micarta problems

Brett Long

Brett Long

Well-Known Member
ok i am a little frustrated. i have gone through 3 blades on my jig saw trying to cut this stuff. question is how do you cut this stuff, it just melts my blades. they are good bosh blades i have used these to cut through all kinds of wood and fiber board. do i need a metal cutting blade or a bandsaw..what...:confused::confused::confused:
 
metal band saw works. I use a diamond blade wet tile saw but then I cut a lot of micarta.
 
thanks guys for your advice. i did not know this stuff was so strong. i guess i am off to lowes for some metal cutting blades..
 
I've always just cut it with my wood band saw. I have a pretty coarse blade, maybe 6 tpi? I've also cut it on my table saw of course.
 
I cut micarta on my wood band saw with wood cutting blades. Now G-10, thats a different sort of cat. I have smoked a couple of wood blades on that stuff.

Greg
 
On a related topic, how DOES one cut G10? I just got a big mess of it and haven't tried to do anything with it yet, but don't want to break my tools when I do.
 
damaged110, are you sure you have micarta and not G-10? I always cut micarta on my wood bandsaw with a 18 tpi blade. I cut G-10 with a bimetal blade on my metal portaband saw.
-John
 
John Barker said:
damaged110, are you sure you have micarta and not G-10? I always cut micarta on my wood bandsaw with a 18 tpi blade. I cut G-10 with a bimetal blade on my metal portaband saw.
-John
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i bought this sheet of 1/4 tan material from a small knife show here in vegas a few months ago and was under the impression that it was micarta. i don't know how to tell the difference between the two yet. it might be g-10. how do you tell the difference.
 
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The smell when you grind it and the sound it makes when you tap it. Also can you see what looks like cloth "in" the piece? Micarta is either a linen or canvas (sometimes paper too) where G-10 is fiberglass. Take pic of it and post it. G-10 makes a higher pitched sound when you tap it and micarta has more of a thud. G-10 dust is usually white while micarta is usually the color. Other than that I can just tell.
-John
 
i know a shurefire way to tell what it is with out all the tests. man i feel stupid now.DUHHH unsure

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You might want to try that metal cutting bandsaw... ;) Or someone told me to cut the blocks and scales with a carbide blade on my table saw. That G-10 - it'll get you every time. :D

I'll be interested in hearing how you figure out to cut and work it, since I have a big stash of the stuff but avoided doing anything but mill it.
 
ok now that i can physically tell the difference between the two now. :rolleyes: and i will not be buying G-10 again anytime soon. i was shopping at my favorite place to buy knife stuff and was going through the handle material and it is listed micarta G-10 and some was just called micarta. know i am a little puzzled. is G-10 a form of micarta or are they two different animals all together.. if there is a MICARTA how to web site or something let me know cause i cant find it.
 
I cut G10 and Micarta on a 4X6 bandsaw using a plain carbon blade with no problems.

G10 cuts and grinds like butter.
 
I made a riflestock with about 100 layers of denum. I attacked it with a rasp file, and got frustrated real fast! I than took my angle grinder after it and turned my shop blue, but won the battle.;) Very tough stuff. I did cut out the profile on a bandsaw, and it was slow.
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