benefits of G-10 handle vs FRN handle

[iyn]

What is the benefit of a G-10 handle vs. a FRN handle? What situations will you need a G-10 handle vs. FRN?

[APS]

I think perhaps the only practical benefit is a greater resistance to heat. A lot of people simply have a preference for it b/c they feel FRN looks and feels cheap. I am cheap, so I prefer FRN :p

[computernut]

Not sure but I think G10 is more rigid but G10 likes to rip up my pocket edges :rolleyes:

[gull wing]

Weaken the clip and no more jeans rip.

As far as performance (on a knife handle), there isn't much difference, so it comes to likes and dislikes.
I will say, G10 is more rigid when you flex a piece.

I like G10 over anything else on a folding knife because it isn't too grippy(as FRN can be) and has a uniform face(FRN can just take over the knife with it's pattern). It's understated if you will.

Now on a field dressing hunter I like canvas micarta.

I like wood also, but on a gent's knife.

[The Deacon]

There's no such thing a a perfect scale material. Each has its good points and its faults. At any given thickness, G-10 is more rigid than FRN. However, in a knife with liners that becomes something of a moot point. G-10 is more heat resistant, and more abrasion resistant, but neither are things a knife handle should be subjected to anyway and the down side is that, while FRN will bend and may dent a bit, G-10 will crack and possibly snap if flexed and will chip if hit hard enough. G-10 itself is about the same weight, but knives using it tend to be heavier than their FRN counterparts due to full, rather than nested, liners and steel backspacers rather than FRN ones. Grip is a function of texture, not material. Either can be super grippy or slippery as all get out. I suspect a lot of the apparent love for G-10 is more a case of folks thinking FRN looks cheap than anything else.

[Evil D]

I just prefer the feeling in hand of G10 over FRN. It has a sort of soft feel to it. I do like the bidirectional texture on the current FRN design though..i wish there was a way to get that into G10.

[Blerv]

Both materials are often very performance wise. They do have different tactile feedback and manufacturing style.

FRN handles are cheaper to make once you get past mold expenses. G10 are cheaper for smaller runs. They are also more prone to manufacturing inconsistencies.

FRN handles have less surface traction than peel-ply g10/cf. FRN doesn't tear up your pockets though for this reason. Either is perfectly viable for all uses.

Personally I'm not a big g10 fan as its a touch too aggressive (sometime extremely) for me. Also, flat boring scales are exactly that. Since our skin digs into the contours of a handle and surface it's not as much of a traction issue as people think. FRN with no/mild texturing can be slick though.

[fredswartz]

For me it is a matter of personal taste.
I used to dislike FRN as cheap until I found
out that FRN is nearly indestructible as
is G10. For an EDC I now prefer FRN.
Lighter and more user friendly for me but
then my EDC is a hard use tool.

My safe queens are spared this abuse.

[angusW]

I prefer G-10 over FRN due to the steel back spacers some knives use but mostly G-10 feels more comfortable in my hand. I also like the way it looks over FRN. As far as strength goes, I doubt most people would be able to break either material under normal or even hard use.

I am curious about the statement regarding G-10 being more heat resistant. I'm not trying to be difficult but I don't understand what that means in regards to a pocket knife.

[The Deacon]

I am curious about the statement regarding G-10 being more heat resistant. I'm not trying to be difficult but I don't understand what that means in regards to a pocket knife.

99.99% of the time, it's of absolutely no value. But there are moments where heat resistance can be either good and bad. About eight years ago I was helping a neighbor who'd just move into the building where I lived unpack. Loaned him an FRN Native. He rested it on the kitchen counter and, somehow, it got knocked onto the stove and right up against an electric burner his wife was boiling water for coffee on. Only got noticed with it started to smell bad. Made a mess of the handle. A G-10, Micarta, or CF handle would not have been damaged. OTOH, I think Tony could attest that FRN makes it easy to "engrave" your name with a soldering iron on a knife used for work.

[SpydieFan]

FRN makes a knife feel like you bought some cheapy thing... I did the FRN thing once... no more.

[Wolverine666]

I agree with FRN feeling cheap. I much prefer G10 with some nice stainless steel liners. Not to mention that most of my current favorites come with G10 handles : Para2 , Manix2 and Yojimbo2.

[Leatherneck]

"But these go to 11"

[yowzer]

Spyderco's peel-ply G-10 feels like you're holding a slab of concrete. Since I have wussy girly hands, I find this annoying. G-10 that's smooth, or milled into other patterns, is easier on the hands, but Spyderco only does that for a handful of knives, and it still feels too, hmm, cold and unyielding, compared to Micarta (My favorite knife handle material) or FRN.

I don't get people who say that FRN feels cheap. I've seen plenty of plastic handled knives that do, but Spydercos are different.

[kjbarrass]

For me G10 "feels" nicer, I dont know it just feels more solid. Also I think it feels grippier.

[defenestrate]

FRN "grippiness" is highly variant on texture - I find most of the spydie textures to be quite grippy especially in combination with good handle designs. Some are better than others, though.

I tend to feel that G10 looks nicer and is more uniformly grippy in the standard forms on spydies - some of the chinese byrd and spyderco models are a bit less grippy but still adequate in general (my gf is bothered by the G10 on my manixes but liked it on my Tenacious because it felt less grippy-the texture of more aggressive material is uncomfortable to her hands)

[Zenith]

G10:

Good material,
resistant to most things (oils and grease that I see on site)
can crack if the impact is big enough
feels like quality
can look exceptionally good (eye candy)

Can wear smooth in my uses

FRN
Good material
Resistant to most things (oils and grease)
Will ding rather then crack with high impacts
Wont wear as smooth in my experience

Feels and looks cheap sometimes, but really it is like heat treat, "plastic" technology has grown and there is a lot of research behind it, think of Pelican cases for example.

At the end. All good, just different, what ever works for you.

[ChrisR]

FRN-based knives tend to be lighter and cheaper ... but I think the cheapness isn't an indicator that FRN is worse but more that they are produced it bigger runs and G10 is a little more costly because it has to be cut & shaped, where FRN is molded.

I like FRN because the knives tend to be light, slim and the handles are all that I need them to be ... G10 has a nice feel to it but they are thicker and they feel less comfortable in the pocket.

[RanCoWeAla]

I just prefere the G-10 over the FRN because the FRN just looks cheap to me and I don't buy anything with FRN on it.

[iyn]

Thanks guys! I like FRN scales for it's light weight , but I've been reading it not as strong as G-10.