Handle info

E

Elmgrovegnome

Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Messages
26
I read somewhere that bone, ivory or horn handles often dry out and break over time.

I like the look of some of the burls but don't know anything about the strength of a burl.

I am guessing that something like Micarta is about the most indestructable.

Does anyone have some advice or general rules when it comes to what handles to choose. I use my knives. I don't buy them just for show.

Thanks in advance.
 
Welcome to BF.

Just my 0.02 but I prefer the generic FRNs, G10s, Zytels, micartas, etc for my EDC folders and camping fixed blades. Durable and they tend to be "grippy" (if done properly). I don't like all metal handles, they tend to be slippery and show scratches easily.

I'm admittedly not a fan of bone, Ivory, or horn. About the only exception is basic bone on a slipjoint. More a matter of tradition then anything. Ivory, mother of pearl, and other exotic stuff is for safe queens and show pieces, not practical EDC stuff imo. I don't like paying a premium for those either (I'm cheap). I don't like horn. I haven't found many to be comfortable and I don't like the look or odd shape of most of them.

I do have some wood handled fixed blades but prefer the stuff in the 2nd paragraph.
 
All natural materials will require some care and maintenance. I greatly prefer the look and feel of wood over synthetics. Many types of wood will hold up to a great deal of abuse. That said, synthetic material such as G10 may be a better choice for a hard-use knife.

Burly wood is generally less strong than comparable straight-grained timber. This is because the grain does not follow an orderly pattern. A good compromise, if you like the look of wood, is to use stabilized material. Stabilized wood is impregnated with an acrylic monomer (or similar) and cured. This results in a hard, dimensionally stable material that resists chemical and mechanical degradation.

Phillip
 
To take care of horn, bone and ivory, all you need to do is rub some mineral oil them from time to time. Then you can wax it to help seal the exterior.

What you choose is up to you of course, but I find it ridiculous that people worry about reliability of handle materials for their knives when man has been using natural materials like wood, horn and sinews for thousand and thousands of years already.
 
Sure, synthetic materials are more indestructible. But let's be realistic here: Are you really going to be so hard on that knife that you'd ever notice the difference? Natural handles need to be pampered a bit, but only a bit, and they have a warmth and beauty that no synthetic material can match.

And no, I don't like plastic guns either. :)
 
As far as grip goes, rough-sanded canvas micarta is amazing. It's not rough, but it's very grippy, especially when wet.
 
For pure utility it's pretty much impossible to beat Micarta and G10.

And don't underestimate the potential attractiveness of the synthetics. Just polishing G10 does wonders, looks-wise. Multicolored layered Micarta/G10 can be beautiful- the legendary Busse snakeskin Micarta is a fine example.

Check out Philip Dobson's site, those various ZT0350 synthetic scales are absolutely droolworthy. (Though my favorite is the darker verawood SpeedBump. Oh, my.)
 
Thanks Greg,

The more I use these laminates, the more I appreciate them. I can have them made in any color, pattern, and texture I like. They are also extremely durable. I even used laminate in my own kitchen knives.

I still prefer the look and idea of natural wood. Each piece is unique in terms of looks and durability. It tends to be more interesting to work with.

That verawood is interesting stuff. The photos are of the same scale. When freshly cut, it is a light tan color. It turns dark green with a few hours of sun exposure. During this time, a green waxy stuff is exuded and has to be buffed. The finished wood is almost pre-waxed and oiled. Very hard and durable.
 
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