Lightest handle material?

[tryppyr]

Perhaps hollowed out titanium handles.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

Stacked leather is pretty light.

 

[Natlek]

Now , if we go to the extreme ...............Graphene ...........who will make the first two-dimensional /single atomic layer of carbon/ handle for a knife

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

There is a big difference in light weight and high strength to weight ratio. Things like carbon fiber and titanium that are "light weight materials" are many times more dense than wood.

Something like pine would be half the weight of something like osage orange, which would probably be lighter than carbon fiber, which would be lighter than aluminum, which would be lighter than titanium...

A good practical light weight material would be something like Maple or Walnut.

edit to add: functionally, it would be hard to go wrong with hickory

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Pool noodle. Just have to learn to be more careful, is all.

 

[Willie71]

I've used stabilized poplar. I also like maple and Walnut. Those are the lightest woods that I use without stabilization. padauk is a bit heavier.

 

[Matt Rochester]

I did a Bowie once with unstabilzed claro walnut that was very light. In fact, it was too light for me.

 

[Salem Straub]

As far as composites, I've found warwood to be quite tough and noticeably lighter than G10.

 

[kuraki]

I have two scaled of that I bought to see what it was like. Haven't really looked at it. How does it finish?

 

[DevinT]

What is warwood?

Hoss

 

[kuraki]

It's some kind of wood composite that was sandwiched between armor in the floors of MATVs. The intent being it would capture spall from IEDs. It reminds me a little of composite decking board, but harder.

 

[Josh Rider]

I made a knife with terotuf once. I didn't weigh it or anything, but it felt lighter than g10 and micarta.

 

[jdm61]

Some folks have told me that Terotuf "moves" which really defeats the purpose of using a composite, especially an ugly one.

I made a knife with terotuf once. I didn't weigh it or anything, but it felt lighter than g10 and micarta.

 

[kuraki]

And it's expensive.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Honestly, some nice indian rosewood would be surprisingly light. Its only about the density of hard maple "One of the lightest of the rosewoods" but still rather strong. Ive got some if you like

 

[Lieblad]

I go with cork. I have a couple fishing fillet knives with cork handles, they float.
Of course they are not heavyduty knives either.

 

[DevinT]

Stabilized balsa? Kidding

Hoss

 

[jdm61]

LOL. Balsa has a very high strength to weight ratio. The problem is that it weighs nothing.

Stabilized balsa? Kidding

Hoss

 

[jdm61]

Cork is an interesting material but it can be very high maintenance. Back in the 40-60's the custom fishing boat builders South Florida used it for flooring material in the semi-dry areas of the boats like the deckhouse. They used teak on the outside decks and cork on the inside.

I go with cork. I have a couple fishing fillet knives with cork handles, they float.
Of course they are not heavyduty knives either.

 

[jdm61]

Don't tempt us. It helps that East Indian is actually available.

Honestly, some nice indian rosewood would be surprisingly light. Its only about the density of hard maple "One of the lightest of the rosewoods" but still rather strong. Ive got some if you like