Home Made Paper Micarta

K

kvolle

Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Messages
123
I recently finished a blade with paper micarta handles for a client. He did not like the dull look of the handle. He requested that I polish it to a high luster. I explained that a gloss finish would not be condusive to grip and he said that is what he wanted and would pay more to get it.
Here is my question; I ruined the first attempt with a scap piece that was left over from the scales. I tried polishing with white compound and it kinda smeared the paper and even burnished it to a dull brown in a few areas. And worse it took on a white appearance.
I tried sanding with 2000 grit which had a dull result. I tried to paint on a thin layer of epoxie which had the desired effect but you can see the brush marks.
I am out of scrap pieces and do not want to ruin the handle scales with another failed attempt. Can any of you give me a suggestion to accomplish this task that works?
Would something like super glue work? I need something that will self level and not show brush marks the way the epoxie did. I also don't want something that will discolor or were down to quickly. Any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance.
 
I only make linen and denim so I don't have any real advice on paper. But I generally finish off all of mine with superglue. It works basically like a clearcoat on car paint. Do 2 coats and wet sand with 400 so it's glass smooth and then buff with white compound. I get a high enough gloss in my scrap after 2 minutes of polish that my camera has trouble seeing past it to get to the colors, so my pictures usually suck. Makes selling the scales a little more difficult, but I can't really argue with the results. And the pictures must not be terrible since I keep emptying the shelves :) I spend a lot more time on finished knives and they turn out great, like colored glass.

Examples of polished and unpolished scrap.

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q45/NdIndy/Knives/For Sale/

Just don't explore too much :laugh:
 
Last edited:
Forget superglue finishes. They will dull quickly with age and handling.
Paper Micarta is one of the toughest to get a good finish on. Sand it by hand to the finest grit you can get. I go to 8000. Many find wet sanding above 1000 to be useful. Wipe it off with a damp rag frequently while sanding. Charge a cloth with white rouge and buff by hand applying firm pressure. It may take a while, but it will gleam. Power buffing requires special slow speed buffers, brand new fine linnen wheels, and a deft hand. It will burn and stain on any standard buffer.
Stacy
 
I've been curious how it will react with UV over time, so far the small amount left after sand/buff are still showing bright. But I don't have anything out there with 5 years exposure yet.

I do seem to get a quicker workable finish with wet sanding than dry.
 
adn jsut one other thing
paper micarta is different then home brew stuff
if its home brew you never know what you may have to do to get it right
 
All the paper stuff I have made up has been a PITA...it seems guaranteed to have an inconsistent finish. Aggravating it is, in my experience.
 
Just a random thought, what about a layer of thin CA (superglue) and sand it down? It might soak in to give a hard surface that might buff out better. Just an idea though.

Oops, did not see Indy's post up there mentioning the CA already
 
When making composite handle materials it is essential to FULLY impregnate each layer with resin. This is both for strength and polishability.

I suspect that you merely glued the layers together leaving the interiors of the sheets their normal consistancy (paper) which cannot be polished.

George
 
george tichbourne said:
When making composite handle materials it is essential to FULLY impregnate each layer with resin. This is both for strength and polishability.

I suspect that you merely glued the layers together leaving the interiors of the sheets their normal consistancy (paper) which cannot be polished.

George
Click to expand...

No, I made sure that each piece was fully saturated before layering. I have done this before but never have I been asked to give a glossy finish to it. The whole consept kinda defeats the purpose in my eyes. I make working knives so the less slippage the better. I usually sand to 2000 grit and leave it the way it is. Pretty handle but dull and very grippable (is that a word?):D
I went home last night and continued to sand and then buffed without any polishing compound. It kinda burnished the surface and gave it a glossy but darker coat.
I am not sure how long it will last but I guess time will tell.
I thought about the super glue but was worried about the sun turning the handle yellow over time so I reconsidered that approach.
I give it to the client tonight so I guess I will see what he thinks. If he doesn't like the end product I will buy some really fine grit up to 8000 grit and try what bladsmth suggested. If that doesn't work I will take the handle off and replace it with linen.
Thanks for your help guys and wish me luck.:thumbup:
 
Interesting thread. I used quite a bit of Westinghouse paper Micarta back in the '80's and always buffed to a high gloss with a white compound. The only issue I ever encountered was that the ivory material had to be buffed very carefully so as not to scorch it. Black never posed any problem.
I wonder if it was their paper selection or possibly a difference in the resin selection?
What type of resin do you use, epoxy or polyester?
 
fitzo said:
Interesting thread. I used quite a bit of Westinghouse paper Micarta back in the '80's and always buffed to a high gloss with a white compound. The only issue I ever encountered was that the ivory material had to be buffed very carefully so as not to scorch it. Black never posed any problem.
I wonder if it was their paper selection or possibly a difference in the resin selection?
What type of resin do you use, epoxy or polyester?
Click to expand...

