Need Suggestions: Which type Plastic should I use?

[KevinWilkins]

I hope this is the best place for this question, so here goes!

I am looking at having grips injection molded in two parts for a military knife I have designed with another knifemaker. The grips would still be removable and held in place with screws. You can see pics of the handmade version of the knife ere: http://www.wilkins-knives.com/utility_e.html The injection molded grips will have a slightly different texturing, but you get the idea. The grips shown are machied from G-11 or Micarta.

Obviously we need a plastic for injection molding that is grippy when wet, impact resistant, heat resistant, etc. Probably some type of glass or Kevlar filled?

What would you folks suggest that would make a nice knife grip?

[ImanCarrot]

Just curious.. this aint my field, but always curious here:

Why not wood handles?

Grippy, not slippy.

[KevinWilkins]

You can't injection mold wood...

[airpro_1]

I would suggest going with nylon. It's easily moldable and extremely tough so it could take all of the environments your knife would be in.

I do Injection molding as my trade and nylon is probably our most used material it's just extremely rugged.

[KevinWilkins]

A glass filled nylon is one option we're talking about...

[Jim Estes]

I would recommend fiberglass filled nylon also. Just be sure that your molds are built tough enough for the fiberglass.

Jim

[KevinWilkins]

Thanks Jim, It doesn't look like I'll be making the molds myself, I have a pretty good quote from one company here in Berlin and will get another from a company in Istanbul who do a lot of work in the firearms industry.

The knife in question is the Jordan/Wilkins Military knife which you can see pics of here: http://www.wilkins-knives.com/utility_e.html

[plasticpeter]

Another alternative (but expensive) is to have the grips two-part moulded in glass-reinforced nylon with some of the outer surface overmoulded in a more grippy thermoplastic elastomer material.

You see this often on good quality hand tools and it really does make for a superior product. I'm not an expert on this but I think you are looking at adding something like 30 to 40% to your costs.

[airpro_1]

I don't know that glass fill is really necessary and you could go with a outer surface of neoprene as in some of the higher end hand tools. We have worked with neoprene on several of our products and you can get it in several grades, colors, etc. Glass fill would be great if you were building a structural part but just to have as an exterior surface i feel would would be adding expense and pretty unnecessary not to mention having to have a coated/hardened mold to keep the glass fill from removing the surface of your mold. Our nylon parts with glass fill are extremely durable but you tend to crack or chip them when hit just right. Nylon 6 by itself remains tough but flexible and tends to lend itself to abuse a little better in an application that not structural.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps

[Boots]

Have you considered Polycarbonated Plastic? The stuff they make lenses out of for eye glasses and it is also used for windshilds in our Fighter Aircraft. It's very strong,clear and will take a heck of a wack to break it.

[airpro_1]

Polycarbonate is an outstanding choice but again a bit overkill for handles-the pricing of polycarbonate is very expensive. I think the last time we purchased PC it was over $5(US) per pound- nylon is closer to $2(US) per pound. Also PC when it is stressed (i.e. using a bolt to retain it) if it is tightened to much you will get stress cracks (crazing) radiating from the bolt hole which will cause brittleness in your part and make it easier to break if it were wacked.

If this part were to be structural I would definately say go with fiber reinforced nylon you almost can't beat it in rugged tests. If it was to be an injection molded single part then I would go with the PC.

But i would say your best bet for hand grips is a textured mold with Nylon.

[KevinWilkins]

Thanks for the info!

I don't think PC would be a good choice for the grips but I'll try and find out more. Nylon – whether with or without fibres – is looking more like it.

Does anyone know what types of plastic are used for pistol grips on modern pistols?