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KNIFE HANDLE MATERIALS
Samples and details of knife handle materials that I use
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HOME BEAVER & SHADOW DL1 BUSHCRAFTER WS DARTMOOR KNIFE OPINELS AND FIRESTEEL ALLROUNDER MISCELLANEOUS KNIVES ARTICLES SERVICES & PRICING
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ARCHIVE PHOTOS OF VARIOUS KNIVES I MADE TO DATE |
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(and me...)
This is me holding a very nice set of Red Deer Antlers that I got off eBay from a nice chap in Sunderland.
As it was quite an impressive set of antlers, I was reluctant to chop it up initially, so I kept it whole for a couple of weeks... But then, I got hold of some very nice Damascus blade blanks and the rest is history...
Anyway, as lovely as it was, I don't live in a Baronial hall and with nowhere to hang it without it looking well daft and out of place! Waste not, want not, I kept the little 'Bambi' sculpture though and the wooden plaque itself, which has come in for quite a few things already...
Sourcing materials at a reasonable cost is an ongoing challenge, so I forever on the lookout for materials I can utilise and now it's become second nature to look at a lot of things from a knife/stick and stick making perspective.
I love working with Horn and Antler, but neither is cheap or easy to obtain consistently. Exotic hardwoods aren't that cheap either, but at least they're more readily available, especially from the USA.
I'm not in a position to obtain all the materials that one could possibly use for knife handles or sticks. However, I have a fair range and most of it is shown on this page.
Although Horn and Antler remain my favourite knife handle materials, I've come to appreciate wood for its outstanding variety and intrinsic beauty. As a result, I have a nice selection of exotic hardwoods which I very often look at closely in order to really appreciate the detail and potential each piece has to offer me in my quest for a nicely finished knife handle.
As is the nature of Horn, Antler and Wood, no two pieces are ever alike. Although I take my time to appraise and envisage how the handle form and finish should look like, one can never be 100% certain as to end result. What is fairly certain is that the transformation is always amazingly unique.
In an ideal world, every piece of handle material that I source would be fit for the purpose. In reality though, things just don't work out like that - not even when I buy pieces that I've seen a photo of.
Whether it's Horn, Antler or wood, wastage is my biggest concern. Maybe I'm a bit too fussy, but what's the point of using top quality steel and not compliment it with top quality handle material?! The nearest I can get to knowing what the end result is when working with handle materials is when I use man made ones, like Micarta, G10 or Corian. Natural materials are inherently faulty to some degree and as long as the imperfections are minor and superficial, then these same faults can add a lot to a finished knife's character.
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Roe Deer Antlers
The above sets are typical shapes of Roe Deer Antlers and they're about 9" high.
It very rare that I get the chance to use a Roe antler in my knife making projects as they're a bit on the small size. But they do lend themselves to quite a few other things, so I tend to keep some to hand just in case.
Fallow Deer Antler
Can have some nice sturdy coronets although I haven't been able to utilise the top flat part for anything else as yet.
Red Deer Antlers
I use these the most, but getting them in the right size and colouring is very hit and miss, so wastage is a big problem. For me shed antlers are best as they're fully mature then.
Sambar Stag Antler
A Taper, a Roll and Scales - not cheap, but hard to beat for a durable and classy antler knife handle, but can be a hit and miss affair in terms of texture and getting enough of a straight length to make a decent size set of scales. High wastage rate otherwise.
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NB: Owing to the difficulty of obtaining quality Red Deer Antler and Samba Stag Antler in suitable sizes I'm only able to offer Stick tang type knives with antler handles. I cannot offer full tang knives having a complete antler handle on a regular basis, so please enquire first before setting your heart on an antler handled knife. I can normally manage to combine Antler with wood or horn on all types of knives if you prefer something different.
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Black buffalo Horn (This type of Horn is Solid throughout)
I love to work with Black Buffalo horn even though it's a difficult material to work with - the finish makes it all worthwhile!
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Cow Horn (As it's mostly hollow, except for near the tip, I only use it in small pieces)
Combination of Buffalo and Cow Horn handle
Cow Horn is OK in small pieces as part of a composite handle or layered in strips to form the handle.
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My little stash of Exotic Hardwoods
On the left there is mainly Curly & Quilted Maple, Ebony, Amboyna, Cocobolo, Birch and other pieces.
On the right it's Purpleheart, Pua Rosa, Afzelia, Lacewood, Leopardwood, Black Cherry and Eucalyptus.
It goes without saying that my collection of woods is forever changing because I not only buy wood to use but to admire as well! I've unintentionally become a bit of a collector as I find hardwoods so beautiful and they never cease to amaze me with the variations in figuring and colouring. Nature is indeed wonderful...
