Fiber

In knifemaking, fiber is a very common and sought-after material. Fiber is both a decorative component and performs a compensatory role when joining various handle elements - metal, wood, plastics, composites, etc. Vulcanized fiber allows you to smooth and seal the joint, eliminate gaps and inconsistencies so that the butt joint looks perfectly even. In addition, vulcanized fiber is an ideal transitional compensator for thermal deformations that occur due to different coefficients of thermal expansion in handle materials. During the operation of the knife, the fiber prevents cracking and delamination of elements at the joints, compensates for possible shrinkage or swelling of the handle.

Vulcanized fiber is a composite material, which is a very hard, compressed and treated with special chemical compounds (solution of zinc chloride or sulfuric acid) cellulose fibers. During the production of fiber, under the influence of an acidic environment, the surface of the cellulose begins to dissolve, forming an astringent that holds the fibers together at the time of pressing.

Vulcanized fiber is easy to machine, resistant to most chemically aggressive substances, and after finishing the handle with finishing stabilizing compounds, it becomes completely inert. As a replacement for fiber, thin leather or birch bark is often used, however, to solve the problems of high-quality joining of the handle elements and further reliable operation of the product, vulcanized fiber is still the best choice.