Any of you guys make paper micarta?

Self Made Knives

Self Made Knives

Well-Known Member
First let me say, I'm not really that interested in making normal micarta, sounds like a lot of mess and probably ends up costing about the same in the end. But, what I am interested in is making an occasional "custom" micarta with a specific logo or pattern in it. So, two questions come to mind.

How is paper micarta from a performance perspective? I've used linen and canvas micartas, but never paper. Is it as durable and lasting as the others? Does it stain or leech out colors in any way?

Second question, have you every tried printing multiple logos or designs with a laser printer so they could be stacked up for paper micarta? Assuming you could keep them in line, would the ink/toner stand up to normal knife use/abuse? Sunlight? Would the epoxy smear the ink/toner?

I've got a potential customer that wants to order about a 6-10 knives with his company logo in the handle. I've been daydreaming all day about ways to pull it off and printing them out and making paper micarta is about the best I've come up with. Ideas?
 
I use black and Ivory paper from Tracy, and I love it. It's a classy look if you ask me. I believe Robert Belcher is doing what you are considering. I'm not sure if he would do a custom order for you, but I bet he would.
 
You could try making the handle and then putting the logo on by scrimshaw. Use a template to mark the outline of the logo on the handle and then scratch the surface with a needle or Exacto blade and ink it. I think that it would be more possible than trying to keep layers of printed paper lined up in the press so the image didn't look fuzzy.

Doug
 
Well, Darrin, I just did one with a logo on the blade, but this guy wants the blades black. So, I don't think etching would show up. Jess, is Robert the guy that had pics one here a few months ago of scales that looked like the Constitution or Declaration of Independence or something like that? Doug, if I were just doing one, maybe. I don't think I could keep multiple scales all exactly the same.

I'm sure there are guys out there that could make what I'm talking about with cnc or laser or whatever, but I've never farmed out anything and don't really want to start. I haven't told the guy I will do it yet, it depends on whether I think I can come up with something that will work.
 
I like the idea of printing but I don't think a laser printer will work best. Laser printers basically melt plastic on top of the paper, as you sand the scale you would sand it off so you would end up with layers of white and printing not a full logo. If you used an ink jet printer and the cheep paper that the ink soaks into you might have better luck but the logo will not stay crisp as the ink soaks in. Also you will have to experimenter with different epoxy to make sure they don't cause the ink to bled more. I think it is cool idea and worth some testing to see if you can make it work.

Once you get the ink and epoxy figured out, keeping pages aligned is going to be the next challenge. I think that can be overcome with a frame of wood that you let get glued to the paper and cut it off when you cut up the scales.
 
Sure it will. Just etch deeply, fill the etch with nail polish, sand flat, blacken the blade, & remove the nail polish. Just don'the use the DC side of the etcher and give it a quick buff before applying the nail polish. Try it on a piece of scrap for practice.
 
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I'm wondering if you layered it with a piece of cloth every now and again (like 5 paper 1 cloth) if that wouldn't help keep it from sliding around in the press. I almost think a little sliding would be interesting as you finish it, or make a pattern out of the logo that repeats, and maybe have one color every now and again to stand out. The trick is to have a legible (but not perfect) rendition of the logo visible on the flat or swell I suppose. I've not done it with paper, but I have tried to use patterned cloth in a similar manner, to where the pattern remains prominent - the only thing that stayed visible was a flat section.
 
The customer (potentially) seemed pretty adamant that he wanted the handles of the knives to "be" the logo. These are to be used in an outdoor team competition and he wants them to "look" like their company, even while in a kydex sheath. I looked up the guy that was mentioned above, well I think it's him, and he's making a product called Carvex. It is exactly like what I was thinking, the design goes all the way through, but not sure how he's making it. I told the customer if I couldn't make them look perfect, I wouldn't do it.
 
Not to be a downer, but when customers start asking for custom made materials, I would personally have to decline the project. The time and effort one will put into such a venture will most likely eat up any and all profits to be had. I am into knife making, not knife material making, so it would be a deal breaker as far as I'm concerned. There are plenty of materials to choose from and many tried and true methods to personalize a knife. An idea I might suggest where you don't have to create a new product would be to inlay a piece of stainless or nickle silver into the Micarta (or other material) handle and etch or engrave the logo. That way it would be part of the handle like your client wants and visible while sheathed. Just a suggestion. Take it for what it's worth.
 
See....you did one custom logo for one person, now everyone wants something custom. :D I tried to warn you. ;) :)

I agree with Brandant. Starting to personalize stuff for folks becomes a constant headache. I'd leave that to them after the fact. Plus, there is quite often a certain connotation about personalized or logo'd stuff....it could be mistaken for all the cheap, mass produced china made junk and be looked at as trinkets. That's not really something you want associated with your hand made knives.

