Zytel® / Zy-Ex

Properties of Zytel Material and Its Use

A wide range of applications depends on the specific composition and characteristics of the various types of Zytel resin. Most of the Zytel product line uses nylon 66 or nylon 6 as a base. The stiffness and strength of individual Zytel resins vary according to their fiberglass reinforcement – in some variants, this reinforcement is absent, in others, the fiber glass content reaches 13%, 25%, or even 50% – the higher the content, the greater the stiffness and strength of the resulting material. Other differences that arise between individual variants through further modifications or added substances include resistance to high temperatures, UV radiation, common chemicals like motor oil, wear resistance, or viscosity level.

FRN (Zytel) has fibers arranged randomly, in various directions, resulting in strength in all directions, which is a definitive advantage compared to materials like G-10, Carbon Fiber, or Micarta, which have reinforcing fibers arranged in only one direction.

Use of Zytel Material

The use of Zytel nylon resins can be found in many areas such as consumer electronics, cable insulation, various connectors, automotive, as well as photovoltaic panels and their components. For our purposes, the most significant use is in the production of knife handles, scales, and sheaths. Zytel is very suitable for these purposes because it is very strong, excellently resists abrasion and stress (bending), and is therefore almost indestructible. Also, its maintenance is undemanding, being almost maintenance-free.

FRN can be easily molded into various shapes and give the final product different textures through injection molding. Therefore, it is a widely used material, and for the same reason, it has lower costs. Zytel thus ranks among modern synthetic materials, materials of higher quality, but relatively cheap for its quality. Therefore, it can be found in knives in the mid-price range. Sometimes it can also happen that the manufacturer offers the same knife in both a more expensive and a cheaper variant. An example can be the folding knife MULE by KABAR – in the cheaper variant, more affordable steel is used for the blade production, and the knife handle is made from G-10 instead of Zytel resin.