Micarta odor?

kod

kod

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Got a UF2 in the Fri sale end of last year, had a noticeable smell out of the box. Wetting the scales makes it more noticeable, so it seems to be from the micarta. I've since washed the scales a couple times with soap & a nylon bristle brush, but hasn't reduced much. Unbuffed basic black micarta if it matters.

I've never had this happen with other micarta handles, albeit buffed ones from other makers. Anyone else experienced this?

This isn't an "I'm an unhappy customer" kind of post - the knife is ridiculous and probably the best sabre grip possible - it's just... odd?
 
Not to butt in or interfere..... But micarta Can be stinky, Very stinky.
Depending on where it came from, and When.

I once made my FIL something, with WW2 vintage rag micarta... I'm sure I lost a few weeks of my life working with That stuff it took a week or two to air out my basement....haha. Ugh!

Your handle scales were probably freshly machined.
The stink is called out gassing. It's normal.

Yours, is probably the Good Stuff.
Seems the stinkier the micarta is, the better!!!

*it Will wash/wear off. In a short time.


Side note....... TeroTuff smells like Fruit Loops.
 
There are two primary sources of odor in micarta.

1. Phenolic - an odor associated with the resins used in production. This is likely the source of the issue and exacerbated by being in the box and probably heat from the shipping truck environment. Or, maybe some resin just didn’t settle 100% for whatever reason

2. Biological - micarta has mild porosity and oils from various places can penetrate a little bit at times (not deeply in my experience)

In either case, here is the protocol I used to deodorize a knife with sheep / ram horn. It should work for you as well.

Step 1: use dish soap again on the scales and wash off with hot water. Then, do a second rinse with a bottle of purified water or water from a Brita

Step 2: put white vinegar (the type you would use for laundry) on a rag and wipe down the scales. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Step 3: soap and water again

Step 4: fill a bowl with dried whole coffee beans. Make them high quality beans and use the whole bag

Step 5; bury the knife in the coffee beans

Step 6: place bowl in garage, basement, or in closet for 5 days

Step 7: rotate knife every other day

Step 8: wash again. Repeat if necessary. If odor is gone, apply light coat of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil to scales
 
Did you get that knife from Nathan or from Tanto? If the latter, then that could explain the funky smell. Who knows where he put that thing prior to selling it to you! Good thing you washed it a few times!

Maybe it's from the creek? That's another good possibility for the smell.
 
I don’t think I’ve had this on any of my CPK’s ? A few of my older Busse knives had a very faint smell to the micarta. But you really had to be sniffing for it. Only noticed cause I bought three and all arrived in same box. Basically the odor is all but gone now, just time and open air.

I’ve found you can avoid this by using orange g10 😉😉🙂👍👍
 
iu
 
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