We all know your knives are WAY better than that. Not saying that will happen...but it could be an unintended consequence if you get too much into trying to accommodate everyone's personalized tastes with your knives.
 
Yeah, you guys are right of course, but this guy seems to have deep pockets! I just keep thinking if I could pull it off, it might be worth it in $$$. I've been trying to get the nerve to charge more anyway, so I told him it would be expensive. He didn't blink. I think I may just tell him no, sounds like it's just something I'm not equipped for now. Maybe when I get my little cnc mill finished...
 
I kinda like the idea of printing up some logo and turning it into paper micarta,. I haven't done it but I'm interested. let us know what you find out!
 
Just thinking out loud, but this is done on surfboards. After shaping is complete, the decal/print is laid down and then glassed over. The wetting of the decal with epoxy resin is what makes the backing disappear. The end result is that the graphics appear to be inside the board. YouTube should have plenty of vids showing this process. Now, I'm not sure how well this process would work on a knife handle- I'm just trying to figure out how you can try this without spending a million bucks and twice that in man hours.
 
I'm 100% on board with J Doyles take on this, but.....
You'll have to let go of this idea of doing every thing yourself, some people are much more qualified than others at certain tasks. I've run into this myself and went to the proffessionals. Make your knives complete, bring them to your local laser engraver. He can 'cut' whatever logo you want in whatever font and size on any surface and depth (so I'm told) even the pins. Problem solved unless you need colors. If you do, go deep and fill with colored epoxy, sand flush. The cost was less than I'd thought it would be, best of all it was quick.

Probably not what you wanted to hear.

Rudy
 
Yeah, Rudy, I know. I guess it's a personality defect.:biggrin: I don't hire plumbers, electricians, carpenters, landscapers, etc. I am a "do it yourself" guy on everything. After roofing a dozen houses in my life, I did finally hire one out not long ago. Guess I'm slipping.
 
Self Made Knives said:
Yeah, Rudy, I know. I guess it's a personality defect.:biggrin: I don't hire plumbers, electricians, carpenters, landscapers, etc. I am a "do it yourself" guy on everything. After roofing a dozen houses in my life, I did finally hire one out not long ago. Guess I'm slipping.
Click to expand...

I'm with ya, 46 years in the building trade.
Roofs are the FIRST thing I subbed out, lol. Time comes when you have to decide on how much money and time you want to waste instead of having it done right quickly and maybe cheaply. I still consider doing it all IF I can but I only have so much time to waste. You can't know and do it all.


Rudy
 
Anthony
I do not have any idea how to make paper micarta. I wouldn't have a clue. But, I have another idea for you to consider. I saw a post about using a business logo to make a pin. I do not know what the business logo you have entails but perhaps have a custom pin made for the 5 or so knives as opposed to the paper micarta. Just a thought. Then you can make matching knives to fit the pins. Simpler and perhaps easier than the micarta. It will depend on the complexity of the business logo.
DeMo
 
Okay...instead of just saying "It might be a bad idea", I'll offer another alternative to the great ideas already mentioned.

I like the idea of inlaying a badge or shield with the logo into the handle. I also like John's surfboard concept.

A different take on the inlay is to use a window frame technique. You could have the badge or shield made up and cut a window into one of your scales. The backside of the window could be recessed out a little bigger than the front. The front of the window would just fit the shape of the badge. The badge could have a lip or rim around it so that it could be slipped into the window from the back side of the scale and the lip on the badge would rest in the bigger pocket in the back side of the scale so that from the front, the badge is nice and tight in the window and the hidden lip can't be seen but it would be held in place securely assuring it could never pop out.

That wouldn't be too difficult after you had the logo badge made. Hope that made sense.
 
Dennis, those custom pins are cool, but I think what this guy wants is the handle a certain color with the company logo and name prominent. His logo/company name is kind of a stylized eagle followed by the name. What he's imagining, would be a green handle with a logo centered in white.

John, your idea has got me thinking. Maybe make the knives with just the green color he wants, but include the captured logo badge behind a second layer of kydex on the sheaths. Custom kydex might be easier than custom micarta.

The more I've tossed this around the more I'm talking my self out of it, heck I don't know. I don't really make knives to make money, I've got a day job for that, so this may end up being more hassle than its worth. I reinvest any profits I make back into the hobby pretty much, so I usually look at it as what tool can I buy next or how can I improve my shop with that money. I'm going to keep thinking about it, who knows. Hmmm...I do really want a plasma cutter though......
 
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