Handles: What's Your Favorite Wood?

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Because they're light enough while not being overly light? Chestnut that is.
I like forward balanced knives because it feels like the knife is chopping with its own weight, so I like light handles. The dense wood handles usually screw the balance too much. And ho and chestnut are grippy while dense wood could be slippery especially when they are polished. Being slippery might not be a problem until you have oil/fat or blood from fresh meat on your hand.
Yeah, too light for my taste and I dont really like the texture on on burned chestnut but that’s just me. Ho is very plain Jane and too light for my taste. Since I like handle heavy and Yo Handle make sense that I like heavy and dense wood for my selection. For Slippery, I know some Ebony could be really smooth and slippery (Gaboon Ebony) but my Hinoura is one the best handle that I have and not to slippery (Makassar Ebony)
 
Yeah, too light for my taste and I dont really like the texture on on burned chestnut but that’s just me. Ho is very plain Jane and too light for my taste. Since I like handle heavy and Yo Handle make sense that I like heavy and dense wood for my selection. For Slippery, I know some Ebony could be really smooth and slippery (Gaboon Ebony) but my Hinoura is one the best handle that I have and not to slippery (Makassar Ebony)
Make sense if you like handle heavy and plus those dense woods look good. I also have some dense wood handles that I really like.
 
Here's a handle switch I needed to do.
Reasons—I'm a lefty, and din't like righty d-handles; wanted a special handle for a special knife; the stock ho handle felt a little clunky to me.
Handle materials for new one—koa, reindeer horn.
Handle maker: Graydon Decollibus

Koa is gorgeous, dig the smaller handle dimensions and denser wood.

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Burnt Chestnut is my number 1 for sure. I also really like the Walnut, Ichii, Ho and Enju.
 
Here's a handle switch I needed to do.
Reasons—I'm a lefty, and din't like righty d-handles; wanted a special handle for a special knife; the stock ho handle felt a little clunky to me.
Handle materials for new one—koa, reindeer horn.
Handle maker: Graydon Decollibus

Koa is gorgeous, dig the smaller handle dimensions and denser wood.

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I love this one! Hope you'll not get offended that I'll have something similar with tassie Blackwood...
 
I love this one! Hope you'll not get offended that I'll have something similar with tassie Blackwood...
Do it! Tas blackwood a close relative to koa. I went with a short reindeer ferrule and thin back spacer to try to echo the koa pattern.
 
I am a sucker for figured burl or spalted woods, just love something with character that is not over the top obnoxious.

For stock handles, burnt chestnut hands down. I dislike ho handles....magnolia is somewhere in the middle.
 
Walnut is a pretty perfect handle material imo, Arizona Ironwood if its supposed to be a denser material, 👌
 
Burnt chestnut, shi.han thermory ash, Yucatán rosewood, southeast asian rosewood.

The southeast asian rosewood handle on the migoto Tanaka blue #1 is the best. Looks simple, elegant, and badass while being very comfortable to hold, and smells incredible.
 
Couple Hawaiian wood collars with African Blackwood. Big Island Hawaiian spalted signature wood. On small Carter.

Mango wood collar African Blackwood

At lot of love here for Chestnut, just shows folks with good taste. JMO but really like the chestnut handles Jon putting on knives. little thicker wa shorter in length.
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