burlap, denim, a couple high-techs (carbon fiber/ texalium/basalt fiber).
Some I feel are worthy of selling with out any reservations, namely the cloths of various types,
as long as the prep has been straight forward.
Epoxy
I am using a high quality, relatively expensive epoxy resin to makes this all stick together.
It is very low yellowing compared to polyester and other epoxy systems.
It is non-blushing with excellent gloss and color retention and has excellent impact resistance and balance of strength and flexibility.
It exhibits excellent water/salt Water, chemical and solvent resistance.
Tinted Epoxy
I should note I have access to tints and I can tint the epoxy about any color.
I have played with similar colors (e.g.-blue cloth with blue tint) and contrasting colors (e.g.-red cloth/black epoxy).
This has endless potential if it is found to be aesthetically pleasing.
Glow Scales
Another additive is glow powder.
Some substrates work better than others to hold it in.
Yarn and burlap work well-it seems material with open, coarse fibers seem to trap the fine powders,
as well as allow the powder to migrate fairly evenly through the part.
The excess epoxy squeezed out is fairly free of the glow powder, indicating the fibers are trapping most of the powder.
With cloth the epoxy can flow, but the powder is "filtered" and tends to stay where poured,and not spread,
so careful planning and spreading is needed to make it work out with tightly woven cloth.
When using a yarn substrate with different colors I have found that the lighter color portions glow brighter than the darker
so cool mottled patterns are seen after dark.
The glow powder is available in various colors and brightnesses.
Also note that it needs to be "charged" with light before they glow.
My thoughts were that the glow scales would end up tacky or cheesy looking, but now I think they are just plain cool,
I'm sold and I am pretty sure I need a big camp chopper (golok?) with glow burlap scales.
Substrate Materials
Some materials are easier to work with than others and some compress easier than others.
Just about any fiber that does not have coatings in general should work,
anything with waterproofing or anti-mildew or similar coating will fail to stay together.
There should be no problem compressing parallel strips of anything,
but the labor involved with preperation will drive the price up a little on some things.
Rolling is a good compromise with some materials and would be my first choice for one or two color cloths.
The softer cloths can be reliably twisted, folded or crumpled.
The stiffer materials have the potential for voids when rolled and twisted.
I have not gotten enough feedback to decide whether or not the voids should be considered a defect or not.
I think it might be like voids in natural materials and treated the same,
but I am not the one to decide on that, my cusomers will be.
Yarn
The yarns are cool in the sense that it is easy to work with, available in all sorts of colors and combinations,
takes glow powder readily and produces really neat looking finished blanks, with unique random, organic patterns.
Cloth/ Burlap
Ill not talk too much about cloth except that due to his being a handmade operations I can try all kinds of different patterns,
rolls twists, cable twists, strips...whatever, if you have an idea, I'll entertain doing it.
The same for burlap, and rolled burlap might be my favorite to work with, as far as ease of working.
I have not tried any color combos or twists, but it just a matter of time until I do.
It is a great choice because not only does it look nice, it is inexpensive,
available in a handful of colors takes glow powder nicely and I have been told it works and finishes similar to G10.
It can be polished to a gloss, or finished coarse for a grippy surface, that stays grippy went wet.
I should add, if I can't find bulap in a certain color, perhahps I can tint the epoxy or dye the burlap to get something special or the right color.
Paper
Paper has its own unique set of qualities which make it a little problematic to work with, especially in the small scale.
I can stack it deep (1-1/2"+)and a good example is the black with white pinstripes I poster in the for sale section.
Instead of the sheets running parallel (as if stacked on the tang),
I have them running perpendicular to the tang for what has been described to me as "elegant", which I agree with.
I really am especially looking forward to feedback on this idea, and I planning other color combinations.
I can also do the same with scales having the pinstripes run parallel to the tang, for something different than the factory stuff.
(example: 1/8" of primary color, then contrasting color, then another 1/8" of the primary)Ivory with a dark green stripe. Black and white.
Any color I can get paper in will work, although I would be leery of trying really thick papers.
Other Materials
I am open for suggestions. I've done a couple "high-techs"- carbon fiber/ texalium/ basalt fiber.
I have gotten a lot of questions about the texalium (like a silver G10), which I would not have guessed. I can see it as a cool bolster material in addition to scales.
I can recycle tee-shirts, drapes etc... as long as they don't have coating dicussed previously.
By this time, you should get the impression I am not afraid to try different materials,
and a visit to my photobucket album should confirm this.
I know the good folks here will sugest some things I have not yet considered.
Orders
I expect to be able to have a turn around time of about a week for relatively simple scales which I have the material at hand or or can pick up locally.
Anything I have to order or other special substrates may take longer, but I'll be happy to work with you to get you what you want.
Prices will be in the 30-35 dollar range for a pair of blanks 3/16"-1/4"x 1-3/4" x 5-1/4"
I'll be happy to quote you the costs for additional labor for PITA materials,
glow powder, exotic materials, or even recycling customer provided materials.
I also look forward to any ideas and suggestions you may have. I'll be happy to discuss with you any special projects you have in mind.
I just would like to ask that if there is any problems with my work or any criticism you have about me,
I would like the oppurtunity to address it in a discreet manner before airing it in public. Constructive criticism is welcome anytime though.
Also, please be patient waiting for responses, my internet service at home is in a state of flux just now,
so I might not be able to get back right away until I get more reliable service.
Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to working with you on any ideas you may have.
Check it out:
, I think they offer the added utility of making the knife harder to lose. 
