Does anyone honestly enjoy the look and feel of non-natural scales?

[marrenmiller]

I'd go so far as to say that I dislike natural materials for handles. I'll take aluminum, steel, titanium, or any manmade composite over anything natural any day of the week.

 

[Chronovore]

Never say never, but the chances of me purchasing a knife with wood, bone, or antler scales is close to zero.

FWIW, I prefer Kydex over leather too.

For EDC, I prefer leather for guns and Kydex for knives. That's largely due to the different shapes and EDC footprints of those items. I want to be able to get a full grip on either from retention. So in the case of fixed blades, that means having a sheath that covers the blade but not the handle. Kydex can be wonderfully flat and minimalist.

While I don't have anything in this combo now, I'm totally fine with pairing a Kydex sheath and a wooden handle.

 

[afishhunter]

Yes.
If enough people didn't like the look and/or feel of the synthetics, the manufacturers wouldn't use them.

Most folk won't buy or use a knife they don't like the look of, and/or how it feels in hand. Would you?

 

[Bastler]

I enjoy a material that develops character with use.

 

[vjb.knife]

While I like some natural materials like wood, horn and stone as far as looks, they all fall so short of they synthetic materials in terms of durability that I think they are unsuitable in a knife that you will actually use often. If we are talking about a knife that just goes in you suit pocket and maybe opens letters every once in a while, sure natural materials are fine, but if you take it to work or out in the field then I won't use one.

 

[000Robert]

While I like some natural materials like wood, horn and stone as far as looks, they all fall so short of they synthetic materials in terms of durability that I think they are unsuitable in a knife that you will actually use often. If we are talking about a knife that just goes in you suit pocket and maybe opens letters every once in a while, sure natural materials are fine, but if you take it to work or out in the field then I won't use one.

That depends on the wood. There are many fine hardwoods that can take a beating. And Teak is very good around water.

 

[BillZee]

I like any handle with a good grip texture.
I do like a metal handle aluminum, titanium, etc.

 

[Ondalake3]

Never say never, but the chances of me purchasing a knife with wood, bone, or antler scales is close to zero.

FWIW, I prefer Kydex over leather too.

I never thought about that way but if I were to purchase a knife from Walmart . A wood handle would not be first choose. The pleasure I get from knife making is purely artistic. Better than putting something on the wall. Functional art, I dig it. Here is my 3rd knife (natural)

 

[hhmoore]

Here is my 3rd knife (natural)

Interesting piece... How does it cut?

 

[Lesknife]

I prefer micarta, g10, dymawood and other stabilized materials over others and with some texture for non slip grip . Metal can be brutally cold in winter and hot as hades in summer. Natural wood, bone or antler is nice but not as durable as synthetic. Looks are far down my list along the the color pink.

 

[shane45-1911]

An old thread revived, but still relevant since I missed it the first time around.

I do not own ANY natural-handled knives. I prefer micarta followed by G10, CF, and titanium in that order.

 

[Ondalake3]

Interesting piece... How does it cut?

 

[Ondalake3]

Oops. Try this

 

[000Robert]

An old thread revived, but still relevant since I missed it the first time around.

I do not own ANY natural-handled knives. I prefer micarta followed by G10, CF, and titanium in that order.

I love the Cocobolo scales on my Carothers DEK1. They look and feel great! I love all kinds of everything; handles, steels, sheaths, and holsters. Kydex, leather, whatever. I like to take advantage of the benefits of all of them, and not limit myself.

 

[kobold]

In general I try to avoid petrochemicals as much as I can. So burl, horn, bone and stag. Especially for fixed knives, but also for folders. And I dig brass bolsters.

I like Ti and CF for folders too, but it helps if the CF is nice, like colored twill or aero. Micarta can also be pretty, but not all are.

Sadly, the cross section between affordable knives, nice handles, and super steel blades with good geometry and heat treat is small, so I usually end up buying G-10 and FRN and buy custom scales later.