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Afzelia Burl
A rather rare and expensive wood burl, but worth the trouble and cost of getting it. As with any burl wood the variations of pattern and colouring is variable and it's not until the piece has been worked that you get to know exactly what pattern and colouring you ended up with. Generally speaking though, the end product has a mellow yellow cast to it as opposed to the red cast that Amboyna has.
Average SG: .66 |
Amboyna Burl
I really like this wood burl and not just because it's rare and expensive. I find the colouring and finish of this burl amazingly beautiful. It can be very variable in colour and pattern with the most desirable being the two-tone pieces. Most of the time Amboyna has a warm red cast to it when finished, unlike Afzelia which has a yellow cast to it. An Amboyna handled knife will always stand out, it such a magnificent wood that takes a great finish.
Average SG: .66 |
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Thuya Burl
I acquired this beautiful large piece at a time when I wasn't that knowledgeable about wood structure and uses in general. To date it has proved a very expensive exercise because being crosscut I'm a bit reluctant to use any of it for knife handles. Having said that, unlike other crosscut hardwoods I've stored for over three years, this Thuya slab. which is 18" by 15 " shows no signs of splitting anywhere. It's got some fantastic figuring and colour, so maybe I'll start to use it if the opportunity arises.
Comes from Morocco and is in very limited supply. Not cheap, but who cares...
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo Scales
Cocobolo also comes in various patterning and shades of colouring as can be seen above - after all it is a type of Rosewood. A very good strong durable wood that gives an excellent finish.
Average SG: 1.10 |
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Spalted Maple
This batch of spalted maple is highly figured and will make some very nice unique knife handles for both working and collectors' pieces.
Spalted Maple Burl
This spalted maple burl is even more intricately patterned. However, due to the spalting, it's a bit tricky to work with and get a matching set of scales. More suited to stick-tang handles really. |
Quilted maple
Maple Burl
A very popular wood that if worked well would enhance a nice blade. Maple burl is variable to say the least. Can be single, double or treble dyed easily depending on finish required. Nice wood to work with.
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Lacewood
Leopardwood
Beautiful 3D effect within the wood. They are often mistaken for each other, but when seen side by side they're easily distinguishable from one another.
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Lignum Vitae
The two scales were cross cut from the bigger piece and yet the colouring is different...
I must admit that I'm not a great fan of 'Cross cut' hardwoods for hard working knife handles. I'm say this because based on some work I done for myself, for the most part the scales either warp or crack all too easily. I don't normally recommend the use of Crosscut wood for hard working bushcraft knives.
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Pau Rosa blanks
Average SG: .96
Black Palm
Black Palm makes for a very nice tactile knife handle.
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Sapele scales
The photo doesn't do the Sapele scales justice because this wood has an inherent 3D effect which is very pleasing.
The spalted Box Elder (Maple family not Box as we know it) of this quality is not easy to come by. Very nice figuring in this particular lot of wood blanks, but variation is inherent in such wood.
Some woods, including this one, can end up being expensive. Not just because of the original cost, but getting the right piece is all too often a hit and miss affair. I have blocks and slabs of wood that I'd never use for a knife handle for the simple reason that they aren't of good enough quality, aesthetically and/or substance...
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Striped Ebony
Argentine Brown Ebony
Most people assume that Ebony only comes in black - but it obviously doesn't. A superb wood, but quite brittle to work with. Still, the finish that can be obtained is very good, if rather flat...
Average SG: 1.03 to 1.19 |
Verawood
Tulipwood
With both the above woods being linear they're very strong and durable if maybe a little plain when compared to burl woods. |
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Olive Wood
Well figured Olive wood is stunning and it finishes beautifully especially when crosscut. having said that, I don't normally recommend the use of Crosscut wood for hard working bushcraft knives.
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Kingwood
This picture doesn't do Kingwood justice, it an amazing beautiful wood that takes a deep glossy finish. However, I don't normally recommend the use of Crosscut wood for hard working bushcraft knives.
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Bocote
Bubinga
Average SG: 88
Both woods shown above provide for an excellent finish that is attractive and durable nearly similar to Desert Ironwood.
Danish Walnut
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Purpleheart Blanks Average SG: .86
Purpleheart is often underestimated. The colouring is for real, but they do go darker and become a much richer deep colour in time, especially when exposed to sunlight.
Desert Ironwood
This is an expensive wood, but makes for superb durable handles with a great finish. It's a very dense wood indeed...
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Oliepod
Wenge
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Tasmanian Blackwood
Vasticola Burl
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Red Narra
Can make a very nice knife handle if the quality and figuring is very good.
