Yeah... That looks like black G10.

For the record, the picture with the all black Skinny ASH is not mine. Nor is picture and knives of the ones on the log. All of the red background pics and the pics on the granite are mine.

I usually try to remember to give credit to others when I borrow their pictures. But, I copy a LOT of pictures from the forums and save to my files. I don't usually notate who I borrowed the pictures from and often these days the pictures I borrow may have been previously borrowed as well. So, I just usually notate borrowed pics from others or similar. (* I went back and added a notation of "Borrowed pics").

Busse doesn't finish their micarta very well (IMO). They leave it too rough - unfinished. But, Busse's black G10 tends to look pretty nice. For a while there, I was getting a lot of "Fuzzies" on my micarta and leaning towards preferring G10 as the G10 just comes much more finished "looking" from Busse than their micarta. G10 doesn't have fibers that are prone to fuzz. G10 uses fiberglass mesh as opposed to cotton canvas in canvas micarta. But, G10 is heavier and a little hard feeling in the hand. While micarta is lighter and has a very nice tactile feel in the hand. And some of my recent pieces from Busse haven't had as many "loose" fuzzies although still a little fuzzy (IMO).

I actually like the "looks" of Busse's paper micarta a LOT because paper micarta doesn't really fuzz so much either. But, I have honestly never handled any of the paper micarta to judge weight and feel.

I have the linen micarta on my SARSquatch, but it is about as rough (in spots) as canvas micarta. Then smoother in some spots. Basically... finish is spotty. But, I am sure I can fix it easier. I just haven't gotten around to stripping my SARSquatch yet. It will be a user for sure. ...... Not sure why I am so reluctant to at least beat on some of my knives with the coatings. But, I just have it in my head that I dislike coatings so much that I haven't taken a coated blade with intent to use in years. I think the only two I can remember using with a coating were my Battle Rat and HRLM - which I quickly stripped.... reprofiled, sharpened and improved! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have a black G10 Ratmandu and a Chopweiler that looks very nice. But, the G10, while it looks nice, is noticably heavier in the hand - which I don't care for so much. I don't mind it in my Chopweiler so much, but I am not fond of it on the Ratmandu. So, my Ratmandu user is my micarta one. And my G10 one doesn't get used.

I was pretty big on G10 for Busse and Swamp Rat handles at first. But, because of the weight, I am more and more leaning back to prefering micarta and just working with the micarta to make it look better. I really don't like having to put so much effort into "fixing" micarta to make it look "finished", but with Busse, that is how it is. Sharpening is another issue I just have had to "accept".


I think the G10 was a $40 upgrade on the ASH if I remember correctly. I haven't used my black and tan G10 because I think I want to trade for micarta.

I wish Busse used more black and darker brown micarta. The tan is OK and I like black, but I also like green and darker brown. Most other makers only charge about $5 - $10 more for green or darker brown micarta.

I have seen a few pieces of tigerhide and snakeskin that looked nice, but I honestly don't like most of them - especially if to orange or with smooth mags.

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