Knife Handle: Horse Stall Mats

[hso]

Yep, those recycled rubber mats used in horse stalls are the hot new thing for knife scales amongst the serious cutting competition crowd.

An article in the recent Blade Magazine talks about how the humble horse stall mat makes possibly the ideal knife handle material.

Nothing new to me since blade smiths in SE KY and NE TN have played with the material trying to find and "edge" in the cutting competitions.

It is supposed to make for a grippy knife that doesn't get slippery when wet.

I can say that it makes for a comfortable grip.

 

[The Tourist]

You mean oosic is now out of style?

 

[hso]

Not if you want a knife to really grow on the owner.

 

[GreenFurniture]

Very interesting.

 

[Pontif]

Cool idea. I will try to get a hold of some and test it. Should know about this. Surprised I don't.

Thanks for the heads up.

P

 

[Valkman]

I've already been looking for some around here, but what we found is too expensive. I definitely want to try it.

 

[Colt46]

What about water buffalo horn?

That seems to be very grippy when sweaty. Besides it polishes up really nice and doesn't smell like horse piss.

 

[JShirley]

Horn always seems slippery to me, unless it actually sticks to your hand, in which case it causes other problems.

 

[Pax Jordana]

Ya know what's big here? Dinosaur.

What you do is, you find one that's died and age it for a hundred million years, and then refine it makes passable fuel too.

everything old is new again I suppose!

 

[Jason_G]

Not if you want a knife to really grow on the owner.

Alright, I grew up around farms, but I've never seen one of these mats. Are they just hard rubber?

Jason

 

[Eleven Mike]

I'm willing to bet most of the people perusing this thread have never seen a horse stall mat.

Hokay, nebermind.

 

[Valkman]

I'm willing to bet most of the people perusing this thread have never seen a horse stall mat.

Maybe because most don't own horses? I've never seen one but I will here shortly.

 

[CWL]

I've already been looking for some around here, but what we found is too expensive. I definitely want to try it.

A single 3/4"x4'x6' slab costs $53. Doesn't seem too expensive to me, of course you need to be a knifemaker to use-up that much material. I certainly would never need that much for my hobby-level use.

 

[Valkman]

My wife looked around at a few places and only one had any - they were $70 and she said they had grooves in them. I should've checked when I was in Vegas today!

 

[hso]

The mats are revulcanized rubber from scrap tires.

Tractor Supply carries them.

$50 for a four foot by six foot slab is pretty good for handle material.

 

[steveracer]

Had horses my whole life, never had stall mats.
Sounds interesting.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Stall mats are ok for the animal that is standing on concrete, but it ends up being something else to clean. A heavy stinking something else. Good traction in a horse trailer though.

Our stalls have gravel floors and we use wood shavings (not sawdust) on top of it for bedding, but then this is a barn not a stable.

sorry, back to the regularly scheduled program .....

 

[Okiecruffler]

Most of the ranches I worked used them around the dummy so the stud wouldn't slip on the concrete. That was many moons ago. Anyone else know what a bootman is? I'll give you a hint, it doesn't involve anyone's feet.

 

[CWL]

Okie, I sure hope that it isn't some sort of a barnyard 'fluffer'!

 

[Okiecruffler]

Oh, if only it ended there I may not be so ashamed.

Made good money tho'.

The more I think of it, those mats would make some great scales. Seemed like the wetter they got the better they grabbed, and I doubt you could ever wear them out. All the ones I remember were an ugly pale red tho'.

 

[JohnKSa]

Anyone else know what a bootman is?

What the stud gets instead of what he thinks he's getting.

Before anyone asks, No!, I don't know that from experience. Just happened to catch that episode of "Dirty Jobs".

 

[p35]

Just be sure to get a NEW one- the smell of horse pi$$ is unforgettable and hard to get out of anything!