Spyderco Forums

Has anyone ever broken an FRN handle? I've been using my Para 3 LW and it has been a really solid user. I was curious to the strength of FRN because the material seems to take everything I throw at it. Also, I have yet to really see a FRN handle broken. More commonly, I have seen the blade break before the handle does.

Hi DeadForests,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

I haven't, and I've used mine pretty hard.

I have never even come close to cracking or breaking FRN. I've dinged an FRN handle a tiny bit from accidentally dropping it onto rough blacktop, but no damage.

I read a post somewhere on the forum (possibly by Michael Janich?) that stated that FRN can be tougher/more durable than G10.

Jim

DeadForests wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 4:10 pm

Has anyone ever broken an FRN handle? I've been using my Para 3 LW and it has been a really solid user. I was curious to the strength of FRN because the material seems to take everything I throw at it. Also, I have yet to really see a FRN handle broken. More commonly, I have seen the blade break before the handle does.

Welcome to the forum!

No, just like Vivi I don´t baby my FRN knives at all (and I almost exclusively have FRN/FRCP Spydies these days), and never even came close to breaking one - and that´s true for handles without liners too.

In a way FRN is even stronger than G10 (though I am not sure "stronger" is technically the right term)- see these posts by Michael Janich viewtopic.php?t=89908&start=80#p1532174 ; viewtopic.php?t=89908&start=80#p1532157

I believe that with a really hard impact FRN is more likely to just "dent" a bit, but not "chip".

Anyway: I think FRN (but also G10) the way Spyderco does it, is multiple times stronger than it would necessarily have to be for the use in a folder handle

I've never broken frn of any company and I do think Spyderco has the best frn. I have really pressed my Native 5 on a task once. It got to the point where it was creaking (I can't even remember what I was doing) but it was completely fine after that.

I have posted this before, but in my many years here the only broken FRN handle that I can recall being posted was a Salt 1 that was run over by a Bobcat while the blade was stuck into the ground.

araneae wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:20 pm

I have posted this before, but in my many years here the only broken FRN handle that I can recall being posted was a Salt 1 that was run over by a Bobcat while the blade was stuck into the ground.

Deliberately? Regardless, wow, what a torture test!

Frn definitely flexes more than some of the other materials.

But its plenty strong enough. I dont worry about it.

The word that applies to FRN is “tough.” Toughness denotes how much work must be expended to propagate a fracture in a given material. For example, soft mild steel is not as hard or strong as hardened and tempered high carbon steel. However, the mild steel has better resistance to fracture, so it has better toughness.

Bill1170 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 6:31 pm

The word that applies to FRN is “tough.” Toughness denotes how much work must be expended to propagate a fracture in a given material. For example, soft mild steel is not as hard or strong as hardened and tempered high carbon steel. However, the mild steel has better resistance to fracture, so it has better toughness.

Well said. When I hear toughness, that is what I think. FRN would probably flex more than other material before being stressed to a fracture. Other material may fracture before getting to the same amount of flex. Of course, the amount of pressure would need to be increased to flex other materials.

All that said, I don't think I would ever be concerned with cracking handle material under heavy use.

Over and over (and over), I find myself thinking, "This knife would be even better in FRN. Preferably linerless." Preferably a Salt steel, too, but that's a whole 'nuther discussion.

I really don’t think FRN will disappoint you . I have never had a failure of that type of scale . Regards MG2

It is ironic that the less expensive scale material, FRN, is the one I like the best. Usually I like the expensive option. I understand the high cost of injection molds, but once they are made, the cost per scale goes way down.

FRN is light, tough, comfortable in hand, and easy on pockets. The traction with bidirectional texturing is also excellent. What’s not to like?

Bill1170 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 8:24 pm

It is ironic that the less expensive scale material, FRN, is the one I like the best. Usually I like the expensive option. I understand the high cost of injection molds, but once they are made, the cost per scale goes way down.

FRN is light, tough, comfortable in hand, and easy on pockets. The traction with bidirectional texturing is also excellent. What’s not to like?

I go back and forth on this so much. I love all of my frn knives but I feel like I got brainwashed into thinking lesser of them. Aluminum is probably my favorite for folding knives but there's something about frn's feel. I used to be a G10-head when budget knives started coming out in G10 and I wanted everything in G10. I've changed my tune.

tbdoc4kids wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:28 pm

araneae wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 5:20 pm

I have posted this before, but in my many years here the only broken FRN handle that I can recall being posted was a Salt 1 that was run over by a Bobcat while the blade was stuck into the ground.

Deliberately? Regardless, wow, what a torture test!

Inadvertently during some sort of landscape or construction project I think.

I haven't, but all my Para 3 LWs give me a feeling that they bend at the middle during hard use. But it's just a feeling, haven't broken any FRN-handled knives so far (both Seki and Golden), and I LOVE Para 3 LWs (going on 8-9 copies).

I recently came to the conclusion that I am an FRN guy after picking up a G10 PM2. Nothing wrong with the knife, it’s great in fact, I just prefer FRN. Micarta looked like something cool, but after looking at the way it needs to be done, it’s just not for me. FRN for life.

Incredibly tough stuff...most likely you'll snap the blade, bend the stainless liners, or twist the pivot before you will crack frn. I always chuckle, when I read someone write that frn is cheap and not durable. It reveals that they have little to no experience with it. I just love the frn that Spyderco uses on their Seki models. It's so refined, well-designed, and provides so much utility.

I have owned and still own quite a few Spyderco folders with FRN handles. There is nothing at all wrong with FRN handled folders. I find the material easy to maintain and keep clean and extremely durable.

However G-10 has slowly become my ultimate favorite knife handle material. I find that the G-10 has considerably more grip factor and also easy to maintain.

Even with that said I would never be deterred from buying a model I really loved if it has an FRN handle. I just like G-10 better myself.