What is your personal favorite handle material(s)?

Polished canvas micarta is the best, especially when done by spketch:

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Gray anodized.



Recycled picture.

I like the subtle texturing. It's grippy, but not without a certain classy utility.
 
Injection molded polypropylene. No joke. Followed by FRN and canvas micarta. Stacked leather is nice, too.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Injection molded polypropylene. No joke. Followed by FRN and canvas micarta. Stacked leather is nice, too.
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FRN gets such a bad rap, but it really is wonderful. People call it "cheap", but, so what if it's cost-effective? And Endura in G10 will be heavier and at no significant advantage over an Endura in FRN, and the "volcano" style grip on the FRN Spyderco knives is just freaking great.

I tend to shy away from Leather and Micarta due to absorbing oils. Polymers and alloys are where it's at for me.
 
Kirinite, especially the tortoise and mother of pearl ones. :)

Easy to work with, looks great and pretty tough. Not g10 and micarta tough but I think it's tougher than a lot of wood and horn.
 
jkwithawave said:
Boats, what is that? Beautiful blade you have there!

Titanium for folders. Micarta, g10, wood for fixed blades in no particular order. Just depends on the knife.
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It's not mine and I don't know what it is. It's just representative of why I like myrtlewood burl.
 
Comeuppance said:
FRN gets such a bad rap, but it really is wonderful. People call it "cheap", but, so what if it's cost-effective? And Endura in G10 will be heavier and at no significant advantage over an Endura in FRN, and the "volcano" style grip on the FRN Spyderco knives is just freaking great.

I tend to shy away from Leather and Micarta due to absorbing oils. Polymers and alloys are where it's at for me.
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Micarta only absorbs stuff at the surface layer of exposed fibers, so soap and water cleans them right up. Leather sure wouldn't make a good handle material on a surgical tool, but as long as it's not allowed to rot or dry out it takes on a heck of a patina with age. If kept oiled in the first place then it has limited ability to actually absorb anything because it's already pretty full.

And yeah, I agree with FRN. The stuff is light, impervious to the elements, and shock and abrasion resistant--it just also happens to be cost-effective, and I see that as a plus. :D
 
Canvas micarta, carbon fiber, g-10. I'm excited for my Alan Davis Custom with ironwood. I want to try ctek as well. I like pretty much anything but metal.
 
I am a big fan of carbon fiber currently, looks good, strong and is very lightweight. It also wont tear up my pockets like allot of G10 likes to do.

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