While looking for handle/grip material I keep seeing it on several sites promoted as the next big thing, but no real description as to what it's made of. Handled a knife of a coworker that had it on the handle to me it seemed rough and unfinished even with it being a production knife, seemed to be a laminate with ultra thin layers. So what exactly is it?

Thanks

G10 is a "shorthand" of the material specifications

Here's a spec sheet:

http://composite-laminates.com/phenolics-technical-data.htm#.VQM-ojhFBYU

G-10
a fiberglass based laminate. Layers of fiberglass cloth are soaked in resin and are compressed and baked. The resulting material is very hard, lightweight, and strong. Surface texture is added in the form of checkering. G-10 is an ideal material for tactical folders because of its ruggedness and lightweight. It is usually available in black.

http://www.knifecenter.com/info/knife-handle-materials

My take is it's basically of the genus micarta.

Nm

Micarta uses paper or cloth fibers to reinforce the plastic, G10 uses glass fibers.

Polished G10 and polished Micarta can look similar, otherwise the 2 materials are usually finished differently. It is very common these days for folding knives to be available with G10 scales, very few come with micarta. On the other hand fixed blade knives can come with either material. Custom fixed blade knives used to use a lot more micarta than G10.

Both materials are strong but G10 is stiffer than Micarta. I have heard suggestions that linen or canvas micarta is not as good for a knife that will be used around blood or other questionable fluids because the fabric fibers can absorb the fluids.