Phenolic micarta, or textolite, isn't something you see very much of these days. Most producers have switched over to epoxy polymers, and since the Westinghouse closing, the phenol-formaldehyde resin production just hasn't been quite the same quality as what it's used to be. Luckily, we have a source for high quality industrial Russian-made micarta that was produced the old fashioned way. These materials are very rugged, durable, and polish to a glass-like surface.
Please refer to the photos of a pen made out of one of these blanks to see what they look like turned.
 
Working With Phenolic Resin:
This industrial micarta is a laminate of hard, dense material made by applying heat and pressure to layers of cotton fabric polymerized with a phenol-formaldehyde resin, transforming the layers into a high-pressure thermosetting industrial laminated plastic.
These blanks are quite hard, much harder than wood or usual acrylic blanks. Due to the high strength nature of the polymer, they are very hard to break or chip, though they drill easily. Turning is not particularly difficult, just take light cuts. It is easy to polish and buff, resulting in a high gloss finish.
IMPORTANT: AVOID INHALING THE DUST, WHICH WILL IRRITATE YOUR AIRWAYS. USE DUST COLLECTION AND/OR A RESPIRATOR WHEN TURNING AND SANDING THIS MATERIAL.