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High-Performance Blades Sharing ideas for getting the most out of our steel.

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  #1  
Old 06-20-2002, 10:06 AM
Sam Wereb
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Wooden handles

Slightly off-topic, but still central to the heart of high-performance:

This far into the combat or tactical-knife movement, I don't see many of these knives made with wooden handles.

Which woods are well suited for these knives, and do the wood-stabilization processes make them more suitable?
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  #2  
Old 06-20-2002, 11:48 AM
Jerry Hossom Jerry Hossom is offline
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You could make a pretty good argument that the best handle for any knife would be unfinished oak, hickory, etc. That's what you see on the knives used by professional meat cutters and fishermen. They stay grippy even when covered in blood and slime. Unfortunately, they are not very durable and are prone to splitting.

Stabilized woods are good only because they are more durable than normally finished woods, plus they are usually pretty. They are not particularly good for grip efficiency, however.

The plastics (Micarta, G-10 or Grphite) are durable but are not good for gripping unless you enhance them with good ergonomics or some kind of texturing. The best of the latter I've seen is Rob Simonich's Gunner Grip G-10. It's very grippy. Another option is a cord wrapped handle like that used on Strider Knives. If it gets worn or dirty, you just cut a new piece of paracord and replace it. They give instructions for doing that on their website.


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  #3  
Old 06-20-2002, 01:50 PM
Kelly Carlson Kelly Carlson is offline
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Bead blasted canvas micarta maintains a pretty good grip, or just sanded to 180-220 grit.


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Old 06-20-2002, 02:23 PM
Jerry Hossom Jerry Hossom is offline
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I agree, but it will still load up with slippery materials. In my experience though, rough finished Canvas Micarta is the best of the plastics.


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  #5  
Old 06-20-2002, 04:23 PM
Kelly Carlson Kelly Carlson is offline
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Agreed - My "jungle" knife of 35 years ago started with buffed black canvas micarta, then rough sanded, and, finally with hand filed checkering. For a few of the similar purpose knives which I make today, I'm bead blasting canvas micarta and filing lines along the top and bottom of the scale/tang junction - not quite as artistic as checkering, but its a lot quicker produces good results.


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  #6  
Old 06-20-2002, 06:31 PM
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Roger Gregory Roger Gregory is offline
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I've tried cord-wrapped knives. They only work (for me) if the cord wrap is around something substantial like a base of wood or micarta, not just around the tang.

I have found so far that wood works sometimes but best of all is some form of micarta if grip is everything. The right handle shape will do wonders though. Try fencing; any old piece of plastic, leather or steel will work, how you hold the foil or epee counts more than the material...

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Old 06-21-2002, 12:07 PM
Sam Wereb
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Rag Micarta?

I once had a handmade kitchen knife in my hand, with "Rag Micarta" handle scales. I also was told that it was no longer made. It was only roughly sanded, and seemed to be an excellent choice.

Is this the same as canvas Micarta?
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  #8  
Old 06-21-2002, 02:57 PM
Kelly Carlson Kelly Carlson is offline
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I haven't seen rag micarta in years, and couldn't find it listed in any of my supply catalogs. It isn't the same as canvas micarta - I recall that the "rags" just appeared to be compressed in a random pattern, while canvas micarta appears laminated in a very regular, horizontal pattern.


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  #9  
Old 06-21-2002, 03:41 PM
Sam Wereb
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That's the stuff Kelly. I'm hearing it is no longer made. I wonder... That Micarta patent expired years ago, and it isn't complicated to make. Maybe someone will bring it back.
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