Really well marked Red Narra, similar to the top right hand piece in this picture, can easily be mistaken for Snakewood. Mind you, there's no telling what a finished piece will turn out like once cut, sanded and oiled etc.
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Spalted Beech
A nice attractive Beech for knife handle use. Average SG: .72
The four sets of Spalted Beech scales above were cut from the same block of wood and illustrates clearly the variations that such wood can have.
Starting form the right, the first set is Spalted Beech in the raw. The second set is just treated with oil. The third set is double dyed with antique pine and a light coat of deep mahogany. The fourth set is double dyed with deep mahogany.
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Masur Birch
Masur Birch handles in various stages of finish. Top left is natural. Top right is lightly dyed. Bottom ones are triple dyed in yellow, red and brown.
Masur Birch goes from plain and simple to being well marked, with heavily figured Masur Birch being highly sought after. Standard fare for many a Scandinavian type knife.
It's getting harder and more expensive to get well marked pieces, but even 'medium' type pieces will still make for a nice handle. With Masur Birch it can be a bit of a lottery as to what the finished handle will look like because 'what you see is not always what you get' after shaping - such is the nature of many a piece of wood anyway...
Average SG: .67
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Hardwood samples in raw, dyed and oiled finishes
1. Purpleheart - Top piece just treated with oil and bottom piece is untreated. 2. Pau Rosa - Top piece just treated with oil and bottom piece is untreated. 3. Bubinga - Top piece just treated with oil and bottom piece is untreated. 4. Afzelia - Top piece just treated with oil and bottom piece is untreated. 5. Masur Birch - Top piece dyed and treated with oil. Middle piece is just oiled and bottom piece is untreated. 6. Birds Eye maple - Top piece dyed and treated with oil. Middle piece is just oiled and bottom piece is untreated. 7. Quilted Maple - Top piece dyed and treated with oil. Middle piece is just oiled and bottom piece is untreated.
The choice of woods and finishes for knife handles is quite wide, and I, like many, have my preferences. Although I don't dislike dyed wood, I prefer the natural look and therefore choose my wood accordingly.
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SYNTHETICS
From left: Black Linen Micarta - Jade Green Linen Micarta - Orange Linen Micarta
From left: White G10 - Green flecked Black G10
From left: Mother of Pearl substitute - Poly Blocks in colours as shown.
From left: Corian scales in Maroon, Dusky Pink and Ice Blue. Also comes in Black Granite.
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It's no accident that my first choice for a knife handle is Black buffalo horn. Yes, it's expensive and not easy to work with, but what a classy finish! I love the way it contrasts with the red fibre liners and the colour of the steel. Also, it such a durable handle material that's easy to look after.
Second choice is Deer Antler as this too can produce a wonderful knife when used in a considerate way. It's natural contours must be used to the knife's end user's best advantage as their is little leeway for stock removal and further contouring. Once I know whether the end user is left or right handed, I then use a right or left antler accordingly to suit the individual. Problem is getting the right quality and size of Antler, which means that I cannot be sure to have some to hand all of the time.
I love the look and feel of wood, especially hardwoods - but there are so many to choose from! I tend to be very selective when buying hardwoods and only buy the more figured pieces, albeit at a hefty price.
Once bought, I look after my wood and not just dumped somewhere out of the way until such time it's needed. I check my woods often to see whether they're stable or showing signs of warping or splitting. Crosscut woods give me the biggest headache as they can warp and split so easily. As a consequence I tend to be cautious using crosscut wood for hard working knife handles.
The woods shown are typical of what I normally have, but stock is always changing to some extent. It can get a bit difficult choosing the right wood for use with a particular knife blade. I favour burls a lot and in particular my two favourites, Amboyna and Afzelia, which happen to be two of the most expensive burls! Amboyna and Afzelia, are just so beautiful. They're naturally coloured; one has a reddish cast, the other a yellowish cast. Both vary a lot from one batch to the next, but in any event they can always be relied on to give you a beautiful and unique quality handle.
I don't use ebony, definitely not the cross cut type as it tends to split just by looking at it. It's also very brittle to work with and chips come off in big chunks! Compared to Black Buffalo horn, Ebony is rather flat, so I'd rather use Horn.
There are a few things one must consider when trying to decide which wood to use for the handle. For example; what would the wood look like once it's dyed and/or oiled and waxed? Many woods are best left natural and just oiled. What use is the knife going to be put to? Should one choose a dense linear type of hardwood like Desert Ironwood, Cocobolo, Pau Rosa etc., or go for the often stunning effect that Burl and/or Spalted wood has to offer?
