A lighthearted rant and a poll to gauge sympathy for it.

Thoughts & feelings about liners on knife handles

  • All liners are evil and should be eradicated!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I only like bright red liners.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I only like dark or brick red liners.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I only like black liners.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I only like white liners.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I like different combinations of liner colors.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I believe that all knife handles should be made out of nothing but liners!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Liners of whatever color are OK if they compliment the knife.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Liners? Bah! Wrapped tangs are the way to go.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I only buy narrow-tang, guardless knives so liners are not an issue for me.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
MacHete

MacHete

Hair Cropper & Chipmunk Wrangler
Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Messages
2,559
I HATE RED LINERS!

There. I said it. I realize I am in the minority here- and I realize that Bob Loveless himself likened red liners on a knife to "a touch of lipstick on a pretty girl."

Maybe I am part bull (although I am not a taurus) but red liners on a knife make me mad. Usually it's because they are often installed on green micarta handles for some reason. I am an earth-tones kinda guy. If I want nice, muted, drab micarta or warmly glowing natural wood tones on my handle, I DO NOT want it contaminated with bright, attention-'ho-ing red.

I don't mind liners in general, but I prefer them to subtly set-off the contrast of colors between the steel and scales.

So, let us hear what you like, and what you think it adds to a knife.
 
Red + Green = Bad, unless its Christmas.

Green looks good with black. Dark green sometimes looks really good with brass or bronze, and sometimes it looks awful. Can't go wrong with black, though.

Brown + Blue = Bad, under all circumstances.
 
I don't like any liners between the handle material and the tang. To me, its like a knife shipping with a fancy box... totally unnecessary & = more $$$.
 
How do you get anything but a FB or frame lock without a liner?

I don't think liners are that bad on folders but maybe I'm not educated enough.

I guess on a FB it really depends on the maker's goal.

I like various handle scales so short of nested liners I can't see how you could produce a strong folder without reenforcing the various scale materials (except for the Ti or SS handles of course) without a liner. Even Axis needs a liner to "house" the mechanism.

I would think anyway . . .

Am I missing something here?


Oh, and I don't have anything against liners but I like all kinds of knives.
 
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Red liners ( or other colors ) make a tapered tang stand out more , and gives the knife a touch of class. Not something that is needed , but then neither is engraving , inlays , etc.
just a touch of gingerbread. :)
On a hunter , or a knife used in the woods , that red can come in handy if you happen to lay it down.

Img_8421.jpg

Top one - light red thin liner ( didn't over power the handle material , and enhanced the look of the tapered tang ) with Green Micarta scales
next one is actually orange G10 with black G10 on top
next is : black g10 with tan G10 on top
Bottom is just blue

handles don't need to be boring all the time ;)
 
Those are some really good looking knives John, and I really like the use of colors!


Do you sell your knives on this site's for sale forum? I know your profile says hobbyist knife maker, but I'm just curious. Those are really enticing knives.
 
habit.. dont sell here , I have yet to upgrade to Knifemaker status , but soon :)

Reeek , I am in Vegas ( Henderson , NV ) , though work ( IGT - parent office ) brings me to Reno from time to time.

Some folks like liners , some don't. Me , I like em ...most of the time ;)
 
Not this year. I'm the Compliance Manager and have too many submittals in the fire. First year not going. Email me.

Back to the liners subject!

Depends on the knife to me ;) That Black and Red in the above picture is an eye grabber to me and I like it very much. But I'd probably choose the top one out of that bunch . . .
 
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John- those are great-looking knives! :thumbup:

(Except for the red liners on the green micarta one on top) :p;):D

I'll say again- I'm not opposed to liners in general- and I think they do add color and contrast to a handle.

But, I don't care much for the color red on anything, and I really hate the red/green color combo. :barf:
 
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