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

I am ways worried about dropping g a bone handled knife on concrete and cracking the scales.
For this reason I much prefer wood, also wood has a warmth to it that bone can never compete with.
 
I prefer jigged bone, but not by much - I do love the smooth "warmth" of Blackwood or Cocobolo in the hand.

Of the nine Traditional folders i have three are wood and the other six are jigged bone.
 
My order of preference is Mammoth bark ivory (have not paid the price to own any yet), Sambar Stag (not fatter than the bolsters though), Gabon Ebony (not chocolate striped Macassar), Smooth bone, Sawcut bone. Not a fan of jigged bone, not a fan of African Blackwood. Being this picky saves me a lot of money :-)
 
Smooth bone is my favorite, with wood a close second. Not a big fan of jigged bone, seems like every one I get has chips or flakes out of it.
 
BJE said:
I am ways worried about dropping g a bone handled knife on concrete and cracking the scales.
For this reason I much prefer wood, also wood has a warmth to it that bone can never compete with.
Click to expand...

22 years ago, I dropped a Schrade IXL stockman and chipped the bone. Fixed it with superglue but still...

Went back to carrying my Pioneer at work.
 
SAK Guy said:
22 years ago, I dropped a Schrade IXL stockman and chipped the bone. Fixed it with superglue but still...

Went back to carrying my Pioneer at work.
Click to expand...
I work on concrete and always have oil and grease and antifreeze on my hands, tools slipping is a real possibility and I hate having to worry about babying my knife when trying to get a job done, so I dont usually carry bone handled knives at work and that limits my choosing of them for purchase since I don't like to buy what I won't carry.
 
I think bone, but I don't have much experience with wood. I would really like to get an Esquire in ebony, but Idk.
 
I am a CASE vintage Red Bone junky so I'd say bone but then ever since I rec'd my Gabon Ebony Barlow from Charlie I have a real love affair with Ebony these days...

Okay, was that kind of a Switzerland stand right there :o:p

Paul
 
I prefer jigged bone over wood. Notice the bold in the previous sentence, as I'll take wood over smooth bone. For me the texture of jigged bone adds to a secure grip in-hand of the slipjoint.
 
I have done the migration from Stag through bone and seem to have landed on wood.... ebony in particular....BIG TIME. As I type I have two ebony knives on the way to me, to complement my ebony calf roper, ebony 15 boys knife, my ebony 68 owl, and my ebony 92 Eureka. I do have 4 or 5 bone knives that I like very much like my jigged Pemberton, jigged Outlaw (LOVE that knife), harvest orange humpback stockman, and my yellow boned Böker stockman.

Overall, I like the look and warm feel of wood (ebony, and snakewood are my favorites....not a fan of some others)...but I agree the decision is in good part according to pattern.

Peter
 
While I own more bone nothing surpasses the beauty of moving chattoyance in a great piece of wood. Which is a great reason to also love GEC!
 
I like jigged bone over wood. I actually don't own any wood-handled traditionals other than an old Buck 110, so maybe I haven't given them a fair shake, but they never appeal to me enough visually to buy one.
 
I prefer the texture of jigged bone over smooth wood.

davisonbone6.jpg
 
I have a Blackwood Barlow and a Rosewood Buck that I love, and I would love to get an oak or maple in there at some point. I like both wood and bone, but the other material like horn, ivory, and stag I'll take a pass on.
 
Wood is my preference out of the two, but really Micarta is what I'm after these days. Bone is acceptable, but a hard drop on tile, makes me cringe.
 
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