Does having two different handle scales bug anyone else?

I like symmetry.
To me it's O.K. on a cheapie Kershaw or Ruike, I have a couple.
But on something like a ZT or Hinderer it looks cheap, feels cheap, and the gains of having an "integral lock" are worthless.
In fact now I think about it the more expensive the knife the more I hate it.
 
elasmonut said:
I like symmetry.
To me it's O.K. on a cheapie Kershaw or Ruike, I have a couple.
But on something like a ZT or Hinderer it looks cheap, feels cheap, and the gains of having an "integral lock" are worthless.
In fact now I think about it the more expensive the knife the more I hate it.
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Hi, Strider.
 
Perhaps the dislike of asymmetry is an inherent human bias. I believe I have heard that tests show the humans like symmetry, in, for example, food, art, nature, and material items. And we sure do see symmetrical preference in the things humans make or buy. Humans find symmetry pleasing, and asymmetry galling. And here, I am going to offer that this inate desire is what is driving the choices of knife owners who want each side of their knife to appear similar.

Nothing wrong with it, but I do believe it is better to rank function higher than aestheticism. Which is, hard to do. I have some knives that the appearance was intially rather repelling, and yet, they fit my hand well, and cut well.
 
Dadpool said:
Nope, this is a big plus for me. Ti/other is one of my favorite styles for a knife. The contrast is part of the appeal. :)

zZswJX9.jpg

Hoback Husky / Hinderer XM-18 3.5
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Absolutely!! I agree 100%
 
I like all knives lol. But this thread will separate the OCD from the none OCD of us 😂😂
 
I'm definitely symmetry gang. I'm fine with minor asymmetry like frame locks or different sized inlays to accommodate lock bars and such, but to have the front and back scale two completely different materials is out of the question. The absolute worst is when the locking side is Ti or steel, the front scale is g10 or micarta, AND the composite scale is thicker than the locking scale. Those designs make me want to light the knife on fire and throw it out of a building.


Example:
ON9557_4.jpg


Please melt this down to ash and iron, then bury it at the bottom of the ocean.
 
I can barely stand having a clip on one side of the knife; while the other side is so deprived...
 
I have recently started putting 2-4 pocket clips on all my knives so that they are more symmetrical and I also will only look at them with a mirror.
 
celticrogues said:
I realize this is a personal thing, and will depend... mostly I just want to make sure I'm not crazy.

I recently picked up a CRKT Tuna (the version with the S35VN blade) and I like almost everything about the knife. I love the size, the weight, the shape of the blade, the edge, the action opening and closing... The one thing I don't know if I can get over though is how it feels in my hand with two different scales. This knife has a micarta scale on the show side (which I love), but the lock side is just polished metal. Maybe its just my head but having two different textures on each side of the knife is throwing me off big time when I hold the knife. Its like my brain can't handle the feel of two different materials at once.

Am I crazy? Any one else feel like this? Any way to improve things?

-Mike
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It bothers me but there are some very expensive knives made that way. I've owned a few and they bothered me a little bit. It isn't so much the difference in materials as it is the difference in style- some of the lock sides to my eyes are pretty crudely styled. The frame lock that I liked the best was a ZT 0561 which at least had the same shape/style/texture on both sides.
 
Frame locks are inherently asymmetric and the lock side is functionally distinct .

It actually seems more affected to try to pretend otherwise .

And most clip knives are also not symmetric . ;)

So , for frame locks , asymmetry seems natural to me .
 
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