Handles: Whose FEEL the best?

ptgdvc

ptgdvc

Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
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Aside from beautiful design, flowing lines, exciting damascus, sexy hamons, gorgeous handle materials, and superb fit and and finish. The thing that gets my custom knife juices flowing is the FEEL and balance of the knife in my hand.

Who are the Masters of FEEL in your opinion?
 
Of the knives that I have or have had, my Bailey Bradshaw, Tai Goo and Ed Fowler knives have/had the most comfortable handles.
 
We're talking HANDLES here right? Guys whose handle designs have impressed as providing absolutely excellent comfort and control: Dan Farr, Jerry Fisk, Russ Andrews, Bailey Bradshaw.

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Roger
 
I have to say Ed Fowler. He can make a piece of stag feel like it grew out of your hand.
 
I just realized that I forgot to mention MY own picks.

Young Turks: Nick Wheeler & Dan Farr

Old Vets: Jim Crowell & Jerry Fisk

I would have to give the overall Crown to Nick Wheeler, just fabulous work.
 
Okay... wonderful names abounding in the is thread, and all of 'em dang good at it, too...

But before I knew them, or even much about knives period, I found the knife with the perfect handle... well, at the time it was the best I ever felt!

In my pic, the Ironwood handle is on a hunter I picked up years ago out here in Seattle... ya know how you're at show and the maker says "feel free to pick it up"??? Well, this one was the proverbial Can't Put it Back Down! :eek: Thus began my quest for the perfect handle...

So much so, that I've had two other makers attempt to work their magic on a similar knife, with their attempt to capture the handle (and blade style) through their eyes... The Damascus blade is by Audra Draper... and without handleing it, you won't believe how comfortable it feels and how it feels in any grip!!!!

I don't have a pic of the third one, but it was done by Matt at Pinoy Knives.... He'd been bugging me for some time and I kept stringing him along 'cause he was drifting towards both the knife style I like and the handle contours I like... okay, I broke down and asked him to make one, too... And did he nail it too!!!!

I have three relatively similar hunters now with what I feel are three interpretations of what i think is the optimal handle for the style of blade I prefer it on....


And as to the other makers who float my boat, well, Fitch and Wheeler have some of the most user friendly handles on the knives of theirs that I own that fit into my idea of terrific handles.... And if anybody has a chance, Fred Ott makes some really awesome large bowie/camp knives that have handles that truly add to the overall esthetics and ergonomics of his work... and I keep finding others every time I go to a show!!!! :D
 

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Adam DeRosiers, Jason Knight, Dan Farr
(In no specific order)

Jason has a new one being built as a cutter with one of the best handles I have ever felt, by far.
 
kamkazmoto said:
I have to say Ed Fowler. He can make a piece of stag feel like it grew out of your hand.
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Are you saying that he made you a knife with a stag handle? When I asked him he told me that he only works with sheep horn.
 
Nod goes to Rob Hudson, very comfortable and useful as well.
Hard to beat his distinctive look and feel, no pictures on hand
but check this thread;

Rob Hudson

and a Spotlight article

Also Dan Maragni has a nice feel on his handles as well, but his knives
are very scarce!

G2
 
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