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The Best Way to Work Micarta Grips

Micarta is a composite made by cutting very thin layers of materials -- such as wood, linen, canvas and plastic -- and then stacking them, coating them in phenolic resin and pressing them to create one solid object. Because the resulting composite is durable, lightweight and molded, it is used for the grips of knives and guns. But even though micarta has a reputation for endurance, you can still take simple measures to keep it looking its best.

Things You'll Need

Cloth
Brush
WD-40
Safety goggles
Particle mask
Sand blaster
Pencil
Jig saw
Sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Clean your micarta grips if they are dirty, oily or muddy. Wet a cloth in water, and gently rub away any grit. Dry the wet grip, rather than letting it sit in moisture. Spray the grip with a lubricating agent like WD-40 to bring back the shine, and then wipe excess lubricant off with another cloth.
- 2
  Customize your micarta grips by sanding them. Wear a particle mask so as not to breathe in the dust. Use a rough grit, such as 120, to take off a lot of the surface layer and bring out different colors in sub-layers. Finish with multiple fine-grit sandpapers, such as 500- and 600-grit. Buff the micarta, if you want it extra smooth. Do this only if you don't need the grip to be textured, so that it's easier to hold.
- 3
  Make your micarta grip more textured by sandblasting it. Wear a particle mask and eye goggles for safety.
- 4
  Custom make a micarta grip to fit your knife or gun. Mark the shape you want with a pencil onto the micarta sheet, and cut it out with a jigsaw or circular saw. Again, wear protective eye goggles and a particle mask when cutting it.

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