What's your Favorite Handle Material?

[Kevin Jones]

We haven't had a good old handle material thread in a while.
So what's your favorite handle and please post examples of such if you like.

Here's mind, and thanks in advance for your partisipation.

Walrus Ivory:

Mammoth Ivory:

Amber Stag:

Ironwood:

Cocobolo:

 

[DavidZ]

For beauty - Sandbar Stag
For durability - G-10

 

[Jon Brand]

This is a loaded topic. Normally I love polished walrus and mammoth ivory. I am finding that it really depends on the piece though. I would prefer NICE stag to a boring plain peice of mammoth. In general I go for deep color. Blues and greens for mammoth ivory. For walrus I love to see blue but it doesn't get seen often. Here is the example I posted recently..

Hard to see the real color in my photo but use your imagination.

For mammoth ivory, ideally I would look for this, but its rare and these are some of the best peices I have seen.

Lets not forget about pearl. I am finding that as beautiful as White MOP is, its harder to sell. I prefer Black lip due to its huge amounts of color. Brown lip is also very nice but hard to find large examples of.

Brown lip

 

[dangreco]

 

[jklein7401]

For me it is any nice Ivory with nice wood right behind it. Really depends (again for me) on what the the maker feels will look most appropriate. I also like nice stag, just do not have any at this time. A little photo heavy but I hope you enjoy.

Artifact Fossil Walrus Ivory Fire Starter

Fossil Walrus

Mammoth

Bark Mammoth

Ebony

Exotic Woods

Good thread I look forward to seeing some cool pieces here, Jon

 

[Jos]

Mammoth Ivory Bark! I like the white/brown stuff.

Kaj Embretsen:

Filip De Leeuw (Deviant blades)

Gudy Van Poppel:

Just a few examples.

I also like nice wood, stag, elk,...

Kind regards,

Jos

 

[betzner]

Diamonds and rubies, LOL

 

[betzner]

Actually, my favorite handle material is stone - whether it be pietersite, jade, dendretic material, marble, etc.

EDIT: I'll just post a single favorite of mine.

 

[Eduardo Berardo]

Wonderful knives!

 

[Eduardo Berardo]

Speaking professionally as bladesmith I love the wood because I love to run curvilinear handles. The wood provides this, you can work in any depth. But speaking of exotic and beauty ... I get the mammoth ivory. It is also important to say that the ivory is a wonderful material to work, soft and very easy to get shine.
All the Best,
Eduardo Berardo.

The wonderful mammoth ivory. Senderos's replica.

 

[Kohai999]

Mother of Pearl:
Gordon Chard

Billy Mace Imel

David Mosier

Warren Osborne

Stag:
Bill Burke

Harvey Dean:

Wood
Russ Andrews-Amboyna

Bailey Bradshaw-African Blackwood

Allen Elishewitz-Desert Ironwood

Burt Foster-Desert Ironwood


Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Peregrin]

The best of the best is what we're seeing here. Just beautiful!

 

[Gary Mulkey]

We haven't had a good old handle material thread in a while.
So what's your favorite handle and please post examples of such if you like.

Here's mind, and thanks in advance for your partisipation.

Walrus Ivory:
Mammoth Ivory:
Amber Stag:
Ironwood:
Cocobolo:


These that Kevin has listed are definately amounst my favorites. One that I would add to the list would be stabilized bone:

Gary

 

[blad5]

I love the infinite variety in woods and the relative absence of controversy concerning its use.

Paul

 

[Mark Knapp]

Those are all too sweet

 

[JParanee]

Speaking professionally as bladesmith I love the wood because I love to run curvilinear handles. The wood provides this, you can work in any depth. But speaking of exotic and beauty ... I get the mammoth ivory. It is also important to say that the ivory is a wonderful material to work, soft and very easy to get shine.
All the Best,
Eduardo Berardo.

The wonderful mammoth ivory. Senderos's replica.

These are are fantastic knives

This one is beautiful to me as is the Sfreddo carved blackwood with the fleur de leis

As for favorite handle materials I would have to say mine is stag or blackwood

 

[RogerP]

I don't really have a favourite and don't subscribe to the concept of a hierarchy of materials. My preference is that the material used be among the best of examples of its kind - whether it be wood, ivory, stag or pearl. An exceptional piece of handle material incorporated into the right knife is a winning combination. I have a strong preference for natural materials, but synthetics definitely have their place.

Some beautiful pics here. :thumbup:

Roger

PS - someboy please post THE Don Fogg stag bowie.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Fossil Mammoth and Walrus Ivory. Followed closely by Stag and black lip Pearl.

If I have to use wood, it's Black Walnut and Curly Koa.

 

[RogerP]

These that Kevin has listed are definately amounst my favorites. One that I would add to the list would be stabilized bone:

Gary

That is just a gorgeous bowie Gary - beautiful lines.

Roger

 

[Don Hanson III]

Jon, those two folders have killer mammoth ivory scales, bout as good as it gets.

I also like old Elephant ivory and have no problem using it but don't use a lot.