I made the micarta. It may be the paper in question but I am not sure. I use epoxy resin. I used construction paper but it was the kind that is stiff, about the width of two pieces of copy paper. It works quite well and gives a wood grain look when formed. I am basically doing the same thing I do with Linen, Canvas and Denim. I soke each piece and layer them one on top of the other, wrap in wax paper and press in a vise, allow to cure/dry and form the scales.
If you know a better way or can offer advice it would be well appreciated.
"I used quite a bit of Westinghouse paper Micarta back in the '80's" If you are talking about the paper spacers you get in electrical panels I have access to those all of the time. I am an electrical contractor and have used them a few times. they work OK but tend to be brittle. If this is not what you are talking about then please explain and tell me where you get it. thanks.
 
Westinghouse was the original trademark holder for Micarta, and perhaps even held a patent on the laminate at one time. They haven't made it for years, though; all one can find is old stash. My only point was that the old stuff could be brought to a high polish rather easily. Thus, issues with it are in materials and methods that differ from theirs, not necesarily inherent to paper micarta per se. Grain in their paper material was not highly visible, the main reason to choose paper over linen for any particular knife.

The stuff most use for spacer material is vulcanized fiber material, isn't it? Somewhat different. I agree, they are brittle, and also shrink and swell with the humidity.
 
fitzo said:
Westinghouse was the original trademark holder for Micarta, and perhaps even held a patent on the laminate at one time. They haven't made it for years, though; all one can find is old stash. My only point was that the old stuff could be brought to a high polish rather easily. Thus, issues with it are in materials and methods that differ from theirs, not necesarily inherent to paper micarta per se. Grain in their paper material was not highly visible, the main reason to choose paper over linen for any particular knife.

The stuff most use for spacer material is vulcanized fiber material, isn't it? Somewhat different. I agree, they are brittle, and also shrink and swell with the humidity.
Click to expand...

Yes sir you are correct.
As far as the grain goes, I pic the paper I use to gain the grain effect in certain instances. If I do not want the grain I use very thin colored paper and shread it into very small pieces, put it into a channel and fill with epoxy. I mix it up until all paper in saturated and put the top plate on and clamp. I usually do this to obtain Ivory look. I use both white and off white in differing amounts. This does come out smooth and stays that way even after shaping the scales. This also gives a very realistic finish and appearance.
Still I have never gone for a glossy look on paper before. I think the guy will be pleased with the gloss acheived, but I am not so satisfied. I am worried it will not hold up over time and he will not be a happy customer. I may just tell him I need to hold on to it for a few days and try the finer grits.
Not sure but I know it is not the finest work I have ever done and it bothers me. I guess I'll see what he wants to do.
 
I purchase my paper micarta from Jantz supply. It will sand to satin or buff to high polish. With the price being a factor I would still buy it.
 
In order to fully impregnate any material with liquid it is necessary to put the material in a vacuum bag, remove the air then recoat with resin before assembling the micarta and curing it in a vacuum bag under full vacuum.

George

Oh by the way the westinghouse product is made from paper loaded with a thermoforming resin and baked under pressure until the powdered resin melts and flows to fuse the whole bit together. No liquids are used.
 
I have been able to make a fair amount of stuff without using a vacuum. It is a major pain to be sure but is possible. Using a lower viscosity epoxy really helps a lot. Combining paper and cloth together can make for interesting patterns. Even black paper and black cloth looks cool wit the different finishes that cloth and paper take when polished. Have a pic somewhere I could dig up if anyone wants to see it and if I can figure out how to post it.
 
Last edited:
I have been using Micarta (paper, linen and canvas) for 1911's for the last ten years and recently for knife handles. I have never had an issue polishing Micarta. I buff it on a buffing wheel using buffing compounds available at Lowes and Home Depot. Buffs up nice and shiny. Check out my photos.
 
Update: I just got back in town so I thought I'd give an update. I told the client to give me another day to see if I could improve on the polish. I took some of your advice and sanded to 8000 grit. It looked alot better but still not the glossy look the customer wanted. I tried the green chrome polish at a slower speed and it turned out very glossy almost like glass. I had to rub it down with a soft cloth to get the excess compound off but I was very pleased with the outcome and so was the customer.
Thank you for your help. I love this forum. I have been making knives for years but I think I have learned more in the last year from you guys than I have since I started. I really appreciate you guys and your willingness to help others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top