Spyderco Glass Fibre questions...

[timberweasel]

I'm really enjoying this scale material--it feels good in hand, is easy on the pockets, and looks amazing. I only have one recently acquired specimen, so I can't comment on toughness and durability... yet. Glass fibre is also a welcome change of pace from the usual fare: FRN, G-10, carbon fibre, wood, bone, all-metal, etc (which are all fine and functional materials, having proved themselves several times over.)

I'd like to learn more about glass fibre. I know it's made through a process that is both chemical and mechanical, and that's about it. Please educate me! :)

-Is it possible to add more colours to the process? Imagine metallic/anodized colours introduced to the pattern for an even greater holographic effect...

-Can you create specific images or only patterns? If so, is it cost-prohibitive? I'm thinking it would be super-cool to see the Spydie bug logo embedded in the handle... :cool:

I can only think of a few Spydies that use glass fibre: Lum Chinese folder, Cricket, R, Centofante Memory and Gayle Bradley Air (love that silver twill look!) Any more out there? Any current models you'd want to see re-scaled in glass fibre? *coughcoughCentofante3cough*

I'd appreciate any input/thoughts! :)

Best regards,

Timber

[The Deacon]

AFAIK, the glass fiber itself is the same stuff used to make FRN, G-10, Corvette bodies, and home insulation. FRN uses the fibers in the form of chopped flock. For G-10 they are woven into a fiberglass cloth and embedded in a specific polymer resin. The newer versions alter the weave, and probably the resin, and may use finer or coarser glass fibers, but are otherwise the same. To me, anything is better than Spyderco's standard peel-ply G-10, and the silvery stuff used on the Centofante Memory and Bradley Air does look kind of nice. However, both it and the Nisijin (which I don't care for) share the same slickness and tendency to chip around drilled holes that are folks major complaints about glossy CF scales. Frankly, I'd rather see well done stabilized plywood (Dymondwood, Pakawood, etc), the textured CF used on the Sage I and Chaparral I, or G-10 with a more interesting surface treatment as on the PPT, Zulu, or Des Horn.

[gbelleh]

The glass fiber on the Air is great. It looks nice, has a nice grippy (but not too aggressive) texture to it, and doesn't seem to be prone to chipping. Taichung makes some great handle materials.

[jabba359]

I seem to remember seeing a video of Toyota's weaving machine used to make the Nishijin (or similar) carbon/glass fiber, but the video got taken down because the process is proprietary and closely guarded. As for colors, you can get all sorts of colors by dyeing the glass or Kevlar used in the weave. Check out this site for some cool carbon, carbon/Kevlar, carbon/Zylon, full Kevlar, carbon/glass, holographic carbon, reflective carbon, Texalium, and other fiber weaves in all sorts of colors: http://compositeenvisions.com

[timberweasel]

Thanks for the input, fellas!

I would agree 100% that many are going to be turned off by the lack of traction on any knife that has smooth handles. But I often wonder if the traction issue isn't somewhat overplayed--especially for regular ol' pocket knives (like traditional patterns, for example.) Personally, I don't really need super grippy scales or jimping on my EDC blades. YMMV of course... :)

I seem to remember seeing a video of Toyota's weaving machine used to make the Nishijin (or similar) carbon/glass fiber, but the video got taken down because the process is proprietary and closely guarded. As for colors, you can get all sorts of colors by dyeing the glass or Kevlar used in the weave. Check out this site for some cool carbon, carbon/Kevlar, carbon/Zylon, full Kevlar, carbon/glass, holographic carbon, reflective carbon, Texalium, and other fiber weaves in all sorts of colors: http://compositeenvisions.com

Thanks very much for the link, Kyle... beautiful materials! :eek: :cool:

-Brett

[The Deacon]

Thanks for the input, fellas!

I would agree 100% that many are going to be turned off by the lack of traction on any knife that has smooth handles. But I often wonder if the traction issue isn't somewhat overplayed--especially for regular ol' pocket knives (like traditional patterns, for example.) Personally, I don't really need super grippy scales or jimping on my EDC blades. YMMV of course... :)

-Brett

I don't need high traction scales either, but I do prefer them to provide enough traction that opening the knife one handed does not become problematic if my hands are not perfectly dry and oil free.

[Pharmagator]

I love the peel-ply G-10 --- it is a hard-use material that doesn't show a lot of minor wear... and grips you back better than titanium... I have carried a G-10 military since they came out in 1997... talk about impervious material that can handle anything I throw at it... Love the stuff! just my opinion... as for the glass fiber... I have a few but they strike me a a delicate material... I would much rather carry the large G-10 Lum than the glass fiber version... my wife loves the look of it... so I got her a glass fiber cricket... which she promptly lost...