Question regarding carbon fiber on Terzuola and Sage.

FLYBYU44 · #1

So I got my Terzuola about a week ago and have been EDCing it since then. Yesterday I noticed that around the edges of the scales the carbon fiber has been chipping ever so slightly. I tried to sand the chips out today and that worked but I don't know if it will chip again or not. Any suggestions? I don't want a knife were the handle is reduced to a pile of dust in a few years... I love the look of the carbon fiber but I now question how durable it is. Anyone have similar issues?

yablanowitz · #2

I wouldn't notice if I did. The cosmetics of a user knife are not important enough to me to reduce the handle to dust trying to keep up with small chips or scratches.

roguesoul · #3

Could be an issue. Can you take some pictures?

I don't have any chips out of mine. And I never noticed until just now, from a close inspection, the surface along the edge has some material flaked off. With my eyes I really have to look hard too see this flaking. There is not a lot either. But I looked at my Sage, which I've carried for a year or so, and there is no flaking at all. This may not be active flaking in my case, it may have been there all along.

You may want to send your knife to Sal for inspection. If you feel it's an issue it may be Spyderco can nip this in the bud.

TD22057 · #4

It's hard to see how the carbon fiber would flake as the fibers should run for a lot of the handle - could it be the epoxy finish that's flaking? If that's the case then I think sanding it down would take care of it.

roguesoul · #5

I'm not qualified to explain the manufacture of CF but suffice it to say, a bad batch can have bubbles form in the layers during the bonding and curing process. This would be an issue for aircraft and such, which would be put at risk from an improperly manufactured and weakened product. Not really all that critical in a knife handle.

TD22057 wrote:It's hard to see how the carbon fiber would flake as the fibers should run for a lot of the handle - could it be the epoxy finish that's flaking? If that's the case then I think sanding it down would take care of it.

FLYBYU44 · #6

It is just light flaking along the top layer, and around the edge. I would take a photo, but I sanded it off already so it's all smooth. Cosmetically I don't care what it looks like, I just wanted to get rid of the chips in case they turned into something bigger and my handle cracked or something. It may just be in the epoxy however. I smoothed the handle out now so hopefully it will be okay. I'm interested in how the carbon fiber would hold up compared to say G-10 or FRN.

TD22057 · #7

May not be relevant - but I just got a CF harpy on trade. The CF is a mirror finish on this one and there is definitely some chipping around the screws and lanyard tube. It's the clear coat surface finish that is chipping off, not the fibers. Not sure if the Terzuola finish is similar or not...

dc50 · #8

Thanks for the info! Sure hope its just the clear coat, that would be a positive for sure. :)

The Deacon · #9

TD22057 wrote:May not be relevant - but I just got a CF harpy on trade. The CF is a mirror finish on this one and there is definitely some chipping around the screws and lanyard tube. It's the clear coat surface finish that is chipping off, not the fibers. Not sure if the Terzuola finish is similar or not...

That was an issue with every hi-gloss CF Spyderco except (perhaps) the original C22 Walker. A fairly significant percentage of each CF model had those chips. Since it contained none of the carbon fiber for reinforcement, the thick layer of clear resin needed to allow a high gloss finish with "depth" was somewhat brittle.

The issue on the Terzuola sounds different. Since, from what I've read, it's the same CF that's been used on the Sage for about 2 years now and, AFAIK, this is the first report of something like this happening, it might be just an isolated case.

FLYBYU44 · #10

Quick update, I took 400 grit sandpaper to the entire edges of the handle and rounded them all off, this seems to have stopped the problem for now, at least no more chips have been spotted. Also feels better in the hand now too.

dc50 · #11

FLYBYU44 I just, sent you a message :)