Wood vs horn handles

S

Stephen Hamilton

Joined
Aug 18, 2000
Messages
312
One of my best hunting knives has an antler handle. Not only is it attractive, I selected it because bone doesn't get slippery when wet. Can anyone tell me if the same is true with horn handles, and how they compare with the wooden ones in the field?

Stephen
 
Oh Lordy. I ain't touching this one now that I can breathe again a year later.
 
Wood--wood--wood!!

Grip is better than horn when wet IMO, and I trust it to hold out under hard use more than I do horn, but many disagree with me I'm sure. All I do to my wood handles is rub with minerel oil once in a while and they look great and hold up great!

Rob(formerly MauiRob)
 
Even though I have more horn handled khukuri's than wood, my preference is wood. Wood gives a better grip and treatment methods are common knowledge.

Horn is probably tougher and requires less maintenance.

Will
 
:
I believe that I am beginning to prefer wood as well. I am like Will in knowing the wood gives a more secure grip.
I still have plans on roughing one of my horn handled users up with some coarse grit sandpaper and just haven't gotten a round to it yet. The wooden handles are also much easier to modify if needed. Like everything else it comes down to personal preferences.
Perhaps one of the guys with a carved horn hanlde could remark on the grip they have. That should make it a lot less slippery when bloody or oily.
 
:
I believe that I am beginning to prefer wood as well. I am like Will in knowing the wood gives a more secure grip.
I still have plans on roughing one of my horn handled users up with some coarse grit sandpaper and just haven't gotten a round to it yet. The wooden handles are also much easier to modify if needed. Like everything else it comes down to personal preferences.
Perhaps one of the guys with a carved horn hanlde could remark on the grip they have. That should make it a lot less slippery when bloody or oily.
 
Where's Mitzutani San? What are the basic criterias used in chosing handles materials in Japan and why?

Stephen:
... hunting knives has an antler handle ... attractive ... doesn't get slippery when wet ...
Click to expand...
Pakcik Bill:
... horn ... waterproof ... requires a minimum of maintenance ...
Click to expand...
Rob & Will:
... wood ... Grip is better than horn (Rob: when wet ... I trust it to hold out under hard use) ... treatment methods are common knowledge ...
Click to expand...
Yvsa:
... wooden handles ... much easier to modify ...
Click to expand...
Of course! I fully agree with you all --- Anyhow I would like to share with you all these tips which were given to me by some of our Malaysian elders:
  • Any sort of horns are chosen for handles of those any secondary (not primary) small weaponary blades or any decorative blades --- due to it's beauty, durability and those blades normally are not frequently in use.
  • Hard woods are chosen for handles of those any small household blades or any weaponary blades or any decorative blades --- due to it's beauty, durability & better grip.
  • Medium hard woods are chosen for any heavy field utility blades such as felling trees --- due to it's durability, better grip & less shock absorption.
  • Soft woods are cosen for handles of those very frequently used utility blades such as parang (sort of weed or grass cutting machete)--- due to it's better grip, easy maintenance & easy replacement.[/list=a]NEPAL H
    cool.gif
    !
 
I can only disappoint you by saying there were plenty wood and rare big animals. Buddhisum prohibited utilizig animals like horse, buffalo, horse in no way other than labor, there were very little eagerness to use their skin, or horn. Instead, from plenty kind of wooden materials, most shock absorbing, tough, resistant materials became popular handle material by each purpose.
To me wood handle seems just familiar shock absorbing one, but never mean any inferiority of horn handles. If I sound so, it just by my ignorance.

------------------
Did you enjoy today?
\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
Wood or stag for go - in that order. Horn for show. Use a lanyard to split the difference.
Leo

 
For full tang models I like wood because horn always shrinks and the tang overlaps.

I like to rub the horn handles with fine steel wool (#0000). It gives the horn a matte finish and feels more comfortable and secure.

If slippage is a big consideration, you can always wrap the handle with sports wrap used for baseball bats or tennis rackets.
 
Wood, too -- better grip (not slippery), EASY to treat (I use boiled linseed), and much more resistant to shrinking/cracking.

I love my 16.5" WW II!

Glen
 
Mineral oil, eh? That would be easier to use than boiled linseed oil (awfully flammable) on the wood handles. Does the linseed oil have any advantages that outweight its combustability?
 
Linseed oil and tung oil will polymerize to provide a hard finish. It will seal the wood better as well and make it more durable. Mineral oil does not seem to do this. I can not tell that mineral oil hardens the wood.

Will
 
Ditto Will. I prefer linseed because of its slight "stabilizing" effect on wood – it hardens as it dries, yet does not significantly diminish the natural feel of the wood. The more coats you use, the more durable it becomes. I wouldn’t smoke while applying boiled linseed oil; but once it dries, it’s really not "awfully flammable."

Mineral oil has that habit of remaining, well, oily – and therefore potentially slippery, IMO.

Glen
 
well, I guess I'll have to break down and try the linseed oil after these endorsements. I've stayed away from it for years, since my favorite Japanese restaurant caught fire one night after closing. The culprit was said to be linseed oil-soaked rags they were using to refinish their woodwork. Supposedly, according to the fire dept., they just spontaneously burst into flame (!). It spooked me good. So I guess after treating the handles, I'll wrap the rags in a plastic bag, no air, and throw them out. I mean, how dangerous can linseed oil be, right? Hardware stores are full of it, and they haven't burned down.
 
Linseed oil rags will burst into flames when they are tightly rolled or crumpled up. When they are rolled up the evaporating oils can build up pressure and heat.

If you hang the rag out, like you would drying a towel, they can not build up heat. The rag will not burst into flames. The smells are worst this way.

Will
 
IMHO / experience, wood handled khukuris are easier on the hand during hard use. Some of mine have beautiful grain, but others are rather homely. The horn at its worst still takes on a nice shine, can look somewhat plastic, and is prone to cracking. But quality horn really seems to dress up elegant blades. I've seen far more cracked horn than rosewood. (Maybe that would be different if I'd seen as many as, say, Bill.) Also, it seems like more of the figured horn handles have cracks than plain horn.

Are fine cracks just a fact of life with fancy horn? Perhaps slight cracking isn't really a structural concern.

Is there a better way than super glue to fix hairline cracks? (I've had limited success with it.)

 
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