Which do you like more, bone or wood scales on a traditional slipjoint?

C

csisland

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Aug 8, 2013
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Does one look better with age, or maybe you just prefer one over the other? I like them both but lean a little more towards the wood.
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My small collection is evenly split down the middle. It depends on what looks better to my eye, when I'm looking to buy. :D
 
I will take some of that really fine black black ebony over jigged bone any day. Notice I said jigged because after a few years the ebony still looks great while the jigging on the bone is wearing down and not looking so grand anymore. Smooth bone is a different story. It does not show all that wear after many years of use. I still choose the ebony over the smooth bone though. After a 100 years the ebony is still black. The bone can become discolored and stained. I also find more damage free ebony and other wood scaled old knives versus bone.
 
I'm not much of an "old" knife guy. On my traditional slipjoints, I prefer jigged bone. Wood just seems wrong to my eye. I'm not saying that people who prefer wood are wrong, just that to me, a jiggled bone cover seems more fitting and appropriate than a wood cover, regardless of how gorgeous that wood might be or how mediocre that jigged bone might be. It's just what I'm used to, I think.
 
That's a tough one! I love them both and would have to say I like the look of bone the most but the actual feel in my hand for a user I think some of the woods feel a little warmer and better. Tough question to answer ;)
 
Depends. Or as jobasha11 put it -

jobasha11 said:
I'd rather have bone on a folder and wood on a fixed blade.
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The term traditional is too broad and vague. Are you asking about slipjoints?

- Christian
 
Depends on the pattern/knife. Some of the really old school knives look right with some ebony (tear drops for example). Some look right with bone such as a stockman.
 
In general bone over wood. But there are some knives that are just so right with wood scales. But stag over bone.
 
Woodrow F Call said:
Depends on the pattern/knife. Some of the really old school knives look right with some ebony (tear drops for example). Some look right with bone such as a stockman.
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I know what you mean. I think the coffin shaped knives look so perfect with dark black ebony! Seems very fitting.
 
I like wood handles ok, but only own just a few wood handled pocketknives, by far my preference is for jigged bone handles. OH
 
I like bone or stag. I like the aging that bone goes through as you carry a knife. Wouldn't turn down nice wood on a nice knife, especially on bigger folding knives.
 
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