What Type of Scales Do You Prefer Poll

[Mad Mac]

In my collection shown in my signature
several types of scales are represented.
Lately, I have developed a preference.
This poll is to let you sound off
on your preferences in scales,
as if I could stop you.
You may choose up to three.

[zhyla]

Lumping micarta in with G-10, that’s like trying to start WWIII.

[Jesla]

Not voting for G10…. I would vote for Micarta, if it were an option.

Lumping micarta in with G-10, that’s like trying to start WWIII.

Shots fired…..

[Wowbagger]

I had to say " Other " because :
I do not like Micarta (so can not include it with G-10 which I like a lot )
If I have my druthers I would take the very coarse G-10 like on the Spyderco Siren and Benchmade Contego etc. as you see in my image. Pretty much every time .
Sure I love Titanium also . . . give 'er a good grit blast or Frag pattern .

I just don't know any better I guess and I don't use my knives for long periods with wet hands . Just short periods of use but I want that texture to help " register " the knife in my grip .

PS : that Contego , second knife from top is M4 by the way . Mmmmmmmmmm M4

[silver & black]

Anything other than FRN/FRCP.

[blueblur]

As coarse of a textured G10 as I can get. The Siren’s texture is a good starting point but I’m curious what an even coarser texture would be like.

So far, I prefer a uniform pattern over the striped Magnacut pattern.

[Naperville]

Titanium is OK as long as it is engraved and not a slick plain slab. But that could be said for any of these materials.

FRN is grippy!

[silver & black]

Titanium is OK as long as it is engraved and not a slick plain slab. But that could be said for any of these materials.

FRN is grippy!

And super cheap feeling.

[Naperville]

Titanium is OK as long as it is engraved and not a slick plain slab. But that could be said for any of these materials.

FRN is grippy!

And super cheap feeling.

Most of the time I am after the steel and Spyderco's heat treat. It is grippy though, and if my grip is full of water, my blood or somebody elses I think that I can hang on to it.

[flattop]

I love smooth G10. Glides in and out of my pocket with ease. If the ergonomics of the handle are just right, I don’t need for it to be grippy.

[Naperville]

Titanium is OK as long as it is engraved and not a slick plain slab. But that could be said for any of these materials.

FRN is grippy!

And super cheap feeling.

I can never tell ahead of time why I am going to be using my knife. Some people THINK they will only use their knives to cut a thread or a box.

Good grips can be very expensive.

I have a Hinderer XM-24 wharncliffe (sp) with G-10 on one side and it was too slick so when the opportunity came to upgrade the grips, I opted for highly engraved titanium. I cannot recall what I paