What Handle Materials do you like and why?

[Doc Dan]

Hi Folks!

I was wondering if you all would answer a question. What scale/handle material and color do you prefer on your Spyderco folding knives, and why?

For dress, I love bone. I especially love old timey looking bone. Bone (or Ram/Buffalo horn) always look good and the first thing someone will ask is, "Is that bone?" They will then comment on how good it looks. I also like carbon fiber, and more so if I have color options. Carbon Fiber looks good, is thin, and does not weigh down my dress pants.
For outdoors, I like bright colors that I can see if dropped.

What about you folk?

[.357 mag]

FRN for work. Hard to beat.

[VashHash]

Micarta because it's elegant and functional and seems to get more grip when wet. Also love the cf either peel ply or polished both look nice

[SQSAR]

Micarta because it's elegant and functional and seems to get more grip when wet. Also love the cf either peel ply or polished both look nice

+1

[Sequimite]

Micarta for texture and looks, wood and bone for looks.

the first thing someone will ask is, "Is that bone?"

My favorite slipjoint has scales of whalebone which the maker found on a Mexican beach:

[Ragman24]

It's FRN all the way for me.Light with the perfect amount of grip,at least on the Endura and delica 4 models.

[OldSarSwmr]

For me it really depends on the knife. My favorite scales on a traditional folding knife are stag or ebony and on a traditional fixed blade its popcorn stag or a dyed curly maple and desert ironwood. On modern folders, I like carbon fiber and micarta on a modern fixed blade.
There are always exceptions though, I went through a paua abalone stage with my traditional collection.

I really feel scale choice can make or break a knife regarding both usability and looks.

[phaust]

Honestly it's more the finish of the material than the material itself for me. For instance, I like G10 in general but very much dislike the G10 on the Pm2/Yo2/M2/etc. because it smooths out and also gets a dirty/greasy feeling quickly.

FRN is probably one of my favorites because the grip pattern doesn't go away over time, it's rather temperature resistant, and it doesn't absorb moisture.

In terms of aesthetics, it's hard to beat some nice dark ebony wood.

[The Deacon]

I'm a fan of natural materials. Beyond that, it depends on the knife because although some materials work well regardless of the knife's size, some look better on smaller knives and others really only show off well on larger ones. My top choices would be ivory, stag, and nicely figured wood in its natural color. Bone is a bit trickier. There are colors and jigging patterns that work for me, but there are a lot that don't.

[jon1all]

G10.

I won't hardly look at a knife anymore if it doesn't have G10. Metal scales (SS, titanium, aluminum, etc) look sweet, but are just too slick. FRN/GRN/Zytel just feels cheap to me (I know it is not... and is indeed very durable, but I can't get over the fact it feels like plastic in my palm). I only have two FRN knives, a Byrd Cara Cara 2 and a SOG Mini Aegis. The Byrd rides permanently in my wife's Get Home Bag so I don't really have much "palm time" with it... and the SOG is in my EDC rotation. And while I do like the SOG overall (great blade shape!), it's handle is a bit of a tactile disappointment (also would sacrifice a few more tenths of an ounce for some seriously milled/skeletonized SS liners... at 2oz the non-linered knife just feels so insubstantial in the hand that it feels... "delicate"... that said, still dig the knife in general and it does make it's way into my EDC rotation).

[JD Spydo]

Since I made my G-10 handled Sprint version C-60 Massad Ayoob my EDC I must say that this newer G-10 especially is my favorite working handle material.

Now as far as collector pieces go I tend to like Micarta the best overall.

As of today I'm carrying the C-60 Ayoob ( G-10), The C-111 Captain (G-10) and the H-1 Spyderhawk (FRN). I have nothing at all against FRN and I would never rule out having a folder for an EDC with an FRN handle. But as of right now I'm finding that G-10 even works well when it's wet and it cleans up well if you encounter a really grimey and dirty job.

For fixed blades it's a toss up between Micarta ( like the Streetbeat) or the older molded FRN like on my Temperance 1 model. Because the Temp 1 handle design is so perfect for me that the material is actually secondary.

In metal handles I prefer titanium over stainless or aircraft aluminum.

[phillipsted]

I've always had a soft spot for micarta scales. They seem to be warmer and more comfortable than CF or fiberglass-based scales. For looks, I like the linen micarta - but for pure functionality, it is hard to beat canvas micarta, especially on larger knives.

Wood, especially tropical hardwoods like Cocobolo, rosewood, and Lignum Vitae are hard to beat for folders - and they are so dense and oily that they don't really require any type of top coat.

And since I grew up with slip joint knives, I'll always have a fondness for jigged bone scales. Nothing says "classic" like a two-bladed trapper with burgundy or dark amber jigged bone.

[Blerv]

FRN by a long shot. It's functionally and economically better (personally).

[Latro]

G10 is my favorite, folowed by FRN and his friends.

I like the feel of it.

[kbrouwer]

I'll do it this way:

Work: G10
Dress: Titanium (especially anodized/fluted)


Other Stuff::

I like FRN but i feel like it's missing something, I don't know what... for one thing... its not as strong.

I love Jigged Bone, especially blue.

I HATE stainless steel.

[Jet B]

I have to say that I'm pretty partial to the look and feel of carbon fiber. G10 is a close second. I would like to get my hands on some canvas micarta too.

[Gary W Graley]

Echo the G10 as well, just has a better feel if it's textured right, micarta is nice too but find most seem to finish it just a bit too smooth to be of any secure grip. Also FRN, it really is pretty tuff stuff, I remember someone running over a knife with FRN scales and still worked afterwards, I have a couple of Spydies with FRN, the Pingo, WHAT A GREAT KNIFE FOLKS!!! :)
and the Stretch with ZDP-189
The other spydies have G10, the PPT, Rock Lobster, Chokwe (enroute now!), Southard flipper (pre-ordered but not enroute yet ) I also have the new Titanium Chaparral, amazing workmanship but for an EDC a little slippery, I guess it depends your what your EDC chores are whether it would be too slippery for you or now.

But, I do look to see if a knife has G10 and that is one thing checked off the list.
Natural materials move, and boy do I hate when that happens, have a small knife now with olive wood scales, they've pulled back from the tang, not to happy with that, stag can also shrink but wood is the typical culprit in cases like that...

G2

[Minibear453]

Carbon fiber, since it's so beautiful and looks kind of holographic. On the older-styled folders or fixed blades though, I love wood with a lot of figure.

[Jet B]

One thing I wanted to mention, the stone washed titanium and g10 on the new Southard looks pretty cool too.

[Jeremy_A_Neel]

I like metal handles if they have a bead blast, or some sort of finish that roughs it up enough to not be slick. I also like composite materials that offer both a good grip and good aesthetics. (canvas micarta, G10) And I haven't had any first hand experience with the stuff, but ctek looks really cool, especially inlaid in G10 or another material. [video=youtube;WOZ1XYDMCiI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOZ1XYDMCiI[/video]