What is Micarta...

[Talyn]

and what makes it a great knife handle.

What is Micarta

 

[Sld1959]

I don't much like paper micarta, but linen makes a decent knife handle. It's finest feature being the natural tackiness of the linen fibers when wet.

 

[deadduck357]

Essentially laminated paper. Good stuff.

 

[Sld1959]

Essentially laminated paper. Good stuff.

There are several substrates which are generally used. Paper and canvas or linen being the most used. Canvas and linen, due to the weave of the
fabric, have a somewhat tacky feel when wet, making it, in my opinion, better for knife handles.

The issue with micarta, again in my opinion, is that it is dense and heavy forbits rekative thickness. This is both a strength and weakness. For smaller blades I find that it effects the balance of the knife towards the handle. For this reason I seldom use it on small to medium blades, especially those that have bolsters or guards which add weight to the handle area.

For handguns the added weight could probably help with recoil but might effect balance on small handguns like jframes. This is simply supposition however as I have never used it on a firearm.

 

[Sld1959]

This, is where I personally think micarta really shines, in a large chopping type blade which might be used in all types of weather. The weight would help balance the longer blade and the tacky surface help with wet or sweaty hands.

 

[Brawny]

My EDC is a Benchmade with a G10 handle. This is a fiberglass/resin composite that's superstrong and just the right weight. It's stonger than Micarta, but that is also likely reflected in the overall price tag of the knife. I'm not sure about "tackiness" of G10 when wet, but the knife has stippling in all the right places, whether using a forward or reverse grip. That said, you can't go wrong with Micarta.