Which handle?

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Kgp

Kgp

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Just purchased a knife from Shehan Prull and had it sent to Ken Kim for a new handle. I've narrowed it down to four and looking for opinions.

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I'm leaning toward #2 and #4, but also like the more subtle #1.

Thoughts?

Ken
 
4 for me. But I'd go for something thats a little simpler in design for that blade.
 
If you have a chaotic patterns on the blade already (eg, damascus, hammer)
not a fan of adding another chaotic patter (eg, burl wood) on the handles.

just my $0.02
 
like the lower block. Marry with a simple ferrule or ferrule/spacer
 
Kens work is excellent. You'll be pleased.
I'm liking 2 or 3. I think a simple body and figured ferrule would look nice against Shihan's hammer-finish KU.
 
#1 looks like a really classy tuxedo affair. #4 makes me think of a supermodel though, so that's what I personally would choose.

I really like a ghetto fabulous aesthetic; that tsuchime kurouchi blade finish with the high contrast blingy handle #4 really appeals to me.
 
3 or 4 speak to me most. I would have chosen 1 for simplicity sake but the blond doesn’t seem that nice on this combination . 4 is just too elaborate for my tastes. I’m a simple suit guy, not not Lady Gaga flash :p
 
#1 of the original 4 choices, keep it simple and elegant.

Tbe lower, lighter colored one of those two chunks of wood, with a very simple ferule and absolute minimum of embelishments beyond the wood graining would be even better IMHO...

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I like Danish modern (light wood) or Arts & crafts furniture where the embelishments are strictly the lines of the piece, precise joinery and quality materials. I'm not much for rococo, gothic, high victoriana & similar "frou frou".

If it's a trditional looking Japanese blade, perhaps traditional Japanese aesthetics should be considered?
 
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This is so personal... I don’t like any of the handles shown. For me they are just too much, the wood is too loud, too many spacers, those are too thick... But tastes are different and that is fine. You shouldn’t ask for opinions (did that once myself though), do what you want!

For me the blade is already loud enough. I would go with a very simple handle, Japanese style (unfigured wood + simple ferrule). But again, that is just me...
 
I'm a sucker for damascus. Yes, I admit it. I think it's beautiful. But there are plenty of people who think damascus sucks. Some people enjoy elaborate handles with burl and fancy spacers; others enjoy the classic Wa handles made from nothing but magnolia and buffalo horn.

Thankfully, we are all at liberty to find beautiful whatever looks beautiful to us.

What matters to me is how well I like my knives, not how well other people like them (people whom I've never met face to face, and most likely never will).

So, pick the handle you like best, and then enjoy a quiet sense of appreciation and beauty every time you use your knife.
 
Thanks for all of the feedback.

I chose these from several he had available before I saw them with the knife. Seeing them on the blade, I felt as several have said that simpler may be better because of the finish on the metal.

After discussing with Ken, we're going with a piece of highly figured ironwood with a mammoth tooth spacer. I'll post pics in a few weeks when it's done.

Ken
 
Sounds just like my taste. What have you chosen as ferule?
 
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