Would canvas micarta handle absorb water/moisture?

M

m10commander

Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
412
Hi guys, I received my Hell Razor(urban grey & black canvas handle) today, playing with it all day & I discovered the canvas handle is kind of wet I think it's from my hand because I have sweaty palm. I want to know would it absorb into the INFI steel? Thanks
 
I believe it is coated under the slabs. Someone in the know will be along shortly with facts I'm sure.
 
The coating should protect the steel. The micarta may seem like it is getting wet but in fact it absorbs almost no water. By that I mean even if you soak micarta in water for days it will have less then 1% increase in weight in most cases. You really just have to worry about stuff getting between the blade and the handle ut the coating really should take care of most of that. The oils in sweet will cause the handle to darken which does give it more of a wet look.
 
I think what happens is the oil soaks into the exposed canvas on the very top layer. So there is a bit of discoloration from excessive handling. I for one happen to be an extremely excessive handler lol. Anyway if you just wash the scales with a little dish soap and le them dry they go back to like new. Then you can re-stain them at your leasure :).
 
G10 and micarta are fibers (g10-glass and canvas, you get the idea) impregnated with a resin. This is done under pressure. The resin completely saturates and fills the gaps in the material the handle is being
Made with, leaving no room for anything else. Anything you see is on the surface and
Can be scrubbed clean with toothpaste and a toothbrush.
 
I always rub mine with oil to darken, prevent uneven staining and, I suppose, prevent moisture from even adhering to the very outer surface.
 
They are both fiber based, but one is cotton fiber the other is glass fiber. Cotton can and will take up moisture, especially at the frayed ends on the surface. Fiber-Glass will not, because it's glass, a solid non-porous structure without the ability to "absorb" anything that isn't corrosive.

Most of the new handles are mostly coated under the handles. They will have a square of uncoated space that has a marking scratched into the steel to identify them during and after the coating process. As long as it's a coated blade you shouldn't have to worry about corrosion under the scales with any material.

example:
yyyIMG_5622.jpg
 
Seriously, even uncoated, don't worry about rust under the scales. Use it in salt water, never wash it off, and I bet in 20 years it is still find under there. Might have a tiny bit of surface rust, but no biggie!
 
Good point, T. I use mine around salt water, too. I open clams when striper fishing with my skelly warden and soak it in the dishpan to clean the cord wrap, no rust so far that won't come off with a green scrubbie.
Jody
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top