Carbon fibre knife handle?

[tytek]

Has anyone tried using carbon fibre as a material for a knife handle?

I have a sheet of it and I am considering using it for a first homemade knife handle (using a Mora clipper blade).

I would be using 9 layers - it is 2mm thick sheet. 18mm thick sounds about right. Your opinions are invited.

I'm assuming epoxy is going to be the best thing to hold things together???

The handle would be cut into the basic shape then rounded off and sanded smooth.

What would you recommend to finish it to a shine?
I'd like to use auto laquer but I don't know if it would be very durable.

Advice and critisism invited.

 

[FGYT]

ive got some 10mm i planing to use on a knife the ones ive seen on here and BB look smart ive got some nice stainless tube to go with it

ATB

Duncan

 

[tytek]

ive got some 10mm i planing to use on a knife the ones ive seen on here and BB look smart ive got some nice stainless tube to go with it

Where do you get your tubes from???

 

[FGYT]

Where do you get your tubes from???

i gotthe stainless of a classified on BB brass n alu i get fro ma model shop carbon fibre from an on line Kite shop

basically anywhere i can

ATB

Duncan

 

[bushwacker bob]

This is my current EDC with CF scales. I was a bit dubious when I first got it but it works quite well,is light weight and hard wearing.
Sorry its a poor picture.
Wear breathing apparatus to work it. The dust isn't good for the lungs.

 

[tytek]

Wear breathing apparatus to work it. The dust isn't good for the lungs.

Thanks for the tip - last thing I need is to make myself poorly!!!

 

[Trunks]

I bought my Carbon Fibre from a chap on BB. Use a mask, the dust is pretty horrible.

S/S tubes & Corby bolts & liners I got from Brisa:

https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[tytek]

Nice!!!
Did you use epoxy to hold it all together???

 

[Trunks]

Yes, i used Araldite Precision, then clamped it up in the vice for 24 hours.

One tip, take your time sanding the handle. The corby bolts can get quite hot when sanding, which can end up scorching the surrounding material.

Have fun with it.

 

[wanderingblade]

Where do you get your tubes from???

You can get brass and steel tube fron B&Q

Carbon Fibre has been used as a handle material for years - a nice, stable material but without the soul of wood.

 

[tytek]

Carbon Fibre has been used as a handle material for years - a nice, stable material but without the soul of wood.

No soul???
I thought it would give some intresting effects when it was laquered.

 

[Trunks]

I have to say wonderingblade has a point.

Although the CF creates some wonderfully abstract pattern, looks great and is hard as nails, it does feel cold and lifeless compared to wood.

All I did to finish mine was sand with very fine wet & dry, then polish on the wheel- using paste

 

[Trunks]

looks great and is hard as nails, it does feel cold and lifeless compared to wood.

Just re-read this & it reminds me of something a GF said about a purchase from Anne Summers!

 

[JonathanD]

I love CF as a knife handle. Far from cold and lifeless too, I've always gone with wood and antler as I dislike micarta, but CF really won me over. I find it warm, light and beautiful to look at. See here, a few posts down:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26423&page=2&highlight=twins

 

[Chainsaw]

I just finished one here, you can get a great finish by sanding up the grades to 1200.

Cheers,

Alan

 

[JonathanD]

I just finished one here, you can get a great finish by sanding up the grades to 1200.

Cheers,

Alan

They look great

CF is amazingly grippy and tactile too. No idea why as you'd expect it to feel slippery when wet, but somehow, it doesn't

 

[MrEd]

my brother has a carbon fibre camera tripod and its really nice, grippy, nice looking, light and strong. i like it, its a bit 'tactical' though for me