What is NASA-Certified Black G-10 Composite?

[Lahav970]

Ernie is many things, but I have never known him to be a liar. I found this with less than 5 minutes on the google machine. It is not unreasonable to believe that NASA would use g-10 material in some of their applications.

The material is listed here, along with a bunch of others on a NASA provided site.

https://outgassing.nasa.gov/cgi/uncgi/search/search.sh

LAMINATE G-10 BLACK EPOXY FIBERGLASS 0.30 0.01 0.10 GSFC6224 LAMINATE ATL

And from a company that makes this material:
https://www.nationwideplastics.net/plastics/glass-laminate/

G10 Glass Epoxy Laminate Sheet, Rod, Film & Tube
Glass Expoxy Laminate - G10 is composed of a woven glass fabric combined with a halogen-free epoxy resin system. The product also offers superior physical properties and excellent electrical characteristics that are maintained in high-humidity conditions. In addition, it is not flame retardant and meets NEMA G-10 requirements. In addition to carrying true G10, Nationwide Plastics maintains a large inventory of FR-4, which is a common alternative to G10. FR-4 is a less expensive option than G10 while also being flame retardant.

Designed to withstand absolute zero temperatures up to 285 degrees Fahrenheit , the product is manufactured to the NIST G-10CR process specification for materials used in deep space and cryogenic applications. NP500CR complies with the requirements of MIL-I-24768/2. We have G10 Glass Epoxy Laminate available in sheet, rod, film, and tube for all applications.

 

[The Whip]

That's interesting information, but none of it answers any of my questions. Does Nationwide Plastics supply G-10 to NASA? Is Nationwide Plastics EKI's G-10 source?

I never doubted that NASA utilizes G-10. But what does that have to do with Emerson Knives? More specifically, what does NASA have to do with the G-10 being used on the Appalachian models? If Emerson was using "deep space specification" G-10, wouldn't it be worth calling that out on every model, not just a few?

I'm not trying to turn this topic into some sort of crusade. I'm a fan of Emerson Knives and have been since before there was an EKI. But the whole scenario strikes me as bizarre.

-Steve

 

[Mikel_24]

Do the handle slabs of any knife call for the strict requirements that a any NASA certified anything is likely to require? I guess not. I don't know why that should even be used as a marketing point anyway.

 

[The Whip]

Do the handle slabs of any knife call for the strict requirements that a any NASA certified anything is likely to require? I guess not. I don't know why that should even be used as a marketing point anyway.

If you go trying to apply common sense, the whole marketing system will break down! What people need is irrelevant. Marketing is there to show them what they want, or at least what they think they can't live without.

Besides, colonies on the moon and Mars are just around the corner. Knives with deep-space-certified G-10 handles are going to be all the rage. EKI is just paving the way for the next trend!

-Steve

P.S. - Sarcasm aside, I'm all for the constant improvement of materials in knife construction. Do I need an indestructible knife? Based on a recent magazine ad I saw, I'm pretty sure I do....

 

[Lahav970]

How is it bizarre? NASA standard is a derivative of the NEMA standard, which itself conforms to a MIL standard for thermoset materials. The NEMA Standard provides generic category recognition of grades based on their construction, reinforcement, and resin. Typical properties and performance requirements for each category are defined and published along with standard dimensional tolerances for standard forms of the product.

So thats the simple version. If you want more, contact any plastics manufacturer maybe they will send you a data sheet as to exact specs. NORPLEX Micarta is another company that makes G-10 or G-10CR for cryogenic applications.

As for the website, all his knives used to have the data blurb, NASA certified g-10, or wording like aerospace grade titanium. It has to do with standards, and using recognized standards to set his stuff apart from the Chinese "titanium" you may find from other makers. The material itself meets a standard, recognized and certified for use in or by an outfit or industry. For example chemical resistance, heat/cold resistance, crush resistance, etc. That is ALL that it is, a standard. If it's made a certain way, with certain properties, that is the standard.

Whoever keeps monkeying around with the website and design is doing a crap job of it though, and I keep waiting for Ernie to return the ECA portion of the website back to it's former glory where members could get one offs, prototypes, and hand grounds. Check out the wayback machine for some of that goodness.

Same same as stating that the "CQC-8 is preferred by the SAS" or that the Commander is a US Navy SEAL standard. or how "CQC xyz" is battle tested around the globe by Delta Ranger Seal Spetsnaz Starship Troopers. It's marketing, somebody or a bunch of somebodies will go giddy and buy a few. As for the materials, again, just a standard. aerospace grade titanium is here: http://www.aerospacemetals.com/all-about-titanium.html It tells you what the standards are that need to be met to earn the moniker.

 

[The Whip]

As for the website, all his knives used to have the data blurb, NASA certified g-10, or wording like aerospace grade titanium.

No, that's not true. The "NASA certified G-10" description has only been applied to certain knives in recent years. As I stated above, the one Emerson knife that actually went to space was not described as having a handle of "NASA certified G-10," even though its handle presumably was constructed with G-10 that met NASA's material standards.

It's marketing, somebody or a bunch of somebodies will go giddy and buy a few.

If that's what it is, then it's marketing without meaning. As I said before, NASA does not certify materials.

How is it bizarre?

Beyond the unanswered incongruities highlighted in this thread, at this point what's bizarre to me is that no one from EKI has chimed in to say, "What we mean by 'NASA certified G-10' is...." It seemed like a straightforward question when I asked it.

-Steve