Micarta problems

Von Gruff

Von Gruff

KNIFE MAKER
Some more off the bench today. First is a full size J T Ranger and a smaller Pocket Ranger in OD Micarta with desert sand liners. Both blades in 1095 HC steel
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Then a Light hunter in 1084 with natural micarta bolsters and OD micarta handles with blaze orange liner and spacer.
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A pair of paring knives in 12C27 with one having black paper micarta and the other with Spilled milk acrylic
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Now to the problem. No matter how much sanding I do down to 600 grit and then a buff (I keep a clean rag wheel for this) there always seems to be an area that does not clean up and on the natural canvas bolster of the light hunter it is quite visible. So how do you all get a clean finish on the micarta
 
I’ve never had that issue. But it may be that section wasn’t fully penetrated with epoxy. Did you make it or get it commercially?
 
It might be an issue of "grain"...where the weave is laying in relation to how you shaped the handle. I haven't tried this but maybe put a little thin superglue in that area and sand an re-buff. I have done this with wood handles where the grain changes direction radically and it work well...just never tried in on micarta.
 
I have noticed this too and I assumed it was because you are dealing with two different materials made into one block. You have resin and canvass. The resin and canvass will finish differently so if you have mostly the resin layer exposed but a little canvass it will look different. The best solution I have found was given to me by Ed. When you are done with everything give the Micarta handle one thin coat of tru -oil. Once it cures in you will not know its there and it will give a more uniform appearance. Also, it will help protect it from hand oil and grime.
 
Smallshop said:
It might be an issue of "grain"...where the weave is laying in relation to how you shaped the handle. I haven't tried this but maybe put a little thin superglue in that area and sand an re-buff. I have done this with wood handles where the grain changes direction radically and it work well...just never tried in on micarta.
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Exactly what Ted says here. I find that there are areas where the woven strands of the primary material gets exposed. A few layers of superglue will get it smooth. Between layers I sand it down to take the edginess of the dried glue off, before the next layer is applied.
 
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I did feel that it was the epoxy layer between the canvas layers but what seems to put that into question is that in this particular instance (and only on one side) it is as the bolster curves over toward the front so it must be going through different layers but the seeming smear is going through the curve as well.
 
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