Why is micarta so popular?

B.Mauser

B.Mauser

Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Messages
2,348
Whats the deal with micarta?

I don't understand why they are so popular? I personally don't like how they look.

There has to be more to it than appearance?
 
feels grippy and like butter all at the same time. water proof. great it hand. stainable, sandable, shapeable. did i mention grippy?
 
I just have fallen in love with micarta. I have micarta for my BK11, B14 and my Phat Bob folder and using them before and after, at least with the 11 and 14 the comfort is just like getting a brand new knife, no comparison. I just aquired a BK10, my first large handled Becker micarta. I have to say they are so much more comfortable that the grivory there is no comparison. It does help that they really make the knife look great too!
 
It certainly doesn't make the knife cut any better or do anything else that it couldn't with grivory, but it is a little more comfortable. It is all personal preference. I say give it a shot and see if you like it. If you don't I'm sure one of us will take it off your hands.

I don't have it on all my blades but as you can see it's on over half of them.
DSC08386.jpg
 
I like grivory over micarta. The stuff leaves hotspots and blister in my hands. Course, its not uncommon for me to spend a few hours with a knife in my hand constantly.

There's reason why Ethan chose grivory as the "stock" handle on the BKT's. But, there are different strokes for different folks, and Micarta is some tough ass stuff. If you were to say, drop your BKT wearing grivory in the fire, even for a second, the grivory is shot, and I do mean shot. Personal experience.

If you drop your BKT in a fire, wearing micarta, well, it will stink ,but at least you still have a knife with a handle on it.

Good post, B. Good topic.

Moose
 
Wasn't particularly hot on the micarta myself, then got a pair with my LE BK10. They were rough, to say the least. But based on advice here I filed, then sanded, then dyed, then oiled, then put them on my BK2. They look great and feel great... grippy, yet soft at the same time.
 
I like the grivory over the micarta also. Looks wise, and feel wise. Plus, you can always add tiger stripes, etc, to the grivory:

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Micart is a really burly, yet rather old material.
G-10 is damn near impervious to anything, including heat. I can melt a hot hex nut into an undersized hole in micarta (have tried it), but the same process just bounces off G-10.

-Daizee
 
I prefer it for chopping purposes. It's fuller feel is more comfortable when steel hits wood. When the tweeners come out I likely wont get it. But who knows. I like both, I just prefer micarta. Taste and opinion more than anything substantial.
 
To me, some of them have a better feel (balance wise) with micarta. For example, for some reason the BK7 sits in my hand better and feels more solid with micarta. I like grivory on the BK2. Micarta on the 9 makes chopping feel more solid....but the 10 feels more nimble with grivory. Try it on each one and see what feels best to you.
 
What is it that you dont like about how they look? I make custom lamination slabs that get turned into the handle scales, so this has me interested...



B.Mauser said:
Whats the deal with micarta?

I don't understand why they are so popular? I personally don't like how they look.

There has to be more to it than appearance?
Click to expand...
 
I love the look of micarta especially the olive canvas type that we use......and it is TOUGH ( I have spent time with a chunk of it, a five pound sledge and an anvil...VERY impressive)and as the Moose says it stinks like the devil when dropped in the fire but if you don't LEAVE it there you will still have a functioning knife handle....For the record the various nylons (Grivory among them) stink when roasting too......Moose is also right about hot spots developing with prolonged chopping or carving with textured micarta......A military guy who is probably looking at the possibility of using the blade for backup as well as fieldcraft use and quite rightfully takes an environmentally pessimistic view of things,could certainly feel that micarta may have the (grippier) edge......

Got both, use both, love both.....Anybody got a coin to toss??.....

All Best....

ethan
 
I was had decided before i even used Grivory i would not like it so i stippled every set i had and made calls to get me some micarta. As i have matured i am getting stock Grivory back on my hard use knives ( the BK2 Bk9 and BK3) workes very very well no hot spots and extremly grippy. That being said i am putting micarta on my BK14 .
 
I think its the lighter colored "grain" that most seem to have. I don't want to insult anyone with a different opinion but they just look cheap to me. Like those Chinese flea market knives that have the red and green laminate handles.

Some of the darker ones like the brown ones on MWTIC's BK 10 look better to me but still don't think I want them.

I would have to seriously dislike the performance of my Grivory to switch to mircarta.

I hope I have not offended any of the mircarta lovers out there. :)




sweet said:
What is it that you dont like about how they look? I make custom lamination slabs that get turned into the handle scales, so this has me interested...
Click to expand...
 
B.Mauser said:
I think its the lighter colored "grain" that most seem to have. I don't want to insult anyone with a different opinion but they just look cheap to me. Like those Chinese flea market knives that have the red and green laminate handles.

Some of the darker ones like the brown ones on MWTIC's BK 10 look better to me but still don't think I want them.

I would have to seriously dislike the performance of my Grivory to switch to mircarta.

I hope I have not offended any of the mircarta lovers out there. :)
Click to expand...

I am extremely offended, I make flea market knives in my sweatshop in my basement (I stamp em made in china to throw the feds off my trail :D )

Like others have said it all personal preference and if you ever decide to try micarta and dislike em ill buy em from you. Or better yet ill trade you for a nice set of grivory :D
 
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