What do you look for in natural scales?

rye_a

rye_a

Joined
Apr 27, 2007
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What attributes do you all look for in naturally variable scale materials? I'm referring specifically to stag and mammoth ivory, although I'm sure that there are many other variable natural covers. I know that this is subjective, but I'd really just like to know what all of you feel is desirable.
 
I agree with all of the above, and am also a big fan of symmetry. If both sides don't match well, it's a deal breaker for me.
 
Biggie_Robs said:
Put simply: color, texture, and depth.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that! :thumbup:

A good set of natural scales invites closer examination. Good bone or wood will make me want to grab a magnifying glass to checkout all of the detail. I have spent a fair amount of time over the last couple of weeks with a magnifier and my new #77 Northfield Barlow in smooth autumn gold bone. That dye job just brought out so much texture that I can spend a lot of time looking at patterns. Case Appaloosa bone handles are another handle material that I get drawn into. For the same reasons I love some of the wood handles such as Osage Orange and Birdseye Maple.
 
Sometimes I try to find a scale that looks different than what everyone else has, i.e., character and uniqueness.
 
Finished to the bolster...Some material with deep groves will leave part of the bolster exposed.

No cracks.
 
Deep Valleys and Popcorn and for me and they do not have to match.I also pay attention to how long the transition(s) from the stag to the bolsters are . I prefer short transitions. I also like as much stag texture as possible which then means one bolstered knives if possible. I like Natural Stag but I will buy Burnt Stag if I like the Texture. There is that word Texture again and they is VERY important. I do not want smooth stag.

Harry
 
Color, texture and symmetry are all factor, but overall appear has to be considered.

I love good sheep horn bark.

I want nice grain and color on wood.


Symmetry, texture and color on stag is a selling point for me.


Uniqueness and balance in color from one side to the other on mammoth are things I love.

Chris
 
I look at the whole knife. Does it 'speak to me', and if it does then it has the 'right' type of handles on it.
With some patterns a smooth handle looks best, so this could be Mammoth or Ebony for me. Other knives look better with a textured handle, so Stag or some of the Ram's Horn.
The other thing i want is: Slender. I do not like thick bulky handles. "Fat Stag" looks gross, can spoil a good knife. To see thickness you need a picture that looks directly down on spine or blade well. Some knife dealers show this view with their Stag handled knives.
I do not see matching sides as important as long as both sides are of good quality and are the same thickness.
kj
 
I can't stand fat stag, or any other handle material, so I would put that first on my list. Then I look for symmetry, color, grain pattern (wood), and character in the material. In the case of cover materials, a picture is truly worth a thousand words! I don't like buying traditional knife with natural covers based on a description or with a stock photo.
 
They need to look purty :)

If it's a knife you are going to use, you may want to ask about stabilization, especially if it is an exotic like mammoth tooth. Some wood need stabilization as well. At the ICCE show, the mammoth covered lockback (buck 112 size) I bought was stabilized by the maker with epoxy and also mounted on black spacer before mounting on the knife.

In custom knives, the sign of a maker with a good eye is matched scales. For example, I have an HK Parker with matched rosewood scales that are two sides of the same block of wood. The grain, including swirls, matches exactly on both sides of the knife.

For all natural materials, I look at the edges of the scales, how they fit the bolsters, are they smooth when held in the hand. Some makers finish/fit them better than others.
 
Reading brownshoe's post reminded me of something else i check for: i like the handle slabs to be nicely radiused to the liners, top & bottom. If you look at the best vintage Sheffield folders the handle edges are always nicely rounded. Some of today's custom makers leave the handle slab with a 90 degree edge and the knife is nowhere near as comfortable in hand as a with a radiused edge.
kj
 
With stag and horn i prefer the scale to be a tad higher than the bolster and slightly bullnosed. That's for preventing the scale shrinking under the edge of the bolster due to moisture changes. It does applies to fixed blades too.
 
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