Horn or Wood?

Wood or Horn handle?

  • Wood

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Horn

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
20,978
Very simple poll:

If you HAD to make the decision and everything else was equal = wood or horn handle?

...and why?


I'll respond first = Horn

I can carve it better
It's gentler on my hand
Feels more solid
More suited to my type of use = path clearing

My only complaint = only comes in one color. Although, I've been playing around with painting some of the engravings.
 
I vote for wood.

3 reasons:

Like the way it feels, better. Main reason.

Like the way the woodgrain looks. I have a couple of pieces (especially one sirupati from Walosi) that have beautiful wood grain or burl handles.

Much more comfortable working on wood (sanding, refinishing, etc.)
Although, I would only consider myself a junior woodchuck <G>.


Wolvesclaw
 
This is a hard question. I voted for horn for it's appearance & feel, but I also appreciate the look & feel of wood as well as the variety. I guess I'll have to buy 2 of the same knives now, one with horn handle & one with a wood handle for comparison! What have you started?? How's the baby doing? What does he prefer on his blades?
 
Originally posted by Clydetz
How's the baby doing? What does he prefer on his blades?

Horn = Like Father, like Son.

Baby is doing fine and has his eyes wide open looking around at everything. Recognizes my voice too. **BIG:)**
 
I've had the opportunity to fondle before I bought when I'd stop by the Cantina.

Bottom Line: if it sings to you who cares?
 
..although 2 of 3 khuks I have is wood handled (well, the YCS is wood with horn and bone inlays, so it's a bit of both).

I like horn for the smooth feel, nice looks, matches the sheath, looks good with the brass fittings or steel fittings. Looks great right outta the box, polishes quicky and easily.

KEith
 
Wood for me
I find it is "warmer" to the touch and offers a better grip for a "working" khuk. (I found the horn to be "hard' and slippery)
Having tried both on an 18" AK I speak from that experience.
As for beauty, the horn is truly magnificent as seen in the Kothimoda and Dhankuta.
As for modifying them...that is lost on me as I like them just the way the come juuust fine.
 
Originally posted by Rusty
Bottom Line: if it sings to you who cares?

Well said, Rusty.

Functionally I found that both wood and horn meet my needs just fine. How well an individual handle fits me depends far more on the specific handle shape, size, etc. than on its material.

Aesthetically, I've seen enough gorgeous examples of both materials to state that either can be a work of art when well executed and combined with the proper blade, scabbard and metalwork.

All that wishy-washiness having been said, I definitely prefer horn. Just because. :p
 
Me likes... um... it depends...

The ones I've used a lot were horn, but I like the way finished wood looks. A coat or two of goop on the horn and yer done. Finishing wood takes much longer. blah blah...

Dunno.

I like plastic :barf:
 
I think horn is prettier. It works well on a smaller blade. On larger, fighting khukuris, I perfer wood. Less slippery with blood, solid grip, absorbs sweat better, and horn is more fragile upon hard impact, in my experience.
Sam
 
Wood for me. I like horn for looks, and at first wouldn't go for the wood at all, but with the extra weight of a khuk I like the secure grip I get on the wood handles.

Plus, that satisal (sp?) has such beautiful grain it just grew on me.
 
Water buffalo horn is my all-time favorite handle material.

I like things that are shiny...
 
Horn all the way. Grew up with the stuff, and feel it holds up better in the long run than wood. The stuff is meant to be handled and used. Though the wood-chuck in me likes to carve the wood...dilemas dilemas...:D
 
I like wood better. To me it is easier to work down than the horn if need be and doesn't smell near as bad as the horn does when it's being worked on with power tools.:barf:
It's also warmer to the touch and has a much better "grip" than horn even when polished to the same degree.
 
I have a definite preference for either one. :)

It looks like we are tide up 50/50

n2s
 
I have four wood handled khuks and one horn handled khuk but I voted for horn even though the one I have is my least favorite of the five because of size (a little too small) and flaws (that particular water buffalo must have had a pretty rough life). But if I could go to Nepal and have a custom made PERFECT khukuri, I would want one with a horn handle - very elegant and doesn't seem to get dented as easily.
 
I think wood because it is easier to find products to care for it and I think it cracks less.:)
 
not2sharp; I have a definite preference for either one.

That's it. And I like them for all the reasons mentioned.

Do handle carvers get rid or subdue the ridge-ring in the middle of the handle? I figured the people who've been using them for hundreds of years know best, so I didn't worry about it when that ring took some skin off my finger. Now my fingers are tougher. And sometimes I think the design helps me to hold on.

munk
 
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