Ideas for Exotic Handle Materials???

Megalobyte

Megalobyte

Joined
Jun 5, 2002
Messages
2,761
Hi all. I am in the process of having a custom knife built for me. I know all of the usual exotic handle materials like mammoth/elephant ivory, buffalo horn, Kudu horn, MOP, tiger coral, stag, bone, marble, carbon fibre, damascus steel, titanium, etc. Im curious if there are other exotic, natural handle materials you know of that might be nice on my knife. If so, please tell me what the material looks like, what colors it can be had in, and if you have a picture, even better. Thanks!
 
One of my favorites is malachite. I find it is quite pretty for a "rock". Here is a link to a small gent's folder using this material, though I believe that this is probably reconstituted stone and not the real thing. Still very nice.

http://www.colemanmade.com/Model I.htm

BTW, Keith makes a very nice knife at a great price, just look at my Avatar ;)
 
sounds like you need some stones in your collection. there are literally tons of beautiful stone out there in just about any color and pattern you could want. jade is one of my favorites, but tigereye, agates, jaspers, lapis, onyx, chariote...too many to even begin to list.
 
Two that I really like are ancient walrus ivory and oosic. I have also seen a Rhodonite and coral composite that looked outstanding. Rhodonite is pink with black lines through it and I don't know what you think of pink for a handle color.
 
I saw a knife somewhere with armadillo scales for a handle material, they are grey, not too exciting. I have also seen Narwhale ivory, bangskia nut(cone) I am not sure of the spelling they come from austrailia, they are very cool. I have also heard of stabalized corn cobs for handles, I have never seen one, but hear they are really neat. Abalone is beautiful, so is black lip MOP. Not quite as exotic, but snakewood is very nice, burl woods that are stabalized and dyed are my personal favorites for handle materials. My all time favorite was on Tim Herman's list, and the first time I saw it was on one of his knives, that is chariote. It is purple with lighter streaks running through it, from what I know it is very rare, it has only been found in one place in Russia, and all of the known material has been mined already.
Kyle Fuglesten
 
its spelt Banksia, kile.
:)

as for exotic materials for handles, i think that it depends on what you are looking for.
that is.. if you are looking for exotic in the meaning of Rare or spectacular.

i know that i have some woods that i use that arent known to be rare, but the grain in them and the colours are just so beautiful that i would class them as exotic ... they for sure wouldnt be found again naturally...but the woods themselves are nothing special.

but if you are looking for something rare, then you also have all the usual bones and ivory .. shells and stones ..
im sure that if cost isnt a factor that there would be something special that someone has been holding onto for that special occasion.
try to find a piece of opalized shell thats big enough to be used ..
who knows .. thats when taste comes into it.

guess thats not much help.
:p

D.
 
Meteorite. Fairly rare, natural, and exotic. Pretty? Depends on your tastes...

<CENTER>Dan Fronefield "Midnight" meterite folder
<A HREF="http://home.carolina.rr.com/senator/meteorite.htm"><IMG SRC="http://home.carolina.rr.com/senator/images/Fronfield_Midnight_Meteorite_small.jpg"border="3"></A></CENTER>
 
Timascus is pretty cool too, if you're into anodyzed titanium.

JD
 
How about "ebony"? I think there are different types. It seems to drive up the cost of a custom knife if the handle material is ebony.
 
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