How to Determine Which Type of Knife Handle Material Is Best for You

How to Determine Which Type of Knife Handle Material Is Best for You

Jul 6 2022 - 4:23

Handheld objects, such as scissors, pens, and cellphones, are designed to be used in ways other than holding them. The component that's in our hands is always out of sight and seldom given any thought.

The blade, the most noticeable feature of a bespoke knife, is also the one that is farthest from our hands. The optimum material, shape, length, and manufacturer of each knife blade are the subjects of many publications and passionate discussions.

While blades receive a lot of attention, knife handles tend to be overlooked. When you consider how often a bushcrafter uses a knife (which is pretty much every time they're out in the forest), the handle becomes more and more significant.

The handle, which accounts for almost half of the knife, is what determines the grip options, durability, and comfort level of the tool as a whole. Having the correct-sized knife handle is crucial whether you're gutting a small game or batoning a piece of timber.

At The Knife Connection, we're committed to providing our clientele with only the finest bladed instruments and camping equipment. Thanks to our wonderful patrons and our impressive inventory, we've become one of the country's leading knife distributors.

Over the last decade, The Knife Connection's success has allowed us to expand our product selection to include items that can be purchased nowhere else. The bespoke knife handles we make are just one example of the expanded product line we can now provide.

Material of Synthetic Origin

Synthetic materials make excellent knife scales because they are resistant to wear and tear, can be shaped to fit the user's hand, and may be customized.

Synthetic handles are often made from acrylic, plastic, resin, or another composite material. They have a more refined look, require less maintenance, and are available in many different styles and hues. To help you make an informed purchase, we'll be discussing two of the best synthetic materials for knife handles in this blog post.

G-10

We use G10 for the majority of the handles on the Architect knives we make—a high-pressure laminate, constructed of successive layers of fiberglass and epoxy resin. Handle scales are made by layering materials and curing them under pressure to eliminate air pockets and boost durability.

knife handles

G10 material has gained popularity among knife makers because of its durability, water resistance, and shatter resistance, although it was initially developed as a robust, impervious, and heat-resistant base for printed circuit boards.

Many knife users, particularly those in need of a trustworthy tactical knife, will find this non-porous alternative to be the best choice, regardless of whether they are using the blade in wet or dry settings. You may have noticed that many G-10 handles have a grip-enhancing design, such as checkering.

Despite the G-10's great praise and mass acceptance, it is not without certain drawbacks. It is fragile and devoid of any kind of refined aesthetic quality.

Micarta

Micarta is another material that may be used for handles in addition to G10. Micarta is also a laminated material much like G10.

Micarta, unlike fiberglass, may be manufactured from a variety of materials besides fiberglass, such as cloth and paper. The final product may look and perform like G10.

A special aesthetic and feel may be achieved when micarta is used to make the handle scales out of fibrous fabrics like burlap, which is why certain users like it.

Micarta, like G-10, is very strong, lightweight, and durable. Since PTFE is a slippery substance by nature, it takes a lot of labor to shape it into a handle that can be handled and gripped with relative ease.

This is why the cost of this material is higher than average. Not only is it more expensive, but it also doesn't hold up as well.

Here's how we do it for you:

To ensure the highest quality, we use CNC milling machines to precisely create all of our bespoke knife handles. To conveniently and rapidly create handle scales of varying sizes and forms, CNC machining is an excellent choice.

We made sure that each handle we produced was tailor-made to match the specific kind of knife it was intended for. After you've decided on a blade and handle material, you can add on a number of other extras to make your personalized knife really unique.

Our bespoke knife handle scales are perfect for anybody who wants to make their own knife from scratch or who wants to give an old knife a new appearance. All of the scales on our handles have been meticulously crafted to be the ideal size and shape for a secure grip.

Our knife specialists are here to answer any questions you may have concerning our knife handles or the knife-making process in general. Send an email to support@theknifeconnection.com, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.