The best Micarta for handles? Now, where to find it?

[Steve Nuckels]

What is the best Micarta to work with, canvas or linen Micarta?

Any info would be helpful.

Steve
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Potomac Forge

[skullworks]

In my experience linen or paper finishes up nicer than canvas.

[Jon Shade]

I prefer linen. Jon

[Todd Robbins]

Linen and paper both take a better finsh than canvas because of the tighter weave of the linen and the smooth surface of the paper.  Canvas generally doesn't finish as well, but seems to me to be a lot "grippier", especially when it's wet.  I like to use canvas and only finish it to 220 grit to accent the "grippiness".

[bigbadjon]

It doesn't matter. They all take the same degree of polish and smoothness but you have to make sure you don't get it hot while you're shaping it. I prefer antique ivory paper micarta, green canvas, and maroon linen. Be careful with green canvas to, several sellers call it green canvas micarta and what they sell is the color of garden hose. If you want the Westinghouse color you can get it from Sheffield Supply.

[Steve Nuckels]

Thanks, that is the info and feed back I hoped for!

Steve
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Potomac Forge

[OconeeDan]

They all work exactly like eachother, they just have different final appearances.
With a buffer, they all will buff smooth with good gloss....but you have to hand sand ALL of the scratches out.
Or you can sandblast for a grippier feel, and use boiled linseed oil to bring out the color.

[Lamey]

While they all work in a similar way,  there are definite variations in the end result.   The canvas will give you a bit more texture if only taken to 220,  the linen gives  a higher/tighter finish especially if taken past 400.  I like using canvas for that reason,  for a working knife, espeically a big one,  you can have a handle that is smooth to the touch but gives a small degree of texture that actually increases when wet (my guess is the open canvas material swells a bit when exosed to moisture).

There are also differences between the different canvas micarta types.  If you can find some old stock "industrial" grade micarta it is tougher/harder/denser then the current micarta being made.  

I had some old black  canvas micarta that was found in a scrap yard.  This stuff was much more dense/heavy then the current black canvas that is being sold at the knife suppliers etc.   It almost worked more like G10,  but was definitely micarta..... Wish I had a ton of that stuff!!

[Steve Nuckels]

Thanks guys!  OK a good source for the green Micarta???

Steve
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Potomac Forge

[OconeeDan]

pops knife supplies
masecraft

[Wampus]

canmanstan on the big online auction site has good deals on micarta, G2, carbon fiber, etc.