micarta vs wood is micarta worth the money?

H

hayshaker

Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
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i've seen micarta slabs for sale in the jantz catalog gosh it's spendy.
i could a few board feet of curly birch or curly maple for the price of a block of
micarta. i must admit though i do like the OD green micarta for some tacticool
knives i want to make,
are there any other catalogs out there that sell for less?
it would be a help. oh and on the long term use thing does micarta hold up better
than say hardwoods.
 
It's subjective, all a matter of taste. My personal opinion, yes micarta is worth it. Stabilized wood is also something to consider.
 
hayshaker said:
i've seen micarta slabs for sale in the jantz catalog gosh it's spendy.
i could a few board feet of curly birch or curly maple for the price of a block of
micarta. i must admit though i do like the OD green micarta for some tacticool
knives i want to make,
are there any other catalogs out there that sell for less?
it would be a help. oh and on the long term use thing does micarta hold up better
than say hardwoods.
Click to expand...

A good hardwood will last a long time. There are knives with wood handles over one hundred years old still being used. I like wood handles. They can be extremely beautiful if the right wood is selected.

Micarta is more durable and less apt to shrink or expand, less apt to crack, less apt to dent or scratch, and is cheaper than beautiful hardwood.

Depends on if you want a beater knife or a knife that transcends the normal role of a simple tool.


If you want cheap, you can find cheap. If you want good, you can find good. Only occasionally do those two things meet. Jantz is a pretty popular knife maker supplier because they have a good selection, prices are usually pretty reasonable, and the stuff they sell is good quality. That's not to say there won't be a place that offers something specific you're looking for that is as good of quality at a better price, but you're going to have to do some looking to find what you're looking for. You can probably ask the best place to buy micarta in the knifemakers discussion forum and get some good answers.
 
Depends on what you want. I like the looks of wood scales quite a lot better, but micarta definitely offers greater durability and stability.
 
mabey i'll pop for it and use it for special projects.
i do get wood at bell forest products i get all my wood there, great service.
but where do i find desert ironwood? they don't have it.
 
At 1st glance you would say -why would I pay as much for micarta as a beautiful wood. Seems like a no brainer. However micarta is a fabulous scale material damage resistant and good grip(dry or wet). I love wood, but micarta is my favorite scale material.
Just my 2 cents
 
hayshaker said:
mabey i'll pop for it and use it for special projects.
i do get wood at bell forest products i get all my wood there, great service.
but where do i find desert ironwood? they don't have it.
Click to expand...

Arizona ironwood llc

Also, you can sometimes find it for sale here on the forums. I think a guy is selling some really nice pieces right now. Go to knifemaker supplies for sale area,

Also, you can try timber joint and his ringed gidgee. It's essentially the same as ironwood but is very close to koa in appearance and chatoyancy.
 
I would have to say I prefer micarta over wood, but wood is a superb material itself still and with the right wood is probably more beautiful.
 
Micarta is popular and worth it. Good woods are usually more expensive than micarta. For utility purposes you can use less expensive woods. Some people have better sources for wood and can get it for a lot less than the cost of micarta. I like wood and micarta, depending on the type of wood and the function of the knife.
 
A lot of people love wood for the traditional aspect and how it looks. I get that.

Living in a dry climate, I've had many knives with wood (and bone) crack and split terribly. Micarta, G10, and carbon fiber are my favorites for longevity and utility. YMMV.
 
Micarta for durability & grip is hard to beat. Wood has a different feel & warmth to it which is different & pleasing to the hand & eye. Depends on the use as to which is "better" for a given application. I like both, but use them depending on the end-user. For me it's wood, for someone who will be out in the woods, rough use or may have maintenance issues, micarta wins.
 
I'm a big fan of both micarta and wood:

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I prefer wood. I don't abuse my knives and take good care of them. Every knife has a unique characteristic to it.
That said, micarta is probably the better material. It won't shrink or expand. Not very sensitive to the environment.
 
bdmicarta said:
Micarta is popular and worth it. Good woods are usually more expensive than micarta. For utility purposes you can use less expensive woods. Some people have better sources for wood and can get it for a lot less than the cost of micarta. I like wood and micarta, depending on the type of wood and the function of the knife.
Click to expand...
Absolutely.

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