Anyone one ever work with Kirinite?

Has anybody here worked with kirinite? The stuff looks really cool and i ordered some to play around with. I'm hoping i can make a really neat and unique pair of scales for one of my wade and butcher's with them. The one concern i have is that i have seen knives scaled in the stuff but never a straight razor. Since razor scales are bent in under tension at the pivot i am wondering if this material is up to the task or if it needs to be supported by a backing such as G10.......

In case you have never seen the stuff here's the link..... Kirinite Lava Flow 3/16"x1.5"x5" Scales Pair

Also here's a pic.... kind looks like a bowling ball too me!

Attachment 123855

Looks like a cool material and would most likely work...the one problem that I see is that it only seems to come in 5" lengths...usually a little short for making scales.

Edit: Just noticed they have a 5" x 10.5"

correct, the pre cut stuff is under sized... but as your edit states the do have it in sheets which is what i ordered...
i have squeezed scales out of a 2.5 x 5 blank before in a pinch, but at that point your making your scales to fit your material rather then your scales to fit the blade. I wish these companies and people who sell scale blanks could recognized our need for 6.5" x 2" x 1/8" .... some times it seems so many exotic blanks are off limits to straight razor guys due to the undersized nature of the blank. I guess we will leave that discussion for another thread!

This is going to be on my way soon. Will watch and learn here. From what I read it has all the same properties as g10
"This material is a tough as Corian(tm)" and "It machines beautifully and is a pleasure to work with. Simply shape using typical wood working tools and methods, sand to 400 or 600 grit and give it a light buff to bring out a stunning, grippy finish.
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They sold me on it...but I am an easy sell. :<0)

I guess we are the guinea pigs on this one pup! I have high expectations, this stuff ought to be a winner!

Well I haven't got on the wheel and started running yet... Maybe I'll just see how far you get ...:w

I have it on my short list of things to get. I saw the lava too and I want both LOL. Is there a SAD (scale acquisition disorder ) or are we starting a new disorder ? I am thinking it would be a great excuse to get more razors. " Well, I have all this scale material I have to use."

Okay sooo you haven't posted in awhile on this subject but I went ahead and ordered mine yesterday. In fact by next week I will have enough scale material to do about 100 razors. That 50 buck minimum went quick.
Maybe I missed a post of finished product somewhere?

How did you guys make out with the kirinite? I've been talking to Val at The Gentleman's Den (https://www.facebook.com/Gentlemansden anyone know him?) and he uses kirinite quite a bit.

Well mine is still sitting in the to use pile. As it sat there all summer I found it got very soft. I have some faux ivory that is even worse and I am not sure I will ever use that. I was a little disappointed with the color when I first got it. I was thinking it was more black and silver when I saw it on the site. When I got it it was definitely all browns. That's when the camo color name hit me upside the head. I have set some patterns on it and almost did some cuts but I have set those restores aside for the time being.

The fact that it gets soft when warm worries me enough that I want to experiment on a less desirable razor for the first use. My other thing is that I wouldn't use it on a Duck or a W&B which is a bulk of my razors that need scales at this time. You did get me thinking about it again so who knows, maybe I'll pop some out tomorrow just to do something different.

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Originally Posted by 10Pups

Well mine is still sitting in the to use pile. As it sat there all summer I found it got very soft. I have some faux ivory that is even worse and I am not sure I will ever use that. I was a little disappointed with the color when I first got it. I was thinking it was more black and silver when I saw it on the site. When I got it it was definitely all browns. That's when the camo color name hit me upside the head. I have set some patterns on it and almost did some cuts but I have set those restores aside for the time being.

The fact that it gets soft when warm worries me enough that I want to experiment on a less desirable razor for the first use. My other thing is that I wouldn't use it on a Duck or a W&B which is a bulk of my razors that need scales at this time. You did get me thinking about it again so who knows, maybe I'll pop some out tomorrow just to do something different.

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From the pictures on the website it LOOKS, to me anyway, as if the appearance changes when polished. Kirinite Blue MOP 3/16"
The end looks different than the rest of it, which is what led me to that impression. I could be wrong, who knows!

I just went and got mine out of the drawer and it is warped. No big deal because I know very little heat and then cool and it will be flat again. This is why I am not so sure it would be best for razors. The only place that sells it is a knife supply and pinned against a blade I don't see how it could move. Straight razor is a different animal all together. As for the color. The base material is somewhat transparent and what is mixed in has depth and is more opaque. Any type of plastic will look different when polished from the sanded stage or in this case the way the material comes. I would call the new surface somewhat ruff with a texture left from the process of making it. Polishing will bring out the colors more and the transparency will give it depth once it is smooth like glass. I been using clear acrylics and the same is true there. Sanded = dull and less color. Polished = WOW what a difference. :<0)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 10Pups

I just went and got mine out of the drawer and it is warped. No big deal because I know very little heat and then cool and it will be flat again. This is why I am not so sure it would be best for razors. The only place that sells it is a knife supply and pinned against a blade I don't see how it could move. Straight razor is a different animal all together. As for the color. The base material is somewhat transparent and what is mixed in has depth and is more opaque. Any type of plastic will look different when polished from the sanded stage or in this case the way the material comes. I would call the new surface somewhat ruff with a texture left from the process of making it. Polishing will bring out the colors more and the transparency will give it depth once it is smooth like glass. I been using clear acrylics and the same is true there. Sanded = dull and less color. Polished = WOW what a difference. :<0)

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hmm. That Val guy seems to love using it :shrug: looks neat at least. The different colours of MOP look good.

It may work just fine. And the look is why I bought it in the first place :<0) I just haven't tested it on a razor for the reasons I said.

Let us know how it goes when you make some scales! I'm digging the green MOP...the black MOP looks neat too.

I worked with te kirinite I bought and made a pair of scales of it, the material is easy to work with and as pops said polishes to an incredible finish.

I never did use the scales I made as the were short since I was cheap and bought the 5" blank as opposed to going all in on a sheet, seeing as at the time no one on the forum used the stuff. After playing with it I realize it would benefit from a thin .1" g10 liner

I plan or picking more of it up soon and doing something great with it.

Only thing I noticed is the temp it softens. ~200 degrees F. No boiling sterilizing for it. A common material with those characteristics is a Urethane.
~Richard

Even when cool it has that pulled taffy feel to it. I have a 6x10 sheet (or whatever) and I can easily bend it. Dang now I got to fix my sweet tooth.