Recent Handle Material Thread?

Not real sure STeven - just going by memory - you know how that can be. :o

Roger
 
Kevin, I've seen some that looked good enough to use but am just scared of the stuff.

Maybe I'll pick some up at Blade this year :cool:
 
jonathan brand said:
It seems too dense to me, but I could be wrong. I've dropped mammoth ivory knives. The ivory dents a bit. I've also dropped G bone and had it crack and chip. And visually natural ivory just seems more organic looking for me. I don't have tons of experience but this is all just my observation so far.

Bob, it does look nice on that gun. I'm a knife collector though not a gun collector so i'm more picky with knives.
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Jon, I'm not a gun collector, but I carry one. I don't have to concern myself with condition issues because, just like carrying a knife, condition isn't an issue for a carry piece.

But when you don't often unholster it, you don't often drop it - so the giraffe bone doesn't suffer like it might if you got your hands on a knife, LOL.

Bob

ps: and this bone looks great with the nickel.
 
RE: That looks like camel bone to me Roger....are you SURE it's giraffe?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

How can you tell one type from another by looking at it (just asking)

Richard
 
Don Hanson III said:
I almost bought some giraffe bone once....Almost...
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The REAL reason he did not buy any is because he has no more room in his shop for any more handle material ie. Ivory of all species both ancient and other, Stag etc. et al.;)

Paul
 
Tinbasher said:
How can you tell one type from another by looking at it (just asking)

Richard
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Each bone type has different visual qualities....just like wood....look at enough of each type, and you can see the "tells".

Camel bone has a very even yellowish color, naturally and not too much porosity...I've never seen another bone that looks quite like it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Each bone type has different visual qualities....just like wood....look at enough of each type, and you can see the "tells".

Camel bone has a very even yellowish color, naturally and not too much porosity...I've never seen another bone that looks quite like it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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I agree Steven. Giraffe bone also seems to have more surface cracking (bark) and cow bone is usually more white in color.
I believe the example we are discussing is actually Giraffe bone which has been stabilized and high polished, giving it visual characteristics of camel.
 
I prefer natural materials for handles but don't have a lot of bone of any kind. Most of it is "jigged" which I have a personal dislike of (going back to the plastic "jigged" scales of the 70's). I think everyone has a prejudice or two based on life experiences, and these are hard to get over. That being said, I buy knives I want, not what I hope someone else will want more.

Here's a Ron Gaston blade that I love; clean, simple, elegant, and it has giraffe bone scales.

rgknife1.jpg
 
eisman said:
I prefer natural materials for handles but don't have a lot of bone of any kind. Most of it is "jigged" which I have a personal dislike of (going back to the plastic "jigged" scales of the 70's). I think everyone has a prejudice or two based on life experiences, and these are hard to get over. That being said, I buy knives I want, not what I hope someone else will want more.
Here's a Ron Gaston blade that I love; clean, simple, elegant, and it has giraffe bone scales.
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Valid collecting philosophy, especially if you have plenty of money to buy knives and are sure you will never be put in a position of having to sell them. I also buy the knives I want, however try to cover my bases as to future marketability as well. Many different collecting philosophies which work best for different individuals.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Valid collecting philosophy, especially if you have plenty of money to buy knives and are sure you will never be put in a position of having to sell them. I also buy the knives I want, however try to cover my bases as to future marketability as well. Many different collecting philosophies which work best for different individuals.
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Oh no, not the "collectors vs investors" dispute again.:D;):)

Marcel
 
Marcel54 said:
Oh no, not the "collectors vs investors" dispute again.:D;):)

Marcel
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No Marcel, not so much. ;)
Forget about the investment aspect, there's just benefits to buying knives that others also like/appreciate.

It's not like the collector has to chose between what he/she likes and what others like.

Right?

Sorry, I'm wandering from topic again. :o
 
Kevin Jones said:
No Marcel, not so much. ;)
Forget about the investment aspect, there's just benefits to buying knives that others also like/appreciate.

It's not like the collector has to chose between what he/she likes and what others like.

Right?

Sorry, I'm wandering from topic again. :o
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Kevin, with regards to the subject, you are right on topic :cool:
 
Never knew that a handle material could stir such a responce. :) Thanks, Kevin. I've enjoyed this. Certainly going to make me think twice before picking a handle material on future knives.

Gary
 
Everyone has an opinion and I really like the response this thread has received (never thought so many people would respond). With that said, I like it in the more natural tones and would buy it if it met that criteria!

Bill
 
Heres why I like mammoth ivory aside from the looks. Its exotic. It may seem main stream to all of us but in the real world (non knife nuts) mammoth ivory stirs up commotion and everyone loves it. No one really cares about any kind of bone when you tell them what it is.

Also this is not to mention i've never seen a kind of bone with grain that looked as beautiful or interesting as nice pieces of mammoth or walrul ivory.

Some wood has great play when you move it around in light. I love that kind of chantoyance and would prefer it to bone.

I also love pearl because you can stare at it and see so many different things. Its too bad MOP is a little slow because some of it is real pretty. I also like black lip and brown lip but hate the look of most gold lip.

These are all my opinions of course. Not trying to state it as facts, just my experience and my eye.

EDIT- I LOVE elephant bark with thin blue cracks. I still need to get my hands on the right piece.
 
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eisman said:
I prefer natural materials for handles but don't have a lot of bone of any kind. Most of it is "jigged" which I have a personal dislike of (going back to the plastic "jigged" scales of the 70's). I think everyone has a prejudice or two based on life experiences, and these are hard to get over. That being said, I buy knives I want, not what I hope someone else will want more.
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This is my collecting philosophy, also. When my philosophy comes closer to the one expressed by Kevin, i.e., want + investment potential, I fear my "hobby" will lose some of its attractiveness.

Paul
 
blad5 said:
This is my collecting philosophy, also. When my philosophy comes closer to the one expressed by Kevin, i.e., want + investment potential, I fear my "hobby" will lose some of its attractiveness.

Paul
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It certainly doesn't have to, but to each his own.

I think that there is a misconception that those who consider investment value as an aspect of their collecting somehow enjoy their knives less. This simply isn't so.

Roger
 
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