Given a choice, for working knives, I'd opt for woods that are dense and do not need or require dying, with the exception of Maple and Masur Birch perhaps. For collectors and/or light use type knives I'll be happy to use less dense woods and open pored burls in particular. Having said all this, most people make their decision on how much they like a particular type of wood, which is most probably the best way anyway. In extreme climatic conditions, I'd always suggest that straight grained hardwoods or close pored burls should be used.
What about stabilised wood? Lovely, but quite expensive. Although I've used stabilised wood for some of my own knives as I don't mind the cost so much, I have limited experience with using stabilised wood, but I can appreciate the benefit when burls and softer type woods are given the stabilisation treatment. I can't see much benefit in having some quite dense woods being given the 'stabilisation' treatment, but maybe I'm missing something or am just ignorant of the actual processes involved. I've used some for myself and I'm very happy with the results. However, it's expensive stuff and I can't justify stocking it in any quantity.
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Some pros and Cons of working with Wood, Antler and Horn
1. Wood - generally not too difficult to work with and shape, but burl and figured wood can give some nice as well as disappointing surprises because you start out with a block of wood that looks figured and by the time it's shaped and sanded, little figuring remains! Wastage is minimal unless you break something or get the cutting/shaping all wrong. Burl can be awkward to work with as some can be quite fragile with inherent faults called 'voids' have a habit of showing up late in the finishing process! Some woods are very pleasant to work with, but some are nasty and and you can get a bad reaction to the dust at the time and for hours after. I seem to react to Birch and Beech even though I wear goggles and full face filter mask!
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Knife handles finishes
Hardwoods:
I've experimented with a variety of handle finishes in order to find a suitable finish that would look just as good in a knife collection and yet still be serviceable in the field. I will not use Varnish as I believe that wood needs nourishing and looks better for it in the long term.
If I were to only use very dense hardwoods as opposed to burls, it is possible that I would produce a durable and nice looking finish to satisfy the field user and collector alike. However, some of the best figured and striking hardwoods are not that dense and finishing them requires copious applications of oils over a long time and finished off with a hard wax like Carnuba.
Given the opportunity, I try to find out if the knife is for constant field use or for collecting and/or occasional use purposes. When I know the end use I can advise and finish the knife accordingly. A collectors knife is normally preferred with a high sheen to it, which is achieved with the use of appropriate oils and waxes. However, this sort of finish is not durable and will not stay looking pristine for long if the knife is then used a lot in the field.
An out and out field knife needs a more durable handle material and finish and, from experience I find nothing better than soaking the knife handle in an oil bath for about three to five days depending on density and after that, a five to seven days drying period. This is followed by several wet sandings from 400 to to 800 grade finish before starting to apply the final three to five coats of CCL's Traditional English Knife Oils. Once the knife handle is thoroughly dry, it gets a final light sanding and buffing with a couple of applications of hard Carnuba wax on a buffing wheel. This id the way I do it and to date has proved to be a very aesthetically pleasing and durable.
If you happen to get a finished knife off me with a hardwood handle, it will most probably have been given the full oil treatment and final waxing as described above. With use, the wax coat will wear down and needs replenishing so I would suggest that you keep topping up with wax (Carnuba based furniture or car wax will do). If an oiled finish is preferred, then you'll have to simply de-wax the handle completely and apply two to three very light coats (and I mean very light!) of Danish or CCL oil - the longer you leave between coats the better. You'll know when not to apply any more oil as it just sits on the surface and stay rather tacky. In which case wipe off the excess and put it aside to dry properly. I don't recommend the use of Linseed or similar very slow drying oils.
What if you make a mess of it because you applied too much oil? Well, just lightly soak a clean cloth with white spirit and gently wipe the handle until it's all smooth again and leave to dry. After which, just apply a very thin smear of oil at a time until you get the desired finish. The trick is to not rush the process and please, never leave your knife to dry on a hot central heating radiator, room temperature will suffice.
What, if in spite of your best efforts you just can't get that handle up to scratch? Contact me and let me guide you or, send it back to me and I'll sort it out for you for the cost of postage. If in any doubt I strongly suggest you contact me and let me assist you so as to make the whole experience a positive one...
Notwithstanding the above, I strongly suggest that you use wax to maintain your knife handle. A little bit every so often would do just fine. Apply some to sheath while you're at it too! You can use any furniture wax, but I prefer a Carnuba based wax. As good as 'Renaissance Wax' is, which is indeed an excellent wax and can be used on just about anything to protect and give a nice shiny finish to, it's just not up to the job of maintaining a working knife handle. My preference is to use a Carnuba based wax, be it a furniture polish sort or car polish sort.
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