What is Micarta?

J

J S Machine

Joined
Oct 15, 2007
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72
What is Mcarta and how is it made?

I notice alot of you guys use it in your own designs, and I also see it alot in production knives. It must be some pretty good stuff because of its wide usage. I saw it somewhere where someone used a pair of green kacki pants to make some. I may have been mistaken, but I swear I read that lol.

thanks.
 
The home made stuff isn't really micarta, it's just a similar working material. I'm sure someone has done it with green pants.
 
You read it right, I actually used tan khaki pants and it came out a green color. Basically you layer whatever fabric you want in fiberglass resin, press it together till it hardens and there you go.
 
Micarta is a brand name, invented by Westinghouse electric. The home made stuff is often called Mycarta, MyKarta, etc. It looks somewhat similar, but is actually quite different.
The real stuff is made by layering a material (canvas, linen, paper) and impregnating the whole assembly with phenolic resin. It is cured under high pressure. The resultant product is hard and dense.It takes a good shine. It was originally made as an insulator in electrical panels to replace Bakelite. It is nearly impervious to acids, solvents, and water.
The home made stuff is made by layering cloth materials and soaking them with polyester or epoxy resins (fiberglass resin). It looks good, but is softer and less durable.
Stacy
 
i am currently using westinghouse electrical micarta, It is great! its super tough and easy to work with. I recommend to everybody that they should use it.
 
so...since it absorbs the liquid (on a sebenza)...wut if it was used in dirty stuff, or orange juice etc. will it get its color back byitself? or does it require cleaning.
 
JS. I dont think Micarta, be it production or home made is specifically used for its hardness and durability as much as it is used because of the effect it gives. Such as the green denim you talk of, many patterns and colours can be created. Obviously the other advantage is that it is less likely, if at all, to warp or crack like timber.
 
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