Double Black Canvas Micarta Issues.

[Delta Handmade Knives]

This is the second time this happens to me and now I am wondering if this is a thing with double black canvas micarta. The first time with a 3/8" piece from retail vendor "A" and now with a 3/16" piece from retail vendor "B". I am not mentioning vendors because they sell knife supplies and did not make the material, they just buy it and re-sell it. I don't feel it is their fault. Anyway here is the issue.

I seem to be stumbling upon what I can best describe as a 'bad layer or layers' of the micarta. It shows up as little pits when you polish the material. It looks like I didn't sand good enough but trust me I sanded and re-sanded and you can sand all the way to China and it will not go away.

Here is what it looks like:





In my opinion these two handles are not fit for finished knives. The hole point of using double black canvas micarta is to get that nice, even black all throughout and this issue ruins that. To make matters worse, you don't get to see this flaw until after sanding and polishing. So, by then a lot of work has going into that material only to find out it is junk.

Has anyone had this happen with double black canvas micarta? Am I just unlucky or is this a known thing with double black canvas micarta?

 

[opaul]

This is the second time this happens to me and now I am wondering if this is a thing with double black canvas micarta. The first time with a 3/8" piece from retail vendor "A" and now with a 3/16" piece from retail vendor "B". I am not mentioning vendors because they sell knife supplies and did not make the material, they just buy it and re-sell it. I don't feel it is their fault. Anyway here is the issue.

I seem to be stumbling upon what I can best describe as a 'bad layer or layers' of the micarta. It shows up as little pits when you polish the material. It looks like I didn't sand good enough but trust me I sanded and re-sanded and you can sand all the way to China and it will not go away.

Here is what it looks like:

View attachment 84015

View attachment 84016

In my opinion these two handles are not fit for finished knives. The hole point of using double black canvas micarta is to get that nice, even black all throughout and this issue ruins that. To make matters worse, you don't get to see this flaw until after sanding and polishing. So, by then a lot of work has going into that material only to find out it is junk.

Has anyone had this happen with double black canvas micarta? Am I just unlucky or is this a known thing with double black canvas micarta?

Well they look terrible- send them to me to dispose. JK!
I’ve had that happen with Gcarta. But not to that extent. A little super glue and it disappears. In your scales it seems more pronounced or widespread.
I wish I could help but I haven’t had that issue but I haven’t use that particular micarta.

It’s my understanding that when this happens the material did not take a uniform set in the curing process.

 

[mike miller]

You don’t have a black marker?

 

[Delta Handmade Knives]

I'll try both (CA on one and black marker on the other) and see what happens. I've already given up on those handles so I have nothing to lose by trying. Going to laugh at myself pretty good if that's all it takes to fix it.

Thanks guys!

 

[Taz575]

I've seen micarta that has tiny air bubbles. They collect sanding dust/polishing residue and really stand out. If you wipe down with denatured alcohol and try to "wash" the pits out, it may blend better coloring wise? Or try the CA glue in them, but that will leave those spots as shinier than the rest of the handle typically.

 

[Delta Handmade Knives]

To my surprise, the marker (sharpie) worked remarkably well on one of these two. After touching the spot with the marker I quickly rubbed the spot with a paper towel to remove that excess ink that looks a different color and it did remove the excess. On the one sample where this worked, you can hardly see anything. I could not have hoped for much better.

On the other sample, it helped a little, but did not resolve the issue. I have not tried the CA glue yet and not sure if I'm going to due to those shiny spots you mentioned, Taz575. Thinking of some other ways to approach this. Will update with any further results.