Is micarta bulletproof?

[44minimum]

Have any of you ever shot any micarta? I was wondering this as we were making some for knife handles this weekend, just how bullet resistant it might be. It's made up of many layers of stuff, infused with resin and then squeezed together with great pressure. Isn't that how Kevlar is made?

[mikeym1a]

Just looked up 'micarta', and found that it is phenolic. this is an old process to make a hard, but brittle material. It was used primarily in electrical applications, such as insulators, radio cases, knife handles. It is brittle, in spite of the layers. I couldn't find my limb trimmer, and used a butcher knife which I thought had wooden handles. When I finished hacking, parts of the handle were broken. That's when I found the handle was phenolic. Kevlar is many layers of a special material, but are not bound together. they flex, at least that is what I have seen. If your micarta was made of many layers of fibreglass and resin, it would be bullet resistant, but would eventually shatter, when would depend on its thickness.

[mikeym1a]

Just looked up 'micarta', and found that it is phenolic. This is an old process to make a hard, but brittle material. It was used primarily in electrical applications, such as insulators, radio cases, knife handles. It is brittle, in spite of the layers. I couldn't find my limb trimmer, and used a butcher knife which I thought had wooden handles. When I finished hacking, parts of the handle were broken. That's when I found the handle was phenolic. Kevlar is many layers of a special material, but are not fused together. They flex, at least that is what I have seen. If your micarta was made of many layers of fibreglass and resin, it would be bullet resistant, but would eventually shatter, when would depend on its thickness.

[44minimum]

Usually we use about 15 layers of denim and fiberglass resin, this one was construction paper and resin. Guess one of these days that I'll have to make up some to do some experimenting on.

[gbrown]

As I remember, micarta was like the 1st manmade plastic that was used on appliance handles. Seems like the old Presto pressure cookers had them, as well as waffle irons and toasters. Our original SWAT vests were big, cumbersome things about an inch thick. It was made of ceramic and fiberglass--this was in the '60's before Kevlar. A factory .45 ACP ball ammo bullet would just splatter on it at 5 yds. In the mid '70's I got the Z model 2nd Chance vest. I was amazed that it had the same capabilities, but was flexible and light. Looked like some king of woven fiberglass, but was a manmade fiber, fairly loosely woven. An ice pick would penetrate it, but it only took like 10 or 12 layers to stop most handgun rounds. I agree with mikeym1a about micarta--bullet resistant to a point, but would start shattering on you.

[popper]

Mr. Ford though so, he made the trunk of the '47 out of it and demod to police with a tommy gun.

[mikeym1a]

The layered product may well be shatter resistant. My experience with it was on old radios from the 1940' - 50's whose cases were made of phenolic. it was strong, but brittle. those cases would shatter if dropped.

[Dale in Louisiana]

"Micarta" is a trade term for any of several composite materials made with a phenolic resin.

"Bulletproof" is whatever you want for a definition.

There are many Micarta formulations. The ones I commonly find in my business with electrical components is either linen or paper and phenolic resin. Neither of these is suitable for a serious ballistic protection formulation.

Kevlar and several other synthetics with strengths surpassing steel make up modern 'bulletproof' apparatus.

A half-inch of linen-based micarta might stop a .22 LR, which means that it is technically 'bulletproof'.

Just things to thaink about.

dale in Louisiana

[MtGun44]

Dale nails it. Micarta can be laminates of many things, most common paper and linen.

I suppose you could laminate up Kevlar with phenolic and it may be pretty bulletproof, but it
is the stuff that is laminated that gives the strength, NOT the phenolic resin. Normal micarta
may stop a .38 Spl with an inch or two, especially at a steep angle.

Bill

[gbrown]

I kept thinking that there was something made of micarta and it was something my dad had. Also, it was military related. Then it hit me--some old hard hats dad had in the garage when I was a kid. Then I realized I was thinking of the original M-1 helmet liners of WWII. CRS for me is like an Easter egg hunt. Can't find them little buggers (memories), but every now and then you stumble across them and you get all excited.

[mikeym1a]

Usually we use about 15 layers of denim and fiberglass resin, this one was construction paper and resin. Guess one of these days that I'll have to make up some to do some experimenting on.
Some of the earliest armour was made of quilted materials. I recall stories of Korean War battles in the dead of winter of GI's shooting Chinese soldiers with M1 rifles, and the chinese would fall, but then get up and come on. They wouldn't go down for good until they got kind of close. Turns out the heavy insulated, quilted, clothing they were using stopped the bullets at long range, but not at short range. SO, your denim and fibreglass mix might give some boolit resistance. No way to tell but to try. The construction paper mix would offer very little strength to the resin. The denim and fibreglass both are strong and durable. I'd give that a try, if I were to experiment. Seems to me the flak jacket I wore, once upon a time, was made of ballistic nylon. ;-)

[fryboy]

bullet proof ? no sir , as some have stated it may be resistant to some extent , one has to recall that in the world of bullets some were made just to defeat body armor and some were made to penetrate several inches of steel armor yet a thick enough piece may stop or slow down some calibers and load levels , i've used new and old WWII surplus stuff ( have a few chunks still out in the shop ) kind of pricey to want to destroy it , paper micarta ( usually called ivory micarta ) is actually quite a bit softer than the various linen/fiberglass ones , the new modern marvel G10 is in essence a micarta as is most carbon fiber pieces , i assuredly wouldnt stand behind a piece and say shoot at me !! ( even a huge piece )

[RoyEllis]

Try a sheet of Lexan, about 1" thickness. Stop dang near anything short of 50 BMG rounds. AKA "bulletproof glass" used at bank drive-thru windows.:bigsmyl2:

[smokeywolf]

Dale in Louisiana and MtGun44 have got it. Phenolic is the resin used to bond the layers of linen or paper. Stinks to high heaven when you machine it, but the material of choice around hot electronics. Can be kind of pretty when polished.

smokeywolf

[popper]

And a 4x8 sheet of man trap plastic weighs about 350#. I've tried to lift a few.