Spyderco carbon fiber handles

[cordoba]

I was wondering if the Caly3 carbon fiber handle is as tacky at textured g10? What are the advantages to carbon fiber handles as compared to g10 (if any) besides looking sexy?

 

[Wes Newman]

The CF on the Caly 3 is actually somewhat polished. Nowhere as grippy as G10. The CF on the Stretch 2 on the other hand is as grippy or maybe even more than G10.

There is no advantages over G10 on a knife, other than aesthetics.

 

[powernoodle]

Carbon fiber, in my view, is more for the bling and the coolness than for function. My Spydie Bradley has the CF, and its pretty smooth and not so grippy. This is not to say that I don't like it, but smooth carbon fiber just is not as grippy as textured G10 or FRN. I don't know what advantage smooth CF would have over grippy G10.

 

[cRISOME1]

Well g10 gets dirty and oily very quick compared to carbon fiber. In fact, non of my carbon fiber handles dirty. I don't care for the grip as much, so I prefer CF =)

 

[AF]

The Caly CF scales are smooth but not slippery. I like them.

 

[RetiredGuns]

That ultra smooth CF is for sports cars! I like the grippy stuff on my Sage. "If" I had to choose only one scale material it would be the type of G10 found on the Paras and Millies. Someone likened it to holding cement, but I really like it.

 

[Foryou]

Carbon fiber is very light and stronger than G10. With carbon fiber you can have a much thinner piece than you can have with G10.. Only downside I guess would be the grip of the carbon fiber which, with the exception of the sage 1, is very slick if it gets wet or your hands are sweating..

 

[Wes Newman]

Carbon fiber is very light and stronger than G10. With carbon fiber you can have a much thinner piece than you can have with G10.. Only downside I guess would be the grip of the carbon fiber which, with the exception of the sage 1, is very slick if it gets wet or your hands are sweating..

Although CF is stronger than G10, I don't see it being significantly enough to allow for the reduction of material, as it is just a scale material and not much rigidity is required. If a knife was linerless, then it may allow for a thinner handle, but our knives are still not airplanes.

 

[bh49]

There is no advantages over G10 on a knife, other than aesthetics.

Carbon fiber, in my view, is more for the bling and the coolness than for function.

When I buy a knife overall design is most important for me and than of cause price. I never bought a knife based if handle CF, Ti or G10. In general I do not like CF due to the higher cost.
I own few CF Spydercos with different CF texture:

1. glossy CF (Harpy, Dragonfly): not grippy and I do not like the look
2.Semi-gloss (Native, Caly3): grip is better, still is not as good as G10, look is better, but not as good as linen micarta/wood/bone
3. CF on Taiwanese models: IMHO is the best CF, the best look and sufficient grip.
4. Peel-ply CF (Superhawk, Milly, Stretch): great grip, as good as G10, but doesn't look any good and expensive. Why would I want something, which looks like G10, but much more expensive?

 

[RevDevil]

Well g10 gets dirty and oily very quick compared to carbon fiber. In fact, non of my carbon fiber handles dirty. I don't care for the grip as much, so I prefer CF =)

Get a small alcohol wipe, run it across the surface of your favorite CF knife handle. See the brown stuff on the wipe? That is dirt.

 

[JNewell]

Although CF is stronger than G10, I don't see it being significantly enough to allow for the reduction of material, as it is just a scale material and not much rigidity is required. If a knife was linerless, then it may allow for a thinner handle, but our knives are still not airplanes.

Agreed, for the purposes relevant here, CF vs G10 in terms of weight and strength/weight ratio really not an issue. It's a question of looks, not weight or strength.

 

[xtestifyx]

I can tell you that the CF on the Taiwanese model Gayle Bradley has some serious bling factor.

I also prefer the CF on the Gayle Bradley over the Peel-Ply of the Stretch 2

 

[JTC3495]

The GB carbon fiber is the nicest I have seen on any knife, custom or production. It has a nice grippy texture to it, not G-10 grippy, but not slippery.

 

[The Deacon]

Peel-ply CF (Superhawk, Milly, Stretch): great grip, as good as G10, but doesn't look any good and expensive. Why would I want something, which looks like G10, but much more expensive?

To me, it does look better than G-10. I find the CF pattern is easy to see, if you want to see it. I think it is also more wear resistant. When I compare the texture on the CF Stretch I got when they first came out and have carried and used quite a bit ever since with a brand new one, they're identical. I don't think that would be true with a G-10 handle.

But in answer to the original question, I'd say that, as for a number of other materials, it's used primarily for the combination of looks and prestige it provides. Theoretically, it may be stronger than G-10, but as knife handle material is not used to take advantage of that, at least by Spyderco.

Paul

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