Favorite Scales?

[Pelagic]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but tastes change and I haven't seen a poll on this since I've been on this site. Let's see where the community is at.

[PStone]

What? No carbon fiber option?

I vote solid cf w/peel ply

[SG89]

G10 is my favorite but i also really love peel ply solid cf

[Wartstein]

FRN, by far. Also like Micarta, but not an option here.

[Pelagic]

What? No carbon fiber option?

I vote solid cf w/peel ply

Fixed. I don't know how I forgot. I probably shouldn't be on the forums at work, haha.

Poll has been reset.

[curlyhairedboy]

of the poll options, solid CF is really nice.

[anycal]

As long as we are not confusing peel ply CF with CF/G10 laminate, and since I can select only one, I vote for peel ply CF. Just because I have been waiting for a model with these scales for a while.

Used to have a PM2 with P/P CF. I didn't want the most recent KW M4 with CF, so still waiting.

Otherwise, the top three,
- P/P CF or P/P G10 or Titanium/CF combo like the Military frame lock
- smooth (like ZT) solid CF
- FRN

[The Deacon]

None of the above, actually. However, of the choices given, I'd go with smooth G10, Pakawood, and solid CF. That said, I think both G10 and Pakawood look much better on a rounded handle than a flat one, or with the type of corrugated texture used on the Zulu and PPT. I'd also like to see both those materials used with some of the textures being used by companies like Altamont on handgun grips. Also, to be perfectly honest, while smooth shinly CF is attractive, the CF I like the most is the nubby CF/GI0 laminate used on the Sage 1, Chaparral 1, and a few other models from Taichung.

[ZrowsN1s]

I voted smooth G-10, the caveat would be contured smooth g-10. The Shaman is by far my favorite handle. Contured Solid Carbon Fiber is second place (also Shaman). Although if they made a Fluted CF Shaman that would be the winner for me. On flat scales, regular G-10.

[PStone]

What? No carbon fiber option?

I vote solid cf w/peel ply

Fixed. I don't know how I forgot. I probably shouldn't be on the forums at work, haha.

Poll has been reset.

Thanks Pelagic! Vote has been cast! I have a GB2 inbound. Will be my first experience with the cf/g10 laminate. So my vote could possibly change.

[JuPaul]

Frn and textured g10 for folders. Micarta for fixed blades. And although it's not at the top of my list, it seems like aluminum scales should be an option as well.

[PStone]

...Although if they made a Fluted CF Shaman that would be the winner for me...

That could be a game ender for me. I don’t know if I would ever buy another knife if I got my hands on one of those. Unless of course it was a fluted Manix2 Backlock. For that I would take both titanium and CF.

[steelcity16]

FRN/FRCP are my favorites by far and represents the vast majority of my collection. Although I was a little disappointed in the Para 3 LW's less aggressive texture. I also love Peel Ply G10, but I refuse to buy a knife with smooth G10. I'm a big Canvas Micarta fan as well, but only if is a coarser matte texture rather than polished all smooth and shiny. I work a lot with greasy, wet, or oily hands so a combination of scale texture, ergonomics, and jimping are all important factors for me. I don't really care for carbon fiber, aluminum, titanium, or other exotic scale choices.

[mayong]

(Camel?) bone!

I fell in love with these after seeing a post about them somewhere. For posterity: https://cuscadi.de/spyderco-para-military-2-bone/

A smooth, ivory Micarta, wire clip LW PM2 would be 10/10. I'll keep dreaming because I'm sure exactly zero other people feel the same way.

[fixall]

Didn't vote as their is no Micarta or natural wood option.

[Bloke]

Not sure I have a favourite per se as I wouldn’t want all my knives to have the same scales. I do like natural scales like stag, buffalo and ram’s horn and bone but it depends more on the knife’s intended purpose for me.

Specifically to Spyderco’s, I like the smooth G10 scales on my Sprig and Southfork best and the checkered G10 on my Waterway is pretty cool too. The textured G10 on Militaries etc. is great as is FRN on the Salt Series etc.

I wouldn’t entertain pakka/plywood scales on any knife and I can live happily without carbon fibre. :)

[Pelagic]

I can't believe I forgot micarta. Ugh... I need time off.

[Cambertree]

On stock folders I like textured G10 the best, and it has great materials properties for long term durability.

I like the slabs to have a good chamfer at the edges too.

On fixed blades, I like the smooth, contoured G10 on the Bradley Bowie. The rough, checkered treatment the Waterway scales received is excellent as well.

My favourite scales weren’t listed, and those are the contoured micarta ones I usually have made by Suingab G10.lt or Cuscadi.

IMO the contouring and rough canvas nap on the micarta gives a superior feel in hand.

The difference in handling comfort between one of the contoured micarta rehandled models like a PM2 and say, the stock KC Cruwear version with smooth, hard edged G10 slab scales was significant.

The way micarta gets ‘grippier’ when wet is also an excellent handle material quality IMO.

I’ll be curious to see any comments on the FRN scales too, as although they’re the plain jane handle material for Spydies, I feel they’re almost unbeatable as a lightweight, super durable handle material for a working knife.

[Holland]

Pakkawood! With FRN a close second

[ZrowsN1s]

...Although if they made a Fluted CF Shaman that would be the winner for me...

That could be a game ender for me. I don’t know if I would ever buy another knife if I got my hands on one of those. Unless of course it was a fluted Manix2 Backlock. For that I would take both titanium and CF.

I think if I were forced to only keep one knife out of my existing collection, it would be the S90V CF Shaman. Thankfully I don't have to choose :D