Shaping carbon fiber scales

P

Plain edge

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Apr 1, 2008
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I hope to replace the G-10 scales on a folder with carbon fiber. I've located a source for the blanks and understand that a respirator is a must.

Anything else a rookie should know about shaping, drilling and sanding/finishing carbon fiber?
 
Carbon fiber is easy to work with, and can be shaped with simple tools, such as sand paper. Be careful, it's easy to take too much off if your using heavy grit sand paper.

You can take it down to a fine sandpaper, then polish with rouge, or flitz, or a buffing wheel. I don't have a buffer, so I use a buffer used in polishing boats with some rouge. It'll shine like nothing else.

BUT, use the resperator.
 
I think that CF melts like butter on a grinder (not actually melting) so be careful or you will have an "Oops!" I like how easy it works, but is so messy and hazardous.
-John
 
It sounds like you haven't done a lot of projects like these.
I would sugest you take your time. It is better to take twice as long and work with handtools only as apposed to messing up your work with a powertool in two seconds.
You will be able to shape the CF roughly with a saw and work with small files or bits of sandpaper wrapped around pieces of wood.
I sugest you start with gritt 60, then 80, then 120, then 180.
Use the 60 and 80 to remove 'bulk' and only use 120 and 180 to approache the final shape.
Then you can sand it up even finer.
Be carefull not to remove to much material.
(take your time, becouse once the material is removed it can not be put back again)
 
And expect to itch for a few days. I am working of some CF scales right now and really hate the stuff. So far I am averaging 4-5 slivers each evening but they are black so you can see them easy.:eek:
 
Barker said:
I like how easy it works, but is so messy and hazardous.
-John
Click to expand...

Make sure you read the last part of John's post HAZARDOUS. I read Chuck Bybee from alpha knife supply talk about how he hated the stuff .
 
Using the sandpaper wet (or oiled) might prefent CF dust.
It's the dust that causes lungs and skin to be irritated.
 
I've cut and ground some CF plates (4mm thick). Especially the high strength high modulus fibers will eat your blades. I used a table saw and the speed was most likely too high, but the blade without carbide inserts wore out like crazy (you could actually see the teeth shrinking). Blades with inserts did a whole lot better. Grinding (60 and 180 grit) was pretty easy, but don't use too much pressure and WEAR A RESPIRATOR.

Cheers Rody
 
Thanks for the tips.

Yes, this is my first venture with a knife but not my first with accurate hand work. ;)


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CF is a snap to work with I think.. I usually rough shape it with a 80 grit belt, and then refine the shape with 120 paper, and work up to 320, and then use a scotchbright pad. After that you can leave it as it is, or then buff it out to get a glossy look.

Take care
Trace Rinaldi
www.THRblades.com
 
Hi - take your time with the CF and make sure you get it even and finely finished, it can take a mottled look if you go at it too heavy. I don't like working with it too much because I guess the grades I've tried weren't that nice a pattern and it loses it's surface gloss quickly when you work it.

The nicest, plain nicest finish I have ever seen on a CF handle was done by Andrew McLurkin and he said he only hand sands to 600 grit, no buffing or the like, just take it up grit by grit. Made me want to try out some CF on another knife.
 
For my call making I have paper up to 2000 grit on hand.

I have the blanks on the way and will post a pix that will show how well I listened to y'all's advice when I'm finished..
 
not only wear a respirator but check for the correct filters. i know the resin used in dymond wood releases formaldehyde when sanded/ground (or at least has the potential to) so you have to have "organic gas" filters. i am not sure what the requirements with the resin used in that CF are but read the MSDS and spend the 30-40 bucks on the right filters

-matt
 
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