Lightweight Scale/Handle Material?

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Bolstermanic

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Mar 13, 2007
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I'm working on some lightweight knives for backpacking. What are some very lightweight (but still durable) handle or scale materials I might use - and where can I buy it?

I've been looking through the knife parts suppliers and most scale materials look heavy. Not really looking forward to working with carbon fiber and it's not THAT lightweight, it's just super strong for its weight. I was hoping I could find sheets of Fiber Reinforced Nylon or FRCP but have not been able to find them...

But I'm open to alternatives...even to lightweight woods. Opinels use beech don't they? It seems light. Anything lighter...before we get to delicate materials like balsa or cork?
 
Check into Tero tuff. I haven’t weighed them myself but it is supposed to be lighter than Micarta.

McMaster Carr has a lot of plastics and you may be able to review density specs.
 
Cord wrap.
Or full tang with big holes trough the scales and tang.
Cork isn't very durable
 
Walnut (0.55) is lighter than beech (0.64), and cherry even lighter (0.50). Numbers in parentheses are specific gravities from google. I have an Opinel in olive wood (0.7) that feels pretty heavy for its size.
 
How about wrapping the handle in paracord? Then you have extra rope in case you need it when hiking.
 
Ron Raducanu said:
How about wrapping the handle in paracord? Then you have extra rope in case you need it when hiking.
Click to expand...

Certainly could...the downside to cord wrap is when it gets wet; then there's retained moisture next to the steel (and the wrap gets heavier).

So I guess there are no slabs of FRCP or FRN easily available?

@ Hubert: Thanks for the specific gravities. Found a source that lists density in lbs/cubic foot and the lightest density woods on that chart are (starting with lightest):

Balsa
White Pine
Cottonwood
Basswood
Redwood
Aspen
Alder

https://www.damak.tk/wp-content/uploads/RxX87R/comparing-wood-properties.jpg
 
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Most of the light woods are not going to be particularly durable or stable. So not great for handle scales. You could stabilise, but then they won't be light anymore.

What about something like micarta but with a skeletonised tang and scales?

Either that or just use some thin scale material.
 
I've made backpacking knives with either thin micarta, as in 1/8" scales, or full size handles out of a natural domestic hardwood like maple or walnut. Both ways yield knives under 2oz when thin blade stock is used
 
I believe Terotuf is lighter than Micarta.

Besides scales metal is heavy. Run thinner stock. I have really been liking running a partial length tang and using a filler for the rest of the handle. Works well to drop weight but still keep ridged build.

Thin stock rat tail tang into a light wood is going to give you lowest weight.
 
Cliff Carter Knives said:
Paracord with a light epoxy brushing. Lightweight and waterproof. Could do the same with hemp
Click to expand...

This sounds good, but don't know how to accomplish. I'd have thought epoxy on paracord (or gutted paracord) would render it stiff? Oh, wait: do you mean you put the cord on the handle and THEN give it an epoxy brush?
 
Do you have the ability to taper your tang? A tapered tang with thin micarta or terotuf on thin stock will not weigh much at all.
 
Bolstermanic said:
Oh, wait: do you mean you put the cord on the handle and THEN give it an epoxy brush?
Click to expand...

This is what I took away from his comment, yes. If you put epoxy on first, it would either be a colossal mess to work with if wet, and if dry, there would be no way to manipulate the cord around the handle. I would imagine wrapping the handle first, then maybe making a very thin epoxy and painting it on the paracord lightly, so it soaks in and then hardens. Not sure how comfortable that would be to hold, though. I make paracord stuff, but have never tried that.
 
Could you use something stiffer and hollow out the inside? Also this seems like a good situation to use stainless and make the scales replaceable. That way you don't need to worry about them lasting forever.

I would take a step back and look at the entire knife; what it needs to do and how long it needs to last. If you want to optimise for light weight you need to look at the entire system, not just one component (think an engine block, you can make it heavier and use it as a stressed member to make the overall vehicle lighter).
 
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