Horn vs. Wood tradeoffs in HI knives?

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gomipile

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Apr 17, 2010
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I'm looking at making a HI purchase in the coming weeks, and I'm torn as to which handle material to get.

What are your experiences as to the tradeoffs between HI's horn and wood handles?

I'll be using this knife as a workhorse in the woods and on the farm, to give you an idea of my needs. I like the looks of both the horn and wood from HI, so information on appearance is not what I'm looking for.

I'm looking for information and opinions on performance, grip, comfort, safety, durability, and other practical concerns.
 
If you like the color brown, go with wood.
If you prefer black, go with horn.
(Just kidding, although in the end I think it comes down to personal preference.)

Sorry, I know you're interested in practical concerns.
Wood is probably easier to modify if needed.
I'm hoping that people with more experience than me will give some opinions to help you make an informed choice.
 
I just got two khukris after Christmas one wood and one horn. They both look great but grabbing them, I liked the wood handle more, feels a bit more grippy. I think any future khukris I'd order from HI would be wood but if what I want comes up as deal of the day in horn I'd get it.

The truth is you're more than likely going to get more than one khukri so order the one you want with the handle you want but next time you see a good deal of the day in the opposite handle give it a try.

For the record my wood handle is Sirupati and the horn handle is WWII. I'm hoping to get a wood handled M43 but if it comes in as horn that will still be ok.
 
In my mind there are three real issues.

1. Do they both perform in a real working role. Without doubt they both work equally well.
2. Feel. Although it is commonly thought that horn is slppery or hard this is not the case, the horn actually has a warm soft organic feel.
3. Longevity. There are examples of both wood and horn handled kukri from the turn of the centry that are still intact. They both stand up to the work they are made to do or they would not be around.

The farmers seem to use more wood while the modern militaries use more horn but even that is a generalization. It really boils down to personal preference and availability.

Good luck in your search.
 
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This past Christmas I got my first HI kukri - an 18" Ang Khola, . I opted for a horn handle mostly because I like the look of it and also because I wanted to try something a little different. I have to say that my next HI purchase will definitely have a wood handle - contrary to shortwinger's comments, I personally find that "hard" and "slippery" is exactly how I would describe the horn.

However, with that being said - I don't dislike it enought to pass up a good deal on a blem with a horn handle if one were to come up that I was interested in otherwise.
 
It really comes down to personal preference. I like wood. I find it easy to modify but usually perfectly fine right out of the box. Horn does look more exotic and is gorgeous shined up. However, I too find it a tad slick when given the proverbial spit-shine. To maximize the horn grippiness, you can hit it with a little bit of sandpaper. This gives the horn a bit of an ashy/chalky look but does de-slick it quite a bit.

Either way, both materials should last you a lifetime if properly maintained.:)
 
Shiny horn is slipperier than shiny wood. Also, horn is colder to the touch in cold weather and warmer in the summer.
 
In my experience a wooden handle is easier on the hands when chopping, both horn and wooden handles can be slick depending on the finish applied to them, villager blades tend to have more grippy handles
 
@Steely_Gunz

Excellent, I will definitely give sandpaper a try - what grade would you recommend? Currently I have the handle wrapped with hockey tape, which does actually work well and also makes it a little easier on the hand in general. However, it does take something away from the overall elegance of the blade.
 
jsherian said:
@Steely_Gunz

Excellent, I will definitely give sandpaper a try - what grade would you recommend? Currently I have the handle wrapped with hockey tape, which does actually work well and also makes it a little easier on the hand in general. However, it does take something away from the overall elegance of the blade.
Click to expand...

Glad to be of help, as far as the grade? Well, I'm too lazy to go out and buy sandpaper specifically for ANY application. I just use what's on hand:p If you have various grades, maybe start fine and work your way down lest you overly rough up the horn beyond your liking. I generally have something like 600 or 800 grit around the house for various knife sharpening. That seems to work pretty well:)
 
I have 2 khukri's a smaller WWII and a larger Bonecutter both have wood handles, but today I chopped with a friends horn handled khukri. I prefer wood, it feels better in my hand and I feel (dont know) it would be easier to modify if something was not to my liking.

which brings me to my next point, my buddys horn handle comes to a narrow angle where your pinky hits the handle. Can this be sanded?
 
drbarnes,
you can sand horn its a lot like filing a nail down. If you use power tools and get too much heat going it smells bad. Go slooow its easier to stop then to add back material if you take away too much.
 
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