Micarta! Everything You Ever Wanted to Know...

Рет қаралды 5,698

27 күн бұрын

Micarta is a common knife handle material. It's also used in applications as diverse as billiard cue making and guitar fret boards. But its original use was in industrial applications. In fact, it was one of the earliest "plastic" products ever made. Find out more here.
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Пікірлер: 25

@16valvehate 25 күн бұрын

Man it’s crazy you have been around on KZfaq for 15 years and I have been watching for probably 13 Time flies right.

@iantaylor7992 22 күн бұрын

Hi Walter, great chanel that I've just found. I'm really looking forward to going back through the last 15 years. Thank you so much for these jess of experience and wisdom in all things knives.

@SilentForest-cs9dm 25 күн бұрын

Walther, the hidden gem you are, I hope you know how much you mean to us who know about you. You deserve a big fat hug for sure. And more valuable stuff than a hug as well. I've never met you but I really like your on screen persona. You, man, you are extremely competent and very lovely

@ozarked2363 25 күн бұрын

I came to knife making from a wood working background. I just love working with the stuff and I love combining different colors of wood in a knife handle. I use micarta every now and then on knives that I know will go into a dishwasher.

@scottbluewaspknives2300 23 күн бұрын

G-10 will always be my favorite.

@JohnFleshman 25 күн бұрын

My favorite knife I ever made myself has home made Black denim "micarta" scales. Looks great and has great grip even when the handle is wet. Ya cant go wrong if you want sturdy scales.

@neiljborja 25 күн бұрын

My first knife had an handle made from a block of micarta my dad found at work (electrical substation). It was being used as a step stool, probably an old block of insulation. When I first made the knife, it had a yellow honey color, but after a decade it's a much darker brown now.

@trevor4081 25 күн бұрын

great video as always man! thanks for the info and time

@MasterK9Trainer 22 күн бұрын

Very intetesting. I like micarta and G10, but wood is still nice.

@nick-firstest 25 күн бұрын

Thanks for this great lecture)

@Nioclas64 25 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info, personally prefer using Aluminum Alloys, like 6160, for messer-style handle scales, like the types of blades zombie tools do

@AMF1 25 күн бұрын

Thanks Walter

@fishntools 25 күн бұрын

Need a non-detectable edge? You'd be amazed what you can do with Lexan!

@iantaylor7992 22 күн бұрын

Question for anyone, how does micarta hold up to going through a dishwasher cycles over time?

@flfll8187 24 күн бұрын

ultem is nice to but only one main color

@danhandke5012 25 күн бұрын

👍👏🏻👍💪👍

@patrickmurray9409 25 күн бұрын

Wow I'm a hundred likes,wanted to make handles out of a pair of pants. Haven't done it yet,but found a good reusable steel, a chopper. It'll be good.

@fredmonroe6042 25 күн бұрын

#1👻

@ttattx 25 күн бұрын

Many mfg keep putting it on knife scales, but more and more - people don't want it on their knives... fat carbon / full Ti / Ano'd aluminum (that's an odd one) so many other options that just look better, and wear better. I don't mind it, but it has to be the right material, and the right color or it makes the entire knife look awful

@Donorcyclist 25 күн бұрын

Micarta, we barely knew ye.

@jeffhicks8428 25 күн бұрын

biggest downside to micarta from the perspective of the consumer is the weight. you really can't use it on kitchen knives without ruining the balance and making the knife handle heavy. No one that actually knows how to use a chef knife will even consider it if it's handle heavy. The biggest downside from the side of the maker is that it's kinda of a bear to work with as far as like grinding and whatnot. It's quite nasty. it's not just "stinky" it releases nasty toxic fumes, difficult to grind, etc. I stick with wood.

@TheScrawnyLumberjack 25 күн бұрын

Micarta can be very easy to grind shape and polish. It’s honestly not that that much heavier than wood. Example Micarta is .72 ounces per cubic inch and ironwood is .69 ounces per cubic inch. You could certainly compensate for a .03 ounce per cubic inch difference.

@jeffhicks8428 25 күн бұрын

@@TheScrawnyLumberjack Ironwood is literally the densest wood you could have chosen and for that reason it's not commonly used on kitchen knives so you're comparing apples to oranges. Most woods you'd actually use are dramatically lighter. As far as grinding it's not that it's difficult to grind, it's that it's unpleasant to grind, as the video said you can't just power through it or else you will burn and discolor it, and it not only releases nasty dust, but he didn't mention it also releases formaldehyde fumes which are toxic and terrible.

@TheScrawnyLumberjack 25 күн бұрын

@@jeffhicks8428 there are several woods far denser than ironwood. Most wood for knife handles are stabilized which increases the density therefore I can’t list an accurate weight of those woods but it’s probably near that of ironwood if properly stabilized. Who knows what nasty stuff is in stabilized woods. Ive only burned micarta twice once was blue linen and the other was richlite both were because of dull or clogged belts. If you’re using sharp belts which you should since it makes life easier wood or micarta is cake to shape.