carbon fiber scales - where to get?

[shaved_*****]

Where can I get carbon fiber scales? Thanks!

 

[Fnord5]

You likely have to make your own.
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=40_218_313
They have a pretty nice selection of composite scale materials.

 

[shaved_*****]

You likely have to make your own.
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=40_218_313
They have a pretty nice selection of composite scale materials.

awesome! are there any threads here showing how to cut, sand(?), and finish carbon fiber?

 

[Dubbya]

That layered carbon fiber would look really sharp as a set of scales.

I don't know about cutlery scales but carbon fiber as used for automotive applications is finished by wet sanding as one would finish painted fiberglass and then clear coated if being left "naked". I asked my father-in-law the body shop guy.

 

[Fnord5]

Not that I have seen, I would lurk on some knife forums.


I would assume that it is the same as working with micarta or fiberglass.
Wear a respirator, and long sleeve shirts with gloves.
I think Philadelph made some (yeah, lots )
( http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=70300
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=60546
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=54279
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=58201
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=57505
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=57504
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=55699
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=53837
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=49880
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=49232 )

 

[fatpanda]

Check this out for material

http://www.masecraftsupply.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MU&Category_Code=CFC3K

 

[GsSixgun]

CF is not something to just jump into making....
I really, really, would suggest you pm Alex first and ask him seriously about the safety factors of it... He has done more of that then the rest of us, and I know he did extensive research into it before he started.....

 

[English]

Glen is giving really important advice.

Carbon fiber dust is dangerous and you need to take precautions like a face mask. Some woods are also seriously risky.

As to how do you make CF scales?

The material is as tough as aluminum.

I cut the basic shape with a jig saw, but you need to get the correct blade.
It's the one for cutting bathroom tiles. I think the blade is called tungsten carbide and it looks like a black grit rather than cutting teeth. The blades I purchased are made by Bosch and I actually found it easier to cut the CF than wood. To then sand the scales, I used wet and dry sandpaper. I used an 80 grit to shape the scale and remove bulk material and then worked up 120, 240,400,800,1000,3000 to get a smooth finish. It sounds time consuming but it is relatively easy. Finally, you need to have a fresh drill to put the pin holes in the scales. If it ain't sharp it will struggle to cut cleanly.

There are two other things you may need to know. The CF you purchase is probably coated with a resin protection and you will need to sand the
surface of the finished scales to remove the resin. A final polish can be achieved by hand with a fine grit polish such as Chromium Oxide or fine abrasive metal polish. Finally, the scales are like metal and don't bend. Wood and plastic has a degree of natural flex. You need to think about this when you fit the base wedge which may need to be slightly wider than normal.

I am a novice at scale making and don't have any fancy polishers or cutting/polishing machines and to be honest, I found the CF scales much easier to make than wooden scales. This said, the cutting and polishing is very dusty and dirty and you have been warned that the dust is dangerous if inhaled.

Oh, one more thing, the raw material is relatively expensive and actually, the pro's who will make and sell you scales don't actually charge all that much for what is a messy skillful task. If you only want one set of scales, the pro's will do it better and cheaper IMHO and at no risk to your health.

 

[shaved_*****]

Glen is giving really important advice.

Carbon fiber dust is dangerous and you need to take precautions like a face mask. Some woods are also seriously risky.

As to how do you make CF scales?

The material is as tough as aluminum.

I cut the basic shape with a jig saw, but you need to get the correct blade.
It's the one for cutting bathroom tiles. I think the blade is called tungsten carbide and it looks like a black grit rather than cutting teeth. The blades I purchased are made by Bosch and I actually found it easier to cut the CF than wood. To then sand the scales, I used wet and dry sandpaper. I used an 80 grit to shape the scale and remove bulk material and then worked up 120, 240,400,800,1000,3000 to get a smooth finish. It sounds time consuming but it is relatively easy. Finally, you need to have a fresh drill to put the pin holes in the scales. If it ain't sharp it will struggle to cut cleanly.

There are two other things you may need to know. The CF you purchase is probably coated with a resin protection and you will need to sand the
surface of the finished scales to remove the resin. A final polish can be achieved by hand with a fine grit polish such as Chromium Oxide or fine abrasive metal polish. Finally, the scales are like metal and don't bend. Wood and plastic has a degree of natural flex. You need to think about this when you fit the base wedge which may need to be slightly wider than normal.

I am a novice at scale making and don't have any fancy polishers or cutting/polishing machines and to be honest, I found the CF scales much easier to make than wooden scales. This said, the cutting and polishing is very dusty and dirty and you have been warned that the dust is dangerous if inhaled.

Oh, one more thing, the raw material is relatively expensive and actually, the pro's who will make and sell you scales don't actually charge all that much for what is a messy skillful task. If you only want one set of scales, the pro's will do it better and cheaper IMHO and at no risk to your health.

Thank you very much for the detail. I will have to think more about if CF is a project I want to get into. Who are the pros?

 

[The Knize]

<Some woods are also seriously risky.>

Can someone expand on that a bit?

 

[English]

The dust from certain wood can be dangerous and again you should exercise caution and not inhale the dust.

I don't know enough about which woods, but I have read postings from guys who really know warning about exercising caution with the dust from some exotic wood species.

 

[English]

Shaved*****

You might wish to contact Glen who posted above and ask him if he can help, he has a good reputation.

Also, you can ask some of the other restorers on the SRP forum...

http://straightrazorplace.com/classifieds/showcat.php/cat/4

Hope that helps.

 

[BigBubba]

<Some woods are also seriously risky.>

Can someone expand on that a bit?

Here's a start from woodcraft,

http://www2.woodcraft.com/PDF/wood_toxicity.pdf

I know I've seen more recent and comprehensive lists, but I'm not sure where right now. You can find a ton of info if you google around a bit.

Keep in mind that any wood can cause irritation to both the eyes and lungs that may lead to infection. Years ago I got a staph infection in my eyelid (not fun) that started from sanding a "safe" wood. Now I always wear a respirator and goggles.