Q: working G-10 with woodworking hand tools

A

aram

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Excuse me if this has been asked before and my searches missed it.

On the scale of this forum, I'm not a knife knut. But I am a reasonably skilled woodworker, with an emphasis on hand tools.

I just bought a BM Adamas 375, did the paracord wrap, now thinking it might be fun to make scales for it. I could use hardwood scraps, maybe bubinga, but I think G-10 would be a good match for this knife. All I know about it is what I read online. I get the impression that it shapes nicely with quality rasps, and won't destroy them -- is that true? What about cutting tools, such as spokeshaves? Does G-10 lend itself to shavings? On the power tool side, it can be routed, correct?

Thanks in advance,
Aram
 
G-10 is basically fiberglass, it will destroy cutting tools in very short order. Micarta is much more suited to hand shaping with the tools you've mentioned;)

~Chip
 
WValtakis said:
G-10 is basically fiberglass, it will destroy cutting tools in very short order. Micarta is much more suited to hand shaping with the tools you've mentioned;)

~Chip
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Excellent, thank you.

To my eye, micarta would be too refined and elegant for a bash-around knife like the 375. Maybe hardwood is a better choice. Anyway, thank you for that information. No way am I going to trash my hand tools! (I hand-made my favorite spokeshave, by the way, so....)

Aram
 
Canvas phenolic (CE) is considered the perfect match for a hard use knife by a lot of people. Maybe you're thinking of glossy buffed paper (X) phenolic?
 
Mr.Wizard said:
Canvas phenolic (CE) is considered the perfect match for a hard use knife by a lot of people. Maybe you're thinking of glossy buffed paper (X) phenolic?
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That’s entirely possible. I’ve only ever seen Micarta handles on two small Al Mar knives I own. The look is sleek and elegant. I realize they sell other knives, Sere and others, with Micarta scales and I'm sure those can take a beating. For me, it’s more about the look, not how rugged it is. That said, is Al Mar’s linen Micarta different from some other types you can buy? I’m not a materials guy.

Thanks, interesting stuff.
Aram
 
G-10 can certainly be worked with rifflers or dremel type attachments. No reason to use edge tools though a carbide router bit would not in any way be intimidated or diminished by using on G-10. Even a steel edge router bit is inexpensive enough to sacrifice to a couple of knife scales. Admittedly I would not use my quality wood working rasps (those qualify as "edge" tools to me) on G-10 but some inexpensive files - no issues.

Ray
 
I find micarta more plesant to use in real hard use knives than g10. Feels better in hand, and is darned rugged..

I have shaped g10, g11, and micarta with hand tools. Micarta is way better to work with!!
 
RayseM said:
G-10 can certainly be worked with rifflers or dremel type attachments. No reason to use edge tools though a carbide router bit would not in any way be intimidated or diminished by using on G-10. Even a steel edge router bit is inexpensive enough to sacrifice to a couple of knife scales. Admittedly I would not use my quality wood working rasps (those qualify as "edge" tools to me) on G-10 but some inexpensive files - no issues.

Ray
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Thanks, great info. I have a couple of Auriou rasps, and I will heed your warning!

Aram
 
Bigfattyt said:
I find micarta more plesant to use in real hard use knives than g10. Feels better in hand, and is darned rugged..

I have shaped g10, g11, and micarta with hand tools. Micarta is way better to work with!!
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Thanks, you guys might turn me around on this.

Aram
 
I think you're getting advice on both sides here. Personally I wouldn't touch G-10 with any steel tool I cared about. It will eat up a finely edged tool like a plane very quickly. Same goes for files and rasps. And yes it will too munch up tungsten carbide tooling as well. It does last considerably longer though. Keep in mind cutting G-10 is effectively like cutting many tiny strands of glass. It isn't LIKE fiberglass, it IS fiberglass.

For frame of reference, I was a machinist for quite a few years and one of our frequent customers that was 2 doors down was a distributor and custom maker of G-10 and other glass insulator products (Gund). I got to see and work on the equipment they used to cut the stuff, and it was ALL worn to hell. Also made plenty of G-10 and similar parts myself. If you have any real amount of material to remove, I wouldn't use anything BUT tungsten carbide to cut it. If you have much grinding and shaping to do, get an electroplated diamond grit wheel. If you only want to do a little bit and don't care if your tools get dulled, you can use the steel tools, they will cut for a while. Same with sanding or grinding, sandpaper will work, but it will dull quick.
 
eKretz said:
I think you're getting advice on both sides here. Personally I wouldn't touch G-10 with any steel tool I cared about. It will eat up a finely edged tool like a plane very quickly. Same goes for files and rasps.
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Thank you, excellent information.

Aram
 
Don't forget to treat G10 like fiberglass if you decide to work it. It's bad for your lungs and gets those stabby little fibers everywhere. Manly men may just grind away like a fiend, but I use a respirator, a hat, and a longsleeve shirt.
 
aram said:
That’s entirely possible. I’ve only ever seen Micarta handles on two small Al Mar knives I own. The look is sleek and elegant.
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http://www.dozierknives.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=124

https://www.jayfisher.com/Handles_Knife_Manmade_Materials.htm#Micarta_Phenolic

http://centergnome.blogspot.com/2017/09/knife-review-carothers-performance_30.html


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ESEE-3-Canvas-Micarta-Handle-e1300969924895.jpg



miarta_handles.jpg
 
Technically, Micarta is a brand name, like Crescent wrench or Kleenex tissue. A nearly identical laminate to G-10 could technically be called Micarta if that company made it. In common parlance with reference to knives, it's usually referring to either paper or linen thermoset (epoxy) laminate.
 
There are laminates made with all sorts of different materials. I should probably have used the word "resin" rather than epoxy since I mentioned thermoset. But laminates made with epoxy are definitely out there and they are not "specialty" materials.

Edit: just now clicked your link after posting...epoxy laminates are mentioned right there.
 
I understand that you may have meant epoxy in a generic sense, but other than the glass fabric types as already mentioned (G-10) the standard grades that are used for knife scales are all phenolic. I felt that this might be significant to someone at some point and thought it helpful to point out.
 
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