Slick Handles?

[DeadArmElite]

Recently I examined a Meaner Street owned by a friend who had applied some type of sealant to the linen micarta scales. When I asked why he had done it he replied that the color of the scales had lightened due to routine cleaning with hot soapy water. I found the scales to be rather slick and have to wonder if when wet, this knife would be hard to hold on to. I have seen quiet a few pics recently of similarly treated scales. My question is this, is this supposed to be a purely cosmetic mod? Or is it supposed to perform another function? Based on what I have seen, I think I will leave mine as is.

 

[lunde]

If you clean the handles with hot/soapy water, let them dry, then follow up with WD40, there is no danger of them becoming lighter in color.

 

[xaman]

I've never sealed any of my micarta handles... I think for most it is a purely cosmetic mod, unless maybe they are trying to seal out blood or other potentially "stinky" substances???