Micarta in stock
Micarta is a laminate of fabric, usually linen, canvas or paper, saturated with phenolic resin and compressed. It is warmer and softer in the hand than G10, it gains grip when wet, and it develops a patina with use.
Because the base is cloth rather than glass, Micarta is slightly less hard than G10 and noticeably warmer to hold in cold weather. Many people find it more comfortable over a long session.
It has a genuinely useful property: as the surface texture opens up with use, a lightly worn Micarta handle becomes grippier when damp rather than more slippery.
Micarta absorbs a small amount of oil from your hands and darkens over years, particularly the lighter natural and tan colors. Some owners consider that the main attraction; others sand it back.
It is dimensionally stable and waterproof for practical purposes, so care is the same as G10: soap, water and a brush. It will scratch more easily than G10, which is part of how the patina forms.
The term is not academic here. 105 of the products currently on our shelves describe this feature in their own manufacturer specifications, across 8 of the nine brands we stock. Examples in stock right now include Boker Trppr Micarta, Case Highbanks Revoindie Red Burlap, Buck Paklite Field Kit Pro OD Green.
Everything below is pulled live from the catalog, so what you see is what is actually in the Woodlawn warehouse today.