-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Which handle material (wood or horn) do you prefer?
- Thread starter Scubie67
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 1,079
I like the warmth and feel of wood, especially when it gets colder out. I love the way Neem smells when I sand and oil it.
Yet I like horn as it feel tacky when it gets wet and very grippy
Mark
Yet I like horn as it feel tacky when it gets wet and very grippy
Mark
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2010
- Messages
- 130
Practical judgement:
It depends on the role for me. I like horn a lot when it comes to combat use, but field based knives I think are just much nicer when in wood. I can't really explain it with any sort of scientific fact, it's just the way it feels when in use, and there are some instances where a wood feels nicer on a combat based knife than a horn.
Aesthetics:
I love that wood tends to come in more varying patterns than horn, but when you're lucky to get some horn that has a pattern, it too can be quite astonishing. But as far as aesthetics go, I definitely have to give the edge to wood.
It depends on the role for me. I like horn a lot when it comes to combat use, but field based knives I think are just much nicer when in wood. I can't really explain it with any sort of scientific fact, it's just the way it feels when in use, and there are some instances where a wood feels nicer on a combat based knife than a horn.
Aesthetics:
I love that wood tends to come in more varying patterns than horn, but when you're lucky to get some horn that has a pattern, it too can be quite astonishing. But as far as aesthetics go, I definitely have to give the edge to wood.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2006
- Messages
- 2,901
I don't know what horn is like on Khukuri's but I dropped a slip joint one time and the horn shattered like glass. I also have a couple of older knives that the horn has shrunk. For those reasons I am probably less apt to get horn.
I am very fond of the warmth and richness that you get from a wood handle.
I am very fond of the warmth and richness that you get from a wood handle.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 19,854
mmm, wood. some horn is very pretty and spectacular. it's strong. it's organic and natural, but for some reason, i went from loving it, to preferring wood.
Satisal is like the #1 wood i've seen lately here...
Neem is every popular and spicey
WHITE Neem as a variant
Chandan is an older wood that doesn't come up much lately
Hill Walnut
Monkey Pod Wood
Himalayan Persimimmon?
Sisau
??? - there was also a wood that was used a bit, but declared to be "too soft" and discontinued. don't remember name.
Also various materials from the USA sent there like deer antler, elk antler, various hardwoods, and stone.
i'm told some of the wood names are slightly interchangable. makes it trickier
Bladite
Satisal is like the #1 wood i've seen lately here...
Neem is every popular and spicey
WHITE Neem as a variant
Chandan is an older wood that doesn't come up much lately
Hill Walnut
Monkey Pod Wood
Himalayan Persimimmon?
Sisau
??? - there was also a wood that was used a bit, but declared to be "too soft" and discontinued. don't remember name.
Also various materials from the USA sent there like deer antler, elk antler, various hardwoods, and stone.
i'm told some of the wood names are slightly interchangable. makes it trickier
Bladite
- Joined
- May 19, 2009
- Messages
- 1,161
I find that wood holds up better to changes in humidity and temperature and is less prone to cracking/shrinking. It's also lower maintenance and grippier IMO.
The horn handles I've gotten tended to not have much of a pattern to them, so the beauty comes from it's high polish. Without a buffing machine, it's hard to maintain this beauty once it starts to wear. With wood, the beauty comes more from the color and grain (though polish can also be a factor if you finish it). Maintaining this beauty is a simple matter of sanding it down and then hydrating it to (if it isn't finished) or lightly burnishing it and adding a new top coat (if it's been finished).
As for the type of wood, I really love satisal. When you luck out and get a good piece of it, a proper finish can bring out a plethora or intense colors and the beautiful grain. Neem is pretty amazing too, but I only have one kukri with it, and I think I lucked out on the grain pattern and color - maybe it's just because of the lack of finish, but the ones I've seen have been sort of bland in tonality and grain pattern. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here's some pictures.
18" M43 by Santosh w/ Satisal wood handle.
Side A is a beautiful deep red with contrasting dark brown and fairly vivid grain.
Side B is the real killer though. A rich orange-gold on the top section contrasted by darker reds/browns on the bottom. You can even pick out a bit of purple where it transitions in the middle. Very distinct and beautiful grain throughout.
