TTFulltimer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:54 pm
FRN Fiber Reinforced Nylon. Nylon is not much of a bearing surface. And the glass fiber does not help. Delrin (homopolymer) or Celcon (
copolymer) are decent light duty bearing materials, but not with glass reinforcing. But what do I know? I was only working on the original formulations of FRN on the Rubber and Plastics bench in Body Material Department of the Ford Motor Company in 1964.
I know the Spyderco site now lists the Native LW's handle material as FRN, but it used to say FRCP (fiber reinforced co-polymer), and it still did when I bought my N5 Salt. I don't know the reason for this change in the specs, but I'm tempted to think they're actually still using FRCP in the Golden factory, and that this change is just a way to simplify their marketing language. Please correct me if anyone knows better.
90% of my LW's are Salts, and the basically non-existent need for maintenance is one of the main attractions of the Salt line to me.
My N5 Salt is one of my most used folding knives, or knives even. I don't use my folding knives hard in a mechanical sense, but from a chemical point of view, this thing gets a beating. Sweat, salt water, blood, entrails, food remains, just about everything. If it's not too messy I scrub it with soap and hot water and leave it to dry. If it's really covered in sticky goo, I leave it in hot soap water for a few hours and finish off with the normal routine. Never lubed or cared for in any other way (except sharpening), works like a charm.
I'm not sure that non-Salt LW's (even if linerless) would appreciate the same treatment, but there is nothing from my anecdotal experience to suggest that lubrication is necessary for these knives.