Your favorite cover (handle) for your EDC

[TheChunk91]

Ebony

Ebony is also my favorite, it's the most practical without having to go with synthetic materials and always looks good. I've seen many OLD knives with ebony that's still tight and solid. It's really well wearing.

 

[Jathes]

Smooth bone or wood based on what I buy. Micarta based on what I carry the most.

 

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

I like them all.

View attachment 1042205

I concur, I even like my Imperial and Colonial and Hammer Brand clamshell's. I even have at least one confirmed celluloid I like.

 

[Prester John]

Ivory is best, but I'll probably never own one.
Stag, jigged bone, and wood, in that order.
I like Delrin, and whatever the black stuff is on the Buck 301, but I prefer natural materials. The knives I carry most have stag and bone covers.

 

[Shurke]

Okay, I'm terrible with acronyms, y'all are going to have to help me out. What's MOT?

 

[cbr1000]

Smooth Autumn Gold bone is my favorite that I carry. I was 100% set on natural materials until I started carrying the black canvas micarta 78.

 

[JITDC]

Probably ebony would be my favorite. Its clean and easy, always looks classy and holds up well to use. However, a good redbone from Case is very tough to beat in the aesthetics department.

 

[TLARbb]

Okay, I'm terrible with acronyms, y'all are going to have to help me out. What's MOT?

It's fake mother-of-pearl, also known as mother-of-toilet seat, generally cell, but we are seeing acrylic MOT now.

EJ

 

[Shurke]

Okay, that's pretty funny. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[black mamba]

I honestly have and like just about every cover material ever used, but gnarly ram's horn is my favorite. There is such a wide variety of color and texture that they are almost always fascinating.

 

[Will Power]

Jeff, that Ram's Horn cache, just....

One thing about bone is that it is susceptible to cracking-even without dropping the knife So Wood scores better in that dept. Horn (Bovine types) look really nice but unless properly cured and of good quality like horn tip, can easily curl back or shrink-notably in dry environments Not found Ram's Horn (various sheep & goats, usually Mufflon) to have shrink problems and it's been used by artisan European makers for centuries. Micarta I do like as it's very tough, resists cracking, chipping, shrink and on the right pattern looks great.

Let's not forget Yellow Delrin either, plenty of very decent knives come in that

Cell can be exquisite, but it's a potential Trojan Horse in your knife collection Mind the Gas

 

[black mamba]

Thanks, Will, nice ones of your own! Hen & Rooster used to use the very best ram's horn, very translucent like yours above.

 

[sXePhenomenal]

This is my exact taste too as far as favorite. Like jigged bone a lot too in antique colors. As far as feel nothing beats the Buck forum knife in texture it’s superb.

I like many materials, but the one that appeals to me most is stag or jigged bone in stag-ish earthy colors such as Rogers bone or cases amber jigged bone.
I don't have any yet, but a case mini Texas jack in CV and amber jigged bone is on my short list.
It's just su cha besubeaut handle material.

 

[Stropping Young Lad]

I honestly have and like just about every cover material ever used, but gnarly ram's horn is my favorite. There is such a wide variety of color and texture that they are almost always fascinating.

I do wish GEC would give exterior ram’s Horn another go.

 

[Icky Thump]

Wood alway was my least favorite, but after an Ebony #13 Congress Jack..my eyes have opened. I'm w/ JohnDF.. I can honestly state it is one of, if not my absolute favorite of late. I do like stag and GEC acrylic's. Sura am glad I don't have to choose just one.

I do like 'em Tatanka , as well

 

[Signalprick]

Micarta for me.

 

[Horsewright]

I'm a natural handle material guy hands down. Favorites include all of em. Figured woods:

Cocobolo is probably my favorite of all woods commonly used on knives:

Stag? Heck yeah:

Bone but of course:

Fossilized materials Mammoth tooth and ivory. Loved em, but am now forbidden by the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia to use such, we might endanger an extinct species:

Ramshorn/sheephorn? Absolutely:

Natural handle material guy hands down. Don't make me choose.

 

[WValtakis]

Desert Ironwood burl for me. Crazy durable, and pretty too




~Chip

 

[TLARbb]

I appreciate your responses and the beautiful knives you folks have shared. It's kind of odd how our tastes change over time. This is what happened to me to get to the pocketworn bone. It just feels so nice. I have to admit I don't feel put off by any materials that are currently offered. For now and for a while, I think pocketworn and smooth bone, followed by various wood covers is what checks the boxes for me.

Ed J

 

[jc57]

Pretty much any jigged bone with enough texture to allow for a good grip, or a non-fat stag. I like the feel of the natural materials.

Ed, I have that same set of Second Cut Antique Bone Mini Copperlock and Mini Trapper: