2018 BF Knife Poll 5.1: Wood Handle Materials

Choose your Wood Material Champion: 2 Votes Allowed

  • Snakewood - $$

    Votes: 38 12.3%

  • KOA Flamewood - $$

    Votes: 105 34.1%

  • Box Elder Burl - $$

    Votes: 15 4.9%

  • Maple Burl - $$

    Votes: 23 7.5%

  • Buckeye Burl - $$

    Votes: 56 18.2%

  • Ironwood - $$

    Votes: 119 38.6%

  • Osage Orange - $$

    Votes: 64 20.8%

  • Bocote - Shipping Cost Only - Free

    Votes: 46 14.9%

  • Shockwood - $$$

    Votes: 8 2.6%

  • Ebony - $$

    Votes: 36 11.7%
  • Total voters
    308
  • Poll closed .
In my experience, it's "worse" than Osage Orange - OO just gets darker (which I don't mind), but the grain visibility remains.
 
I'm cool with ironwood or Koa (or even buckeye burl). I think the only real downside for ironwood right now is that there has been a lot of offerings with it lately. That's not ironwood's fault, but it is a factor nonetheless.

I'm probably good with either of these, but I'm not sure either will beat Ram horn in the finals. It has gained about 20+ votes today alone and is carrying huge momentum into the final day of the polls.
 
My votes stay the same: Bocote and Osage Orange.
My choices may not win (they rarely do) but I see no reason to change my mind or vote just to be in the popularity parade or on the popularity wagon.

Whatever is the final choice, be it Micarta, Wood, or Horn/Bone (at this point I'm hoping Rams Horn) I'll still get the knife.
 
afishhunter said:
My votes stay the same: Bocote and Osage Orange.
My choices may not win (they rarely do) but I see no reason to change my mind or vote just to be in the popularity parade or on the popularity wagon.

Whatever is the final choice, be it Micarta, Wood, or Horn/Bone (at this point I'm hoping Rams Horn) I'll still get the knife.
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It's not about joining in with the most popular, but strategically voting to get a chance at what might be your second choice over ones you like less. It happens often during elections. ;)
Nothing wrong with sticking to your first choices, though.
 
afishhunter said:
Don't they use Bocote and Maple for guitars, and other stringed instruments too?
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Yes, there are several woods that are commonly used on guitars. The most common include:

Acoustics:
Spruce (top)
Rosewood (fretboard, back and sides)
Mahogany (back and sides)
Ebony (fretboard)

Electric:
Mahogany (body)
Alder (body)
Maple (neck, fretboard, front cap)
Rosewood (fretboard)
Ebony (fretboard)
Koa (body)
Basswood (body)
Ash (body)


Bocote is less common, especially for common, production guitars. It is more frequently seen in custom builders.

(Apologies for getting us off topic.)
 
My bocote vote isn't going to change, because it is still the only wood option that would get a vote from me in the battle royale (and only because of the community donation aspect). I like the other wood options fine, but none more than the others.

That said, I will happily trade my wood vote for a LP/Nick vote ;) Just kidding... kinda.
 
abbydaddy said:
My bocote vote isn't going to change, because it is still the only wood option that would get a vote from me in the battle royale (and only because of the community donation aspect). I like the other wood options fine, but none more than the others.

That said, I will happily trade my wood vote for a LP/Nick vote ;) Just kidding... kinda.
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I haven't voted in that poll (just sayin')
 
Time to move all votes to one of the two that actually have a possibility of taking this.
 
Will Power said:
How about Balsawood??:D It doesn't change colour, lose grain density and it's a minimalist's choice in terms of weight...just don't grip it too hard;)
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You're looking at it the wrong way...custom molded finger grooves:p

~Chip
 
Oxidation. With exposure to oxygen everything organic (wood, horn, canvas,) changes over time. Wood mostly gets darker. Wenge is one than gets lighter for some reason. Purple Heart turns completely black, lots of rose woods do to. Add UV and there are more changes. Wood data base website has good article on color changes. I have been told the oxdiated surface of ironwood can be buffed back to where you started. None of my ironwood handles have gotten too dark yet so have not tried buffing. I have some cocbolo that has gone from orangish to almost black. Might buff one of those first. Ren wax or other barrier should slow the process.
 
I really like the Shockwood but not enough support for it sadly and of the leaders I would choose Ironwood unfortunately the Koa examples on knives hasn't been stunning like the Koa on larger items such as Guitars if we could get something that looks like the Koa on those Guitars I would be all for it but what we have been shown so far on knives barely even looks like that same wood.
 
PirateSeulb said:
I really like the Shockwood but not enough support for it sadly and of the leaders I would choose Ironwood unfortunately the Koa examples on knives hasn't been stunning like the Koa on larger items such as Guitars if we could get something that looks like the Koa on those Guitars I would be all for it but what we have been shown so far on knives barely even looks like that same wood.
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That’s a great point. Something like a guitar has a great deal more surface area than a small pocket knife. That being the case, some materials look much better on larger items because there is more surface area available to show off the character of materials that have some variability in the pattern. This is the same reason I’m thinking burlap micarta is a poor choice for a small knife, even though I like it on larger knives.
 
Here is a link to a YouTube video where a gentleman (not me) shares his Custom Shop Buck - with Koa handles.

I think Koa would work out pretty well.

 
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