Micarta odor?

Burke said:
RMJ uses something that smells amazing….just looked it up, it’s Qmaxx Blu.
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pbubsy said:
I'll have to give it a shot. I put froglube on my high carbon blades and love the smell as I apply it. Doesn't last though.
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I’ve always been a bit partial to the smell of the original Hoppes #9, (not that new Banana smelling additive), but then I’m also from a bit older generation too 🤣👍☕️
 
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The Knife Life said:
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.
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From a youth in juvie and being in and out of prison constantly as an adult, Tanto is an expert practitioner of kiester carry. I would highly recommend no one ever buys one of his knives unless you want to end up with Hep C and pinkeye.
 
Tim the Wizard said:
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
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Coffee smelling scales could be a great selling feature…get people addicted. Haha.

I’ve had some vintage rag micarta scales that smelled like old wood and mouse urine…
Soap and water and then buried in baking soda for 24 hours. The stench dissipated quite a bit. After about two weeks doing nothing but letting air get at them, it is all but gone.
 
FWIW just got a set of terotuf scales, and had essentially the same smell when opening the ziplock they were in.

If it's not specific to the micarta, maybe the liner? Or the adhesive used to bond the terotuf or micarta to the liner?
 
I've received a number of new blades from the mothership with different micartas (and some woods) and never noticed any odors. Maybe I just like that new knife smell and it's never dawned on me that it could be anything funky. If they had any smell, it's long gone at this point.
 
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