Carbon Fiber Durability?

V

VWG

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May 9, 2010
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I’m wanting to have an every day carry pocket knife custom made. The handle will be made from carbon fiber and titanium and the blade from S30V. I would like the outside edges of the handle to be made from carbon fiber (examples are the Benchmade 551BK-101 and Spyderco Sage1 Carbon Fiber Handle ~ C123CF) but I’m concerned that if the handle is constructed this way that if the knife where dropped that it may damage the carbon fiber. Or the carbon fiber may also get worn/damaged with everyday carry and use. For instance I know carbon fiber is constructed from individual strands of carbon so with every day carry and use will the edges begin to fray? Can anybody please provide me with information and or examples of the durability of carbon fiber in these instances?
Also, can anyone suggest a good custom knife maker?
 
Here's something I posted on the Spyderco forums in response to someone who had similar concerns about carbon fiber knife scales. Basically, you should be fine. :thumbup:

neuron said:
The "carbon fiber" used in knife scales and many other applications is carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, not just the fibers on their own. In other words, it's the same basic structure as G-10, FRN, etc., except with carbon fibers instead of glass fibers reinforcing the epoxy base.
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Carbon fiber is fairly durable but if you drop it, it can get dinged. I have a couple CF knives I EDC that I have dropped and has some scuff marks and almost like a small chip. It is fairly durable but G10 is more so. There is a thread that is a sticky in the maintenance and tinkering subform that discusses the various synthetic handle materials that might be of interest.
 
considering they make cars out of it, I think it could hold up to anything a pocket knife needs. Of course, just about any pocket knife material can be damaged badly from the wrong drop, and another drop from the same height might show no mark. CF should be no different. I feel like textured G10 is probably less prone to ugly "scuffing" from being dropped or kicked around, mostly because CF tends to have a glossier finish where scuffs will show up easier. But I'd mostly go for what feels good in hand, and looks good to you.
 
They also make jet parts out of it, but that is a different type of carbon fiber, it's not all the same.
The Spyderco Sage is very durable.
 
i use carbon fibre arrow shafts.

they are amazingly strong and durable, but not indestructable. they can, and do, snap.
 
I love CF for scales but as function goes, I don't need it over G10 to be honest. I have found that some CF scales can delam on the edges and corners more than G10. In fact, I have never had G10 delam on me but I have had several CF scales delam on the corners and edges before, which resulted in minor exfoliation of that section.
 
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I do a lot of work with carbon fiber on boats, quite a bit of that time is repairing damage. I can tell you that if you do manage to get phenolic carbon fiber to splinter it does hurt a heck of a lock more than fiber glass for some reason when you get a strand stuck in your hand. Its tough stuff though, even in knife scale sized pieces, so while it may get scuffed up a bit, it would take a good bit of effort to splinter the stuff up in that application. If you drop it hard enough you will most likely see a milk color form on the section which hit where the layers delaminated, but again on knife scales, this is mostly cosmetic.

Carbon fiber cloth however is another beast all together.
 
This is my beater Millie after three and a half years of being in my back pocket every day, being used for a lever to lift doors for installation (the handle, not the blade), as a mallet to pound dents out of light sheetmetal, being dropped from various heights onto tile and concrete floors, and generally being used less than gently.

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I doubt you'll be as rough with yours as I've been with this one.
 
Just skimming the responses, the info that seems to be missing is that carbon fiber used for scales etc isn't just the free-woven CF fabric- it's fabric that's soaked in some sort of hardening binding medium, for example, some sort of epoxy resin. For stuff like car hoods, after forming and curing of the resin, it usually has a polished clear-coat, which is what gets chipped.

If the fiber is laid up with a structural, dense medium like phenolic or some other thermoplastic, say, you can achieve a block for scales or whatever, that's much micarta. Actually, there are some Micarta-trademarked micartas which are carbon-fiber-based.
 
they type of carbon fiber used in knives is designed to look pretty...It's not the load bearing stuff they use in Formula one cars. It WAS NEVER INTENSIONALLY DESIGNED TO BE A GARNISH & PRETTY LOOKING THING. It is designed to hold the god damned wings together on airplanes at half the weight...the military didn't want it to be pretty but people use it like its freaking jewelry and wonder why it can scratch. UGH You people make me crazy.
 
I have a set of knuckles made from carbonfiber. I have broken bricks, tiles and wood with them all with very little damage at all. As you can see in this pic the points are only scuffed up and bit. I can't see there being many problems with scales on a knife. I have never had any problems with the CF on the knives I have.

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The splintering possibilities make it a poor use for hands. Besides it is cheesy and ugly.
 
After over a years worth of carry, the carbon fiber handle on the bottom knife has had it's glossy look dulled a little and the edges have rounded a little. I use it as a work knife and have dropped it several times. I like the way carbon fiber wears. At least on the Caly.


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It all depends on how it's made. Molded carbon fiber composite is plenty ample for knife scales. Loose traditional carbon fiber (like used on airplanes and cars) is not that good of a choice. You can stand on a car hood made of loose carbon fiber weave, but you could punch through it with a spike made of molded carbon fiber composite.

Okay, so you probably couldn't, but you get the analogy. I only say it because the first kid in my high school to get a carbon fiber hood busted the hell out of his with a wack from a ball peen hammer trying to show it off. He couldn't save up enough money fast enough to get it fixed before it had delaminated to the point of no return.
 
cancow said:
The splintering possibilities make it a poor use for hands. Besides it is cheesy and ugly.
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This is why there is chocolate and vanilla. I like CF a lot, on knife scales it is plenty tough, and I think it looks really good---far from cheesy, it's a classy look to me.
 
I personally feel that carbon fiber scales are one of the most beautiful and exotic materials there is. As far as durability, the example posted of the carbon fiber knuckles was amazing!
 
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