G10 or Micarta?

[HorseGuy]

Some advice is needed to help me choose the material for a new knife.

Due to having small hands I have decided to buy one of the new TBS Lynx Compact knives to use as a general multi-purpose camp knife. It will be used for things like food prep, making fires, wood carving and to help when foraging. Another thing which I have never done before but intend to try next year will be going to the beach to forage some seaweed to eat so the knife is going to be exposed to salt water too.

The TBS Lynx Compact is available with three different handle options: Regular cotton Micarta, canvas Micarta or G10. I have never used any of these before but have read a little bit about the materials. The knife will regularly be used in cold or damp conditions which would seem to lend itself better to using a Micarta handled knife. However the low maintenance and robustness of G10 also appeals to me especially as I intend to use the knife in the sea.

Before making a decision on which one to get any thoughts, ideas or suggestions you guys and gals could share would be most welcome. Thanks.

I've also included a poll just for fun.

 

[HorseGuy]

Here's a link to the knife in question.

https://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/tbs-lynx---compact-869-c.asp

 

[Chris]

My preference is canvas micarta, feels nicer, looks nicer and is grippier (helpful with wet hands).

There might be an argument that G10 is more food safe as canvas micarta can absorb some moisture, but you can also give it a wash/scrub if too worried. Then again I’ve done plenty of food prep with micarta scaled knives and never had an issue, just practicing basic food hygiene.

If food prep is your main task or it’s regularly going to be soaking wet, probably G10. Otherwise I’d go for micarta.

 

[Stew]

With all of those, they’re all essentially just resin plus a fabric.

Finest is g10 with fibreglass then cotton then canvas.

G10 will pick up no staining. Micarta can.

G10 will look the same for years. Micarta will take on some character.

All are fine choices.

 

[CLEM]

I’d probably go G10 myself, all very stable and robust handle material’s though, so I’d say just personal choice on which you like the looks of best pretty much.

Ive never had a play with any of those, very handsome knives i must say.

 

[JonathanD]

I’m for G10 as well. Followed by canvas micarta

 

[Longstrider]

From the picture in the link it looks like the the G10 has a smooth finish. With wet hands (which are so often cold wet hands) I'd steer away from that and give myself some grip on the thing by opting for the canvas micarta. Yes, it can take on a little moisture, but it can handle it. It might take a stain or two, but these are just character additions like the little nicks and 'dings' a working tool will inevitably pick up along the way.

I've heard one or two people complain that canvas micarta can be too rough if used for extended periods, but the knife in question doesn't strike me as a whittling and carving blade so I'm guessing is more likely to be a working tool for short. sharp use. (see what I did there ? )

 

[Watch-keeper]

All of them are good but if i was forced to choose then G10 only because I believe itis less absorbent.
You can get extremely grippy G10 and if you do have smooth G10 you can always sand it to give it more texture.

 

[trashcanman1984]

canvas micarta, for me it feels better in hand

 

[Nice65]

100% the orange G10. It's a great handle material, doesn't absorb water like a canvas micarta which in my experience wicks water inside. I have and ESEE3 and had a Spyderco Military with the fibrous canvas and both suck up moisture and change colour.

Drop any of those others into a pile of seaweed or a rock pool and you'll have trouble finding them. Longstrider is right about grip, but most knives have polished handles whether wood or linen/cotton micarta and rarely is grip a problem.

 

[shaggystu]

orange G10 and kydex every time.

 

[C_Claycomb]

If not for the sea use, I would have chosen a Micarta. In my experience there is not much to choose between fine sanded canvas and coarse sanded linen for grip.

G10 is a lot heavier per size because glass is denser than cotton. It will be noticeable.

If more grip is required on G10, you can modify it with diamond files to give a surface similar to that created by a CNC mill. Or use a dremel and sanding drums to really facet it as per many of Guy Stainthorp’s knives.

 

[slowworm]

I can't comment on the handles but will question the sea use. I've never needed a knife for collecting seaweed and I just use a cheap plastic handled stainless knife for gutting fish as it doesn't matter if its damaged.

 

[HorseGuy]

Out of interest what would happen to Micarta if it was repeatedly exposed to sea water or regularly used to cut up raw meat? Would it actually cause physical damage which effects the performance in any way or would it only mark the handle aesthetically?

I wouldn't mind a bit of staining or colorization. That just adds character. Just so long as it didn't negatively effect the performance.

 

[JonathanD]

I had a black micarta knife I used for a few years. RM Wilky. The handle started to bleach white and turned an overall grey colour. Its performance was never affected.

 

[TLM]

G10 is glass/epoxy circuit board base material, quite strong in many ways, absorbs little water (but some), stable and chemically fairly resistant.

Micarta apparently can be almost anything, several thermosets are used for various applications, several reinforcements are in use. So basically impossible to generalize for almost any property.

G10 is a known material. Sanding is a bit hard and the dust is on the unhealthy side (so sand very wet), when impacted or crushed one can get somewhat nasty fiberglass splinters in hands. As C_C said, slightly heavy.

I don't really have a preference on the paper, I don't have any knives having either one at the handle so no experience.

 

[Chris]

Out of interest what would happen to Micarta if it was repeatedly exposed to sea water or regularly used to cut up raw meat? Would it actually cause physical damage which effects the performance in any way or would it only mark the handle aesthetically?

I wouldn't mind a bit of staining or colorization. That just adds character. Just so long as it didn't negatively effect the performance.

No impact to performance, just cosmetic.

 

[Nice65]

With regard to my previous post about micarta sucking up water, I tested this yesterday. The green canvas on the ESEE3 is the sort of micarta I like, rough and fluffy that sheens down with use.

Weight is before and after sitting in water all night. So there’s very little absorption after all. 0.3g.





An experiment worth doing as I hear this a lot about micarta, people even going as far as to dissuade its use in freezing conditions for fear of frost cracking.

 

[Springchicken]

Greater familiarity made me cast my vote for canvas micarta: I have a couple of knives with handles made of it that are lovely to use. That said, I also have a G10 handled knife and I do like the extra bit of 'heft' in it. It makes the blade feel lighter and more manoeuvrable some how. So, in truth, I like both materials! Talk about indecision...!

 

[Stew]

With regard to my previous post about micarta sucking up water, I tested this yesterday. The green canvas on the ESEE3 is the sort of micarta I like, rough and fluffy that sheens down with use.

Weight is before and after sitting in water all night. So there’s very little absorption after all. 0.3g.


View attachment 105871
View attachment 105872

An experiment worth doing as I hear this a lot about micarta, people even going as far as to dissuade its use in freezing conditions for fear of frost cracking.

Any change of how the grip feels? A wet canvas micarta handle can feel a bit grippier for me in the wet if the fibres lift.