Why use liners under wood scales?

[Buster Dawid]

I notice on most of my fixed blades the maker used liners. I am going to make some handles for my Spyderco mules and would like to know if the linera are a physical benefit, if not a requirement, or are they aesthetic?
I have some cocobolo blocks and another exotic wood pair of mated blocks, don't recall the name.

 

[Bill Siegle]

I don’t believe that liners add strength to wood scales on a knife. Perhaps they might help during fabrication. I like the “extra” they add for the eye and possibly add to the thickness of a scale for a better fit to the hand.

 

[Buster Dawid]

Thank you Bill, I happened to look at every one of my full tang blades and there are some Irie customs that are linerless. I agree that they make a handle "pop" in an interesting way!

 

[marchone]

Aesthetics certainly, and also the ability to use a slightly thinner scale.

 

[argel55]

Sometimes it gives a cushion between the steel and the wood, it might save a bad ding from contact.

 

[surfer]

I prefer black liners under anything to improve contrasts between blank steel and scales.
Some brittle materials as mop or ivory maybe are safer to work with, with a liner underneath.

 

[TRfromMT]

I notice on most of my fixed blades the maker used liners. I am going to make some handles for my Spyderco mules and would like to know if the linera are a physical benefit, if not a requirement, or are they aesthetic?
I have some cocobolo blocks and another exotic wood pair of mated blocks, don't recall the name.

Absolutely a benefit. Any wood can split and a liner helps prevent a total loss.

See post # 10854 in this thread.

https://bladeforums.com/threads/wha...d-talk-a-bit-about-your-work.1115736/page-543



I've had similar cracks, but with liners you have a chance of saving them. One if these maple burl scales cracked completely in half. The liner held and with CA glue it was saved, crack vanished.

 

[noseoil]

Liners can add a touch of contrast to different scale designs which might look a bit plain otherwise. Personally, I like the look of liners & prefer them to a plain look. With wood, I prefer a simple design so it won't detract from the look of the grain but adds a touch of class & simplicity.
https://imgur.com/Bq2YHZI

 

[J Kane]

I always add G10 liners to wood scales for stability.