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Magnum vs. Standard handle
- Thread starter BBQ BOY
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2007
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- 14,463
I like the micarta magnum hand sanded handles best for a bigger chopping knife.
Some knives feel better with magnum handles and some with standard.
Some knives feel better with magnum handles and some with standard.
The mag handles on my Hog Ash 1 and my NMSFNO fit my hands very nicely. I slightly prefer them to the standard handles I've had on my other Busse knives. That said, I think it's really an individual matter of hand size and shape, so don't go by my preferences what's right for you may be different than what's right for me.
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- Jul 9, 2010
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- 825
I have never had new handles put on at the shop, but if you go ahead with it, i am sure you can keep the old handles if you request it, and worst case scenario, switch them out again if needed at a relatively low cost if you don't like the new ones. I am not sure how much heavier magnum handles weigh compared to the standard ones, but it might change the balance of the knife more than you would expect.
Last edited:
DowntownDM
BANNED
- Joined
- May 11, 2007
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- 2,563
regular slabs on a Skinny ASH would be too flat and skinny IMO.
hand-shaped magnum canvas are the deal, I think.
hand-shaped magnum canvas are the deal, I think.
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- Sep 13, 2007
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- 1,598
MAGNUM for me too. I have medium hands and the magnums just feel perfect!
AZTimT
The Stripetition Finish Guy (inactive)
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- Oct 15, 2009
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Well, you've touched on a subject I have plenty of hands on experience with so hopefully I can help you out a bit. Keep in mind, it is still a personal choice that nobody can decide for you since we can't feel what your hand feels.
My advice is this: If you wear gloves in a size XL or larger and/or have very "meaty" hands, then you will very much prefer the standards due to having LESS room inside your closed fist. If you don't meet either of the descriptions in the previous statement then you will have MORE room inside of your closed fist and should stick to the magnums which you can always thin out a bit to your liking.
The difference in thickness between a skinny ash .187" blank and an LE ASH-1 .22" blank are so minimal that you can't feel the difference in your hand between the same style of handle on either blade. I have held the 2007 SE ASH-1's as well as a few Custom Shop/show pieces with the thinner handles and that is why I chose to have the shop make my blue/black G10 handles in a standard thickness. The smoothed down mags feels the nicest on the skin, but for my hands the thinner handles make for a slimmer carry profile and better feel to my entire hand in use. I would try sanding down the mags to your liking before sending it to the shop as it does take a while and cost extra. If you still don't like the smoother handles then they can be replaced.
This pic should show you the difference in grip profile from standard (shop swapped only, not a factory option), thinned out factory mags and factory mags on the skinny ash, which is what all 3 of these blades started out as.
Direct comparison of shop swapped standards vs. factory mags.
Difference in bulk with sheaths.
My advice is this: If you wear gloves in a size XL or larger and/or have very "meaty" hands, then you will very much prefer the standards due to having LESS room inside your closed fist. If you don't meet either of the descriptions in the previous statement then you will have MORE room inside of your closed fist and should stick to the magnums which you can always thin out a bit to your liking.
The difference in thickness between a skinny ash .187" blank and an LE ASH-1 .22" blank are so minimal that you can't feel the difference in your hand between the same style of handle on either blade. I have held the 2007 SE ASH-1's as well as a few Custom Shop/show pieces with the thinner handles and that is why I chose to have the shop make my blue/black G10 handles in a standard thickness. The smoothed down mags feels the nicest on the skin, but for my hands the thinner handles make for a slimmer carry profile and better feel to my entire hand in use. I would try sanding down the mags to your liking before sending it to the shop as it does take a while and cost extra. If you still don't like the smoother handles then they can be replaced.
This pic should show you the difference in grip profile from standard (shop swapped only, not a factory option), thinned out factory mags and factory mags on the skinny ash, which is what all 3 of these blades started out as.
Direct comparison of shop swapped standards vs. factory mags.
Difference in bulk with sheaths.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2010
- Messages
- 216
I think that the Magnums work well on the larger blades, and it gives you more grip while chopping, but on the smaller
blades I find that the standard hand shaped blades fit perfect in the hand and are very smooth....But each person is different, so try to get
ahold of another knife and try it first then you will know which is best....
blades I find that the standard hand shaped blades fit perfect in the hand and are very smooth....But each person is different, so try to get
ahold of another knife and try it first then you will know which is best....
Very helpful pics. Jerry should put these on his website.:thumbup:
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
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- 2,538
I prefer the Mags on my skinny. The palm swell feels better in hand. There's more contact with the broad side of the handles rather than just the top and bottom edge like with the standard flat scales.
Soulrack223
Gold Member
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- May 8, 2007
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- 5,653
Machined Mags are my personal preferance, especially on the ASH-1 and its variants.
AZTimT
The Stripetition Finish Guy (inactive)
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2009
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- 4,506
Many people just don't fully understand how important the feel of the handle in their hand can make or break the experience of the entire knife, but it seems you don't suffer from that issue. So it sounds like for you a little thinner would probably not hurt, but maybe not as much as you might think so I still stand by my advice. Modify the handles to your liking first, send to the shop second only if desired results are not achieved OR you REALLY want a different handle material. A lot of people seem unjustifiably scared of hurting their almost indestructible knife somehow just by taking a little piece of sand covered paper to it to make the handles fit their hand better. If you are going to send it to the shop anyways, how can you go wrong???
It may be worth it to try to make the knife YOURS which is very easy as I will explain. You can do this by trying to sand down the current handles for merely the cost of about an hour of your time, effort and some 40-80 grit sandpaper. This may solve your problem cheaper and quicker than sending it in for a reslab. Start on the middle hump of the side that fits your palm (right for right hand or left for left) and then work your way down into the valleys where the machined waves are. Then do the same thing for the other side where your fingers wrap around. Don't forget to round any spot/area that feels sharp or angular to YOUR hand. Something that conforms to the curve of your hand is helpful such as the 3M sanding blocks made of foam you can find in the paint section of many stores. Listen to your sense of feel and keep going until it feels right by addressing only the spots that don't feel right, but don't go any further than that. If you remove enough material to reach the tubes you will find that sanding them a bit smoother as well makes them feel much better to your hand especially under hard use without gloves. If you like the results as much as I like mine, then I am sure you will be very happy with it. If for some reason you are not happy with it you can still send it in for thinner handles with the personal knowledge of what didn't work for you rather than just guessing or assuming.
Keep in mind, I REALLY wanted a set of blue/black handles for mine and since it had to go to the shop for that anyways I figured why not go thin since I know I like the feel of the thin Special Edition grips. I am also extremely happy with my sanded down mags on the sage colored blade to the point that it stays in my emergency kit in case that were to be my ONLY knife under the most dire of circumstances. I also find it gives me an excuse to go through said emergency kit more often just so I can hold/use that particular blade. That should tell you something about how it feels to make your knife feel like it is YOURS and no one else's.
Those of you who are more concerned about resale value than usefulness can disregard any of this advice as it doesn't really apply to you. Also, don't forget to keep personal safety in mind when attempting to work on your knife to include edge awareness as well as dust inhalation. A breathing mask, while not required, is highly recommended for sanding handle materials.
These are some examples of handles that I have sanded down to suit my liking aside from the two in my earlier pictures. It is very easy to do.
Both the CGFBM and the Custom Shop BWM LE (was originally machined)
All but the third one which I traded out for another skinny.
Both the Gladius and SJTac.
The top SAR 3 and the BWM CG.
