Vulcanized fiber durability?

I use both materials. If you use thin spacer (.010) like I do, you will notice a difference in appearance. In thin red, the VF just looks better. The G-10 red (or ruby) is really translucent, as opposed to solid like the VF, and because the color is just not as saturated, the transluscence of the ruby G-10 makes it blend more into the handle material and not stand out in as defined a line as the VF does.

I suppose if the VF absorbs water, in as thin a layer as .010 it may also absorb enough glue from both sides to stabilize it somewhat? I have never had a problem with it. Of course with ivory, wood, horns, etc, they probably moves as much as the VF would anyway. I usually cut out the middle of the liner anyway to let the epoxy bind steel to handle also and the liner may be a border of only 1/4" or so under the handle.

You could always stablize your VF. Anyone try that?

Schuyler
 
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Fiddleback said:
When I switched from Vulcanized Fiber to G10 and micarta liners it was because I was fixing a lot of handles. A few a month. This was in 2008. Knives that were correct when shipped had the slightest (definitely feelable) bit of exposed tang due to shrinkage of the VF when sent back. Re-sand the handle, and re-finish the tang, and ship it back. 20 minutes max, so not a business killer. I have not fixed one since. Not one handle repair in aprox 2000 knives.

I switched away from corby bolts at that same time. This was not due to some flaw with them, but because I discovered phlolic pins, and it was so much easier to finish the handles with them. They sand to the level of the handle scale material, and never made a proud bump. AND they never burn the handle material. Both problems were manageable back when I used metal pins, but why deal with it. Again, since the switch, no handle repairs.

If everyone agrees that the material is not stable and contracts and swells, then what is this debate about? In my shop I hear the argument, "I've never had a problem with VF. You must be doing something wrong." At the same time the maker insists on using stable/bombproof materials for their scales. This is ludicrous to me. Do you want your handle to be stable, or don't you? Putting an unstable material at the foundation of the handle makes no sense.
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There never really was a debate in this thread, Im just inquiring as to what to pros opinion would be before I tell the maker Im buying from what to use.
 
@Fiddleback:

"I switched away from corby bolts at that same time. This was not due to some flaw with them, but because I discovered phlolic pins, and it was so much easier to finish the handles with them. "

Whats a phlolic pin and where do we get those please?

Corey "synthesist" Gimbel
 
synthesist said:
@Fiddleback:

"I switched away from corby bolts at that same time. This was not due to some flaw with them, but because I discovered phlolic pins, and it was so much easier to finish the handles with them. "

Whats a phlolic pin and where do we get those please?

Corey "synthesist" Gimbel
Click to expand...

Yea, whoops. Phenolic.
 
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