18" Vojpure by Sher (the tiger) w/ Neem wood handle.
Side A is somewhat boring IMO. The grain is very unison and it's not very varied in tonality. The vertical dark brown stripes that create a bit of a cat-eye effect are actually rasp marks that I decided not to entirely get rid of during sanding. I'd say most neem handles that I've seen would turn out like this when finished.
Side B is a bit more interesting and is what I wish all neem was like. There's a knot that gives it some wabi sabi appeal... it also makes the wood near it a pretty red. The horizontal rasp marks on the back really stands out and the flared pommel area is also quite nice in it's varied grain pattern and contrasting darker tones.
The horn handles I've gotten tended to not have much of a pattern to them, so the beauty comes from it's high polish. Without a buffing machine, it's hard to maintain this beauty once it starts to wear. With wood, the beauty comes more from the color and grain (though polish can also be a factor if you finish it). Maintaining this beauty is a simple matter of sanding it down and then hydrating it to (if it isn't finished) or lightly burnishing it and adding a new top coat (if it's been finished).
As for the type of wood, I really love satisal. When you luck out and get a good piece of it, a proper finish can bring out a plethora or intense colors and the beautiful grain. Neem is pretty amazing too, but I only have one kukri with it, and I think I lucked out on the grain pattern and color - maybe it's just because of the lack of finish, but the ones I've seen have been sort of bland in tonality and grain pattern. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here's some pictures.
18" M43 by Santosh w/ Satisal wood handle.
Side A is a beautiful deep red with contrasting dark brown and fairly vivid grain.
Side B is the real killer though. A rich orange-gold on the top section contrasted by darker reds/browns on the bottom. You can even pick out a bit of purple where it transitions in the middle. Very distinct and beautiful grain throughout.
18" Vojpure by Sher (the tiger) w/ Neem wood handle.
Side A is somewhat boring IMO. The grain is very unison and it's not very varied in tonality. The vertical dark brown stripes that create a bit of a cat-eye effect are actually rasp marks that I decided not to entirely get rid of during sanding. I'd say most neem handles that I've seen would turn out like this when finished.
Side B is a bit more interesting and is what I wish all neem was like. There's a knot that gives it some wabi sabi appeal... it also makes the wood near it a pretty red. The horizontal rasp marks on the back really stands out and the flared pommel area is also quite nice in it's varied grain pattern and contrasting darker tones.
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 19, 2009
- Messages
- 1,161
mmm, wood. some horn is very pretty and spectacular. it's strong. it's organic and natural, but for some reason, i went from loving it, to preferring wood.
Satisal is like the #1 wood i've seen lately here...
Neem is every popular and spicey
WHITE Neem as a variant
Chandan is an older wood that doesn't come up much lately
Hill Walnut
Monkey Pod Wood
Himalayan Persimimmon?
Sisau
??? - there was also a wood that was used a bit, but declared to be "too soft" and discontinued. don't remember name.
Also various materials from the USA sent there like deer antler, elk antler, various hardwoods, and stone.
i'm told some of the wood names are slightly interchangable. makes it trickier
Bladite
There's also Dhar and HI has even done a couple in aluminum I believe.
thx..I just saw the dhar wood a page back
- Joined
- May 19, 2009
- Messages
- 1,161
woops - didn't realize 7rip13a already posted mentioning dhar 
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2010
- Messages
- 4,988
I will snag RIGHTWAY if any is made with AL handle.
It's not good in 4 season countries but it lasts longer than most of us.
Aluminum handle in 18th Century Khuk- BINGO.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2006
- Messages
- 7,035
My favorite by far is Satisal wood. I love the grain, the feel, everything about it.
Dhar looks really nice, too, and I'd be able to comment more on it if a certain individual hadn't sharked that dhar-handled Tamang out from under me .
Dhar looks really nice, too, and I'd be able to comment more on it if a certain individual hadn't sharked that dhar-handled Tamang out from under me .
Me likes wood...cos am a woodsman
Seriously, IMHO, hard wood is the way to go for a user khuk.