Favorite knife handle materials?

[RA40]

The nice part with G10 and Micarta is that adding texturing/scalloping it makes for a very grippy surface. Can be a bit sharp but easy to modify. The stag has natural texture that it makes for a good handhold. Carbon fiber to me looks good and has been trendy but it is smooth. Not for adverse user conditions.

 

[Blue Jays]

Carbon Fiber used on the Benchmade Mini-Freek 565-1 model is the perfect application for that material.
Coupled with the red spacers and red thumbstuds it looks like a million bucks and is as light as a feather.

 

[herrwalther]

Not knowing what some of my knife handles are I am going to say G10 is my favorite. I have G10 on knives and a few 1911 grips. I like the range of grip they can achieve based on stippling, they are lightweight, and usually inexpensive to replace.

 

[md7]

I like the jigged bone handle on my pocket knife. And I like the curly maple handle on my pathfinder scorpion fixed blade.

 

[Valkman]

The nice part with G10 and Micarta is that adding texturing/scalloping it makes for a very grippy surface.

On my Fighters, like the one in my avatar, I sand blasted the Micarta so it would be super grippy. It can be finished rough like I did or to a fine grit ala Loveless and many others.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I agree. I never used it and don't own any knives with it as handle material.

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That’s my only knife with a full CF handle. ZT0462. There is slight flex to it. I love that knife overall but think it would’ve been much better as a full titanium scaled knife.

 

[Speedo66]

It's funny, I see a lot to fhte folders I like offered in a carbon fiber show side oprtion. I know in some cases that it's ourely for looks, but I see weight emphasized by people quite a bit also.

I don't like carbon fiber for more than an inlay here or there. I do not care for it as a promary handle/scale material. It's too smooth IMO. I also don't worry about weight on a folder either. I see people quibbling over an ounce or two. If a pocket knife is "too heavy" for me and I don't want to carry it as a result, then I think my underlying medical issues are a biger concern than my knife weight.

The bottom three knives have carbon fiber scales, only the middle one is polished. The other two are not slippery.

The middle one is pretty and light, just the way a gentleman’s pocket knife should be.

Th middle two are made with Ti, has more to do with lightness than the scales

 

[Speedo66]

View attachment 1070361
Well, not a "favorite", but I've had this Cold-Steel Bushman for a while, but I've been afraid to carry it in the wilderness as the possibility of the smooth steel handle slipping through my hand, if wet or bloody, and the razor sharp edge running across my fingers didn't appeal to me. Just the other day I realize how tough and durable bow-handle wrap is, having used it on many bows and a single shot black powder pistol I have. So I wrapped the Bushman with it. It is a very firm grip, even when wet.
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By tying the knot in the lanyard in just the right place, one can put one's fingers through it, and that also keeps the knife from moving rearward with bad results. The Bushman is a good knife. You can't break it, even if you "baton" on it all day. And you can make a spear out of it, which was the reason I bought it in the first place.

I did similar on mine with paracord.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Right on, very nice! I like it. I really like the Bushman, not much can go wrong with it. Mine sure takes a fine razor edge.

 

[SteadyD]

On aesthetics alone I love wood, particularly with bolsters. I also really like smooth G10, micarta and carbon fiber. I am surprised at how much I like some of the unusual colors over standard black or earth tones.

For a sure grip I agree with those who like some texture.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Just picked up two dozen slabs of ox bone for when my mammoth ivory pieces are too small... .

 

[nettlle]

Rucarta and Micarta.