Thread: Scale Material Preferences Changing?

Originally Posted by ppetresen

I use hard oily woods exclusively right now. I always do a CA finish on them, which is a lot of work and so much can go wrong so quickly, so I've been considering trying out a g10 or a synthetic ivory of some kind. Always steered cleer of bone and horn though, so no real experience or interest there.

The have some really nice synthetic ivory on the market now that has both the grain and end grain of ivory.

I've worked with G10 a lot and here is my take. I only use it when I have no other choice, which is doing liners for scales where the scale material is somewhat fragile and needs support.

The reason I don't like it is because the dust is really toxic - quality respirator required, it will make you itch like fiberglass, so long sleeves with rubber bands on them and gloves are required, and it's hard on machinery and tools. It will wear a band saw blade or belt sander belt down to nothing in no time flat. The same thing it does to them, it does to the internal parts on equipment.

I have some G10 scales that I like. However, I don't like them any better than Micarta, horn, bone or nice wood.