G10 vs. Micarta?

sparklygalaxy

sparklygalaxy

Joined
Apr 6, 2018
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Hi all! :]

So I've been a knife nut for almost a year now, yaaay! :)

But right now I just feel like a total newbie. So I've never owned a knife with either G10 nor Micarta scales. I ordered a Buck 112 with G10 scales (brushed nickel bolsters + rivets, S30V blade). What do I expect and was that a good choice? I tried to Google it but I didn't find anything solid, mostly just opinions and facts that I didn't understand very well. What I'm hoping for is a smooth, black fiberglass like feel. Am I going to get that with g10?

Thanks guys!! Happy Saturday! :]

~ Sparkly

PS: Opinions are definitely welcome! ^_^ I just was a little confused by my findings so far.
 
Held one in store recently it's what you expect. I don't know what got mean by fiberglass, it's just tough dense plastic. Different texture really gives it different feels.
You gotta check out some spydercos g10.
Go to a knife store and then you will have lots of your own opinions ;)
 
Sergeua said:
Held one in store recently it's what you expect. I don't know what got mean by fiberglass, it's just tough dense plastic. Different texture really gives it different feels.
You gotta check out some spydercos g10.
Go to a knife store and then you will have lots of your own opinions ;)
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Okay great, thank you! :) is it very heavy? I forgot to ask that in the original post.
 
I researched this exact question a little while ago. There are lots of opinions in a good number of threads here about this question. If I was to answer the G10 vs Micarta comparison question, my answer would be “Let the Search function be your guide.” The conclusion that I arrived at was that there is no list of overpowering, definitive things that makes one of them “hands down” preferable over the other. As a result, I prefer straight-up Ti knives. There’s no arguing or wildly differing opinions about the durability or damage resistance of them.
 
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The difference that I can personally tell is that the micarta is smoother than the G10.
 
I assume the one you got is the Buck 112 Pro. Nice choice. As for the g10, while there are different grades of g10 in terms of texture, by definition, it is a grippy material. But it is a nice feeling material. It is also a lightweight material, so no worries there. Micarta will definitely be the smoother feeling material.
 
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sparklygalaxy said:
Okay great, thank you! :) is it very heavy? I forgot to ask that in the original post.
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This g10 it's like the stuff computer parts like motherboard made from. It's durable and it doesn't shrink in heat or absorb water. When a knife is well designed, the balance point of it is considered when it's opened and then it's kind of hard to judge what's heavy or not.
You have really strong cold steel products that just use g10 for handle with no steel liners inside. So that makes a really durable light folder. I don't know if you wanna have micarta only handle in this sort of application. So different knives, different vibes.
Check out benchmade proper when you are in a store and it's really cool that it has micarta and not g10 for that model. Big bushcraft knives that micarta handle feels so cozy, can be smooth and grippy when wet at the same time, you wouldn't want plastic. Then take that new big spyderco sinbad knife with glossy g10. Very well balanced knife. Not sure what you do with it hehe.
Spyderco-Lum-Darn-Dao-Flash-Batch-Black-G-10-Satin-FB41GP-BHQ-71271-jr.jpg
 
When the g10 gets wet it is usually more slippery especially if it is smooth g10,the micarta is the opposite- the micarta also picks up more stains a patina of sorts because it's a fabric base
They are both relatively heavy,but super durable.
I have the same 110 as you are getting ,it is awesome, g10/micarta are my favorite bucks also just picked up the slim versions in micarta real happy with both the 110/112
 
Fanglekai said:
Depends on the surface finish. Both can be grippy or smooth.
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This^^^! It also depends on if it’s canvas Micarta, the grippiest, Linen Micarta. The one in the middle. Then paper Micarta, the smoothest of the three kinds Of Micarta. Then we go to how smooth the final finish. G-10 will always be lighter and almost always be smoother. ———————————————My Fav is, Canvas Micarta sanded to 220 grit for a solid grippy feel in a working knife handle. YMMV! enjoy!
 
me personally I prefer G10 because of the wider range of available colors. Also, I find that Micarta will pick an odor and stains more readily. I do not dislike Micarta, quite the opposite, I really like canvas and linen Green or maroon micarta.

As for weight, I find Micarta to be lighter than G10, but the point is almost moot as neither seems to add substantial weight.
 
Colorodo said:
The difference that I can personally tell is that the micarta is smoother than the G10.
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Most g10s are textured but there are very smooth polished g10s and very smooth polished micartas.

Also g10 is always made with fibreglas but micarta is made with many different fabrics. Canvas micarta tends to have a different feel than paper micarta.

If the OP means by a “smooth fibreglass feel” a texture like a fibreglass boat hull that is not really what either material feels like. They tend to be more dense feeling.

Though the texture does vary greatly depending on how the material is finished.

One thing that should be noted about micarta is it seems to grip quite well when wet. G10 does’t seem to get this property.
 
I love the micarta on my Street Beat, but most of my knives are Spydercos in G-10. The most comfortable I've felt is on the Tenacious, I'm not a fan of the super grip stuff on other models but I don't let that stop me from enjoying them. I also like how smooth G-10 feels.
 
G10 can be made in many colors and textures due to it's base, and layering processes. G10 is also stronger than micarta . Micarta is made from a natural phenol base, so the colors are limited, but can look much more like a natural material than G10.
 
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My dad use to make knives with micarta handles. They are quite nice.

I have a Benchmade 707 that has aluminum handles with a G10 insert.

The old 710 has G10 handles. I really liked that.
 
I like both but would go with whichever would make the trip feel right. On a classic slipjoint knife, a nice polished micarta would be awesome. A folder that I might use with wet hands? A grippy pattern G-10 all the way!
 
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