Favorite Handle Materials?

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I was hoping that some of you could list your favorite handle materials for general use considering all things like workability, beauty, durability, etc.

Let's say that the knife will be a full tang hunter, since I know this question will be asked.

So far, I've worked with micarta, G-10, carbon fiber, corian, ironwood, and snakewood. I'd like to try some antler soon.

My favorite, so far, is ironwood due to it's workability, beauty, denseness (water resistance), and durability. In my opinion, the natural materials are the best looking, although I sure like the looks and durability of blue-black G-10.

What suggestions can you give me for future knives? Burl maple, stag horn, etc?

Thanks in advance,

Mike L.
 
Out of the material's i have worked with,G-10 and carbon fiber are my favorites!they both drill and grind like butter!but be sure to wear a respirator.
i like stabalized woods and the like.but cant stand micarta..,especially that ivory crap ;)
 
Just a short list of the following handles materialsl

Wildebeest Bone, Sandbar Stag, Water Buffalo Bone and Horn, Ironwood, Sheep Horn, Giraffebone, :thumbup:
 
blackwood, walnut, curly maple, amboyna burl, lignum vitae, brazilian rosewood. I'm just getting ready to do my first couple of stag handles.
 
Almost any properly stabilized wood (all stabilizers are not equal). African Blackwood burl has an incredible deep irridescent look - almost holographic.

blackwoodburl.jpg


Rob!
 
For hunters I like sambar stag and african blackwood for natural handles and g-10 for synthetic.
 
With out a moments hesitation, I can say that sambar stag has been my favorite handle material to work with and use. It is one of the few materials that gets better looking, in my humble opinion, with age. If you have ever tried to remove a stag handle that was properly attached to a blade, you would call it natures micarta too.
 
I'd agree with Harry and the other guys about the durability of stag for handle material. If you're going with the full tang style, stag can be difficult to cut and fit to the tang. It's easiest application is with a hidden tang. It takes a pretty big piece to cut and fit a full tang knife. I've used big elk beams to cut into slabs for full tang knives, but it's pretty tough work.
Rick
 
Rob! said:
Almost any properly stabilized wood (all stabilizers are not equal). African Blackwood burl has an incredible deep irridescent look - almost holographic.

blackwoodburl.jpg


Rob!
Click to expand...

Rob...Wow!! That is beautiful...never saw that wood before.:thumbup: Does it hold up to some abuse. Thanks
- Mitch
 
I made four trappers for four members of a wedding party(groomsmen) out of four different scales materials..all from walrus: oosic, cheekbone, tusk, and rib. It was very interesting having the men guess their identity. The best man got the oosic:eek:
 
I guess that I am a low key kinda guy, or maybe its my market, but I have evolved into a big user of figured maple and other domestic hardwoods. I enjoy trying different finishes and stains, each one is always unique. I use European Beech for my dirk handles and I must say, if I have to carve something, it wood be my choice. Oak makes an appropriate handle for a CSA side-knife for example and responds well to multiple stains, etc.
 
I like Cocobolo for natural and micarta for synthetic. Don't really like how grippy most G-10 is on a hunter sized knife but it is acceptable for folders IMO.
 
Troop said:
Rob...Wow!! That is beautiful...never saw that wood before.:thumbup: Does it hold up to some abuse. Thanks
- Mitch
Click to expand...

I haven't put it on a blade yet Mitch - but it was stabilized by WSSI - so I'm willing to bet on it's durability. That piece was only sanded to 120 and touched on the buffer. The stuff is going to look incredible with a fine finish! :thumbup:

Rob!
 
i've done a lot with osage orange and native california oaks. A bit with dymondwood and a few pieces with shadetree phenolics resin compounds.

Osage orange finished with linseed oil is, to me, a great match for an outdoors knife or a kitchen knife of carbon steel. Just as you can't ignore the steel, you maintain the wood with a bit of scotch brite and a new coat of linseed oil periodically. Holds up well and let's the wood age properly. This is a bit of a "mountainman" answer, but I'm doing a lot of rustic knives.

Oaks I love to stain, then fill with a good minwax wood hardener soak- steel wool and it's going to be pretty and durable. And it will age up pretty nice.
 
For a classic handle ,it is hard to beat a good curly maple,or Quilted maple.
These are the other materials I use most:
Buckeye burl
Mammoth
Mammoth Bone
Oosik
African Blackwood
Claro Walnut
Amboyina
Afzelia Xylay
Just about any wild figure burl wood

My least favored woods:
Plain Oak,Pine, Poplar,Plain straight grain anything

Stacy
 
My favorite natural material is desert iron wood, and synthetic would be G-10, I like hunter orange G-10 on a hunter that is to be used in the field, so when you lay it on the ground you can see it, my brotherinlaw has lost a lot of knives that way.
 
I love nice curly maples, desert ironwood, mammoth, dark rosewoods. I like any nice figured wood, things like quilted sycamore, cocobola and the like are nice looking.
 
I prefer North American White Tail / Mule / Elk antler, I love this stuff but SERIOUSLY STINKS when ground and shaped!, Fresh water mussell isnt bad either but again stinks and you should wear a respirator
 
I love the smell of grinding/sanding antler, and horn if done by hand- power sanding smells like the burning hair that it is (yes I am very wierd).
 
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