I did a quick search and found quite a few video tutorials on YouTube for making your own custom micarta. Just curious if any members have tried similar DIY projects and what success you’ve had. One idea I had is to use the thick polyester webbing used for safety harnesses or cargo straps. You can buy it in many colors and the 3” wide webbing is about the correct thickness for single color scales. Any thoughts? Thanks.
I did Micarta with cloth (denim) once and it worked ok. I used the fiberglass resin and hardner that is shown on so many videos. Thoroughly soak the cloth layers, lay them out, wrap them up and press till it hardens. (just like the videos show). Simple to do and I would imagine you could use just about anything for layers, as long as it's not too slick that the resin won't stick to it.
I finally went back to wood. I like a good burl better than any other handle material.
Thanks guys, I found a site for tons of knife related gear & parts http://usaknifemaker.com/
They carry tons of different blank scales plus the hardware I was looking for. I may still make my own micarta at some point but for now I can buy scales in the colors I like. Now I’ll have to figure out how to knurl the scales…
I don’t know about the home made stuff, but genuine Micarta and the commercial generics are poison if you breath the dust from sanding.
Steve,
Yep, the videos I watched and all the sites that sell micarta scales give plenty of warnings about not breathing the dust when shaping / finishing micarta. Really nasty stuff. I also watched a vid making scales from wood veneers which produced really nice results.
Dang didnt know that! Thanks for that info
Post pics when you get your projects going. Just bout some black walnut blanks to shape for my knife. Never done this before and very interested in what you got going on here.
apt,
I’m considering making custom scales for my new BEE knives. The G10 scales are fine but I’d like to personalize them. The tricky part is the hardware Enlan/BEE uses on their knives, its as best as I can tell small metric screws and standoffs and not standard metric either. What I’d prefer is to replace the scales hardware with standard ASTM thread standoffs and fasteners,then work on duplicating the scales in royal blue. I love the look of black walnut, built speakers using it long ago, BW scales would be sweet. Where did you get your blanks?
This will be my first time trying to make something like this. They hopefully will be ok looking when i get done with them. I got them off eBay for $4 and some change shipped. I have two knife blanks that need scales so i thought i would just try some cheaper stuff and see how it worked out.
Bid on some African Zebrawood that looks really cool and got it for $3.85 shipped. Dont know if any of these are good or bad prices but it was hopefully cheap enough to play with.
Apt,
From working w/ BW long ago I know that the biggest PITA is making clean cuts and holes, some hard woods will tear rather than cut cleanly. The other issue for me is finding better standoff/fasteners to replace the stock parts on my Enlan/BEE knives. Post pics of your ZW scales when you’re finished.
Finally got the scales epoxied to the blanks and sanded down to match the outline of the knife. Its time to do the detail work on the scales and I have never done it. Hopefully it will get better as i go along have both the blck walnut and zebra wood done. Would post pics but doing it on the iohone i dont know how.
Been alot of fun so far!
Did you do your micarta scales?
Apt,
No, I’ve been spending more time learning about knife hardware. I may still make my own micarta at some point but for now I’ll probably use ready-made G10 or micarta from a DIY knife parts vendor.
I like doing these knifes very much! I have a few more blanks on the way and also researching belt sanders/grinders. Want to eventually move all the way into making all parts of the knife myself. Starting sith a hunk of steel and even drying and cutting my own scales out of random trees. Have a Box elder tree in the fromt yard that needs to be cut down and want to make my own scales from it. A little over the top maybe but who knows what you will find when you start hacking up the tree. Also want to make some micarta for some scales also. This hobby and flashlights might be the best hobby I ever have had (well i used to have another hobby of chasing women but now im married and had to give that one up)! Lol
Apt,
Seems you have plenty of “irons in the fire”. I’ve looked at all the gear needed for knife making, it can be $$$. As to wood scales, from my experience making walking staffs you’ll want to fully dry the wood before final cutting & shaping. I have some mountain laurel and maple drying for 2+ years.
The other consideration; some woods don’t take drilling / cutting well and will split or tear. No idea w/ box elder, never used it for staffs, I wouldn’t know it if it fell on me….
OTOH I have thought about trying some maple burl and hornbeam as scales, both are durable but the hornbeam is VERY hard and not well figured, the burl is georgeous but can tear and split. I have seen a wood stabilizing liquid used to make wood less likely to split but I’ve never used it. I think you soak the wood billets then dry. Good luck w/ your projects.