THE ECAM Scales thread

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Ahhhh! This was the photo that led me deep into the AECM rabbit hole several years ago. It started me on an all-consuming quest to have prime examples of this hypnotic handle material on all my CPK's. This led to buying more knives than I needed, including models I had no practical use for, just because they had a fine set of AECM attached.

The power of the Dark Side is strong in this material. I knew I needed to find a way to break free of its power over me. It was tough going cold turkey. I finally found the powerful cure I needed when I was vaccinated with...............TeroTuf! :D

I'm new to Carothers but have been oogling them for about a year (finally bought a UF from a member here just recently). Can anyone make a functional comparison between an edge cut micarta handle and a standard micarta handle? Is the edge cut micarta any more grippy--specifically when wet? Or is it the pull mostly esthetic? Thanks in advance!

Michael

I don’t believe there is any practical difference in performance between the two on something the size of a knife handle. Premium aesthetics is what you buy this material for. The edge cut stuff is like beautiful quarter-sawn wood that lets you look deep into the history of the material.

Std. Cut vs. Edge Cut EDC Scales



Phil
 
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Ahhhh! This was the photo that led me deep into the AECM rabbit hole several years ago. It started me on an all-consuming quest to have prime examples of this hypnotic handle material on all my CPK's. This led to buying more knives than I needed, including models I had no practical use for, just because they a fine set of AECM attached.

The power of the Dark Side is strong in this material. I knew I needed to find a way to break free of its power over me. It was tough going cold turkey. I finally found the powerful cure I needed when I was vaccinated with...............TeroTuf! :D



I don’t believe there is any practical difference in performance between the two on something the size of a knife handle. Premium aesthetics is what you buy this material for. The edge cut stuff is like beautiful quarter-sawn wood that lets you look deep into the history of the material.

Std. Cut vs. Edge Cut EDC Scales



Phil

Phil, the one which Adam has posted is the genuine McCoy for the EDC(1), i.e, the thicker EDC scales. IIRC, there was a sale back in 2016 when Nathan had offered a handful of knives with ECAM, I think before he had managed to score that bigger block of the material. I'd shudder thinking what the original ECAM scales would've fetched in today's market (well pre-COVID) if Nathan hadn't chased more of this stuff.

OTOH, he may have already scored the huge block of it even back when, but maybe there was a smaller block of it which he was harvesting from back in 2016/17.
 
Ahhhh! This was the photo that led me deep into the AECM rabbit hole several years ago. It started me on an all-consuming quest to have prime examples of this hypnotic handle material on all my CPK's. This led to buying more knives than I needed, including models I had no practical use for, just because they had a fine set of AECM attached.

The power of the Dark Side is strong in this material. I knew I needed to find a way to break free of its power over me. It was tough going cold turkey. I finally found the powerful cure I needed when I was vaccinated with...............TeroTuf! :D



I don’t believe there is any practical difference in performance between the two on something the size of a knife handle. Premium aesthetics is what you buy this material for. The edge cut stuff is like beautiful quarter-sawn wood that lets you look deep into the history of the material.

Std. Cut vs. Edge Cut EDC Scales



Phil

Great pic! I had forgotten what the standard cut antique micarta looked like. The edge cut has a lot more character. Classy.
 
Phil, the one which Adam has posted is the genuine McCoy for the EDC(1), i.e, the thicker EDC scales. IIRC, there was a sale back in 2016 when Nathan had offered a handful of knives with ECAM, I think before he had managed to score that bigger block of the material. I'd shudder thinking what the original ECAM scales would've fetched in today's market (well pre-COVID) if Nathan hadn't chased more of this stuff.

OTOH, he may have already scored the huge block of it even back when, but maybe there was a smaller block of it which he was harvesting from back in 2016/17.

ETA: found the pictures from that sale. Here's one:

2.jpg~original
 
There is a lot of variation in coloring due to differences in oxygen exposure and location of the material relative to an end or exposed surface. We keep up with which piece was attached to which other piece and attempt to bookmatch although an outside piece will match better with another outside piece so they weren't book matched in the sense they were touching each other but they were on opposite sides of the same area. While all of these matches are planed for, it's ultimately Jo who makes the final call about with piece goes with what.
 
ETA: found the pictures from that sale. Here's one:

2.jpg~original

Thanks Uncle Matty for digging-up this photo from years ago. I appreciate the history lesson. I have not seen it before. Very cool! :cool:

I suspect the EDC on the top left may be the standard cut one I have now. The top OGFK shown may be the one I used to have, but it is hard to tell for sure.





Either way, that was certainly an epic batch back in the day!! :thumbsup:

Phil
 
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