Best wood for a handle?

[blackfeetmageet]

I am in the market for a folding knife with a wooden handle, specifically an Opinel knife -but that does not matter.

What I want to know is which kind of wood is inherently stronger for a folder:

Walnut, Oak, or Olivewood?

Opinel also has a wood called "beechwood"

which wood do you all think will hold up longer? is it more of an aesthetical difference?

 

[Hankins]

Both Olivewood and Walnut will serve you well.
Burls in either wood look fantastic.

 

[blackfeetmageet]

Thanks

 

[smitty0331]

I like walnut, as far as wood handles go. They wear well, and the grain is beautiful.

 

[firebert]

I'd pick the olive. It's durable and takes a nice patina.

 

[DocGP]

If you pick something stabilized, you can pick just about anything you want. IT will last just fine.

Doc

 

[omniviking]

Have you considered Osage Orange, Bois D'arc, or Hedge Apple. Its all the same stuff. Very wear resistant, and have a nice golden, yellowish to orange color. If you want something common to the USA and different than American Black Walnut.



Pat

 

[Ken44]

Desert Ironwood, but getting harder to find.