Favorite Handle Material for Working Knife?

[Chad Ward]

Micarta by a long shot. I've switched my pistol grips over to micarta or CF, too.

Chad

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Well, I like G-10, but I prefer linen micarta so that is what I voted for of the choices given. That beautiful sheep's horn handle that Gary showed just increases my love of it as a handle material. That really is stunning.

 

[Gus Kalanzis]

Stag (been hanging around Phil L. too much) and sheep horn are at the top of my list.

 

[bob bowie]

Stag, Stag, and more Stag. I love Stag!!!

 

[Peter Atwood]

Cool! Thanks for the feedback guys. This is very interesting about the strong preferences for stag but I can see the attraction. It's a natural handle material, fairly tough, built in grip ridges, beautiful to look at, nice feel to it and it's very traditional to boot! Too bad supplies are getting so limited.

 

[Ed Fowler]

It took me a long time to decide and it was a tough decision, but I got to cast my vote for sheep horn.

 

[steinie]

G-10 or Micarta, hands down.

 

[wolfmann601]

That WAS my standard answer!!!!! WHEN asked, I would always say "G-10 or Micarta". Now I discover Micarta can be made from paper, linen, wood,etc. There are different kinds of G-10, what stabilized woods are, what they are not, what handle material is a "misery" to work with, what material is "moldable" and what Material is downright dangerous for a knife-maker to inhale.
I just started to LEARN, after getting a MOST informative E-mail from a fellow formite about the science of Handle material. WOW, do I have LOTS to learn!! It has been THIS topic that has prevented me from having some of the Great Makers make me knives because when the question arose concerning Handle material, all I could say was "oh, gee, how about Micarta or G-10?" NOW, I know where the find the knowledge to keep learning and shortly, I shall be able to find that PERFECT material I have been SEARCHING for, and actually NAME it!!!.....wolf

 

[Peter Atwood]

Stay with it Wolfman!

 

[FLACOMAN]

Corian works for me. Tough on tools tho.

 

[Coonskinner]

I like the natural handle materials---stag, jigged bone, finely figured woods like curly maple. They may not be as durable in extreme conditions as some synthetics, but the conditions under which I use my knives don't get much more extreme than the woods of North America, so they are durable enough.

 

[Cosmic Superchunk]

I like natural materials, Micarta, carbon fibre, zytel and other polymer handles, but for a using knife, I prefer G-10.

 

[Warriorsociologist]

G-10 or Micarta for non-slip / temperature resistance, Titanium for imperviousness to anything, sambar stag (my Buck 110) for being "pretty" and tough...though not shock resistant enough for a true 'working knife'. I like stag knives on hunters...but all my working knives (tactical, survival, etc.) are G-10 or Ti.

 

[Peter Atwood]

I think you're on the right track there El Cid. They all have their place and use but some are just better than others at surviving tough use and abuse. The thing about sheep's horn or fine woods are that you will end up babying them no matter what you might think in your mind when you're picking your carry knife for the day. At least I would. Especially if the knife was made by a noted maker. With G10 you can just not give a crap and abuse it because it's only synthetic material made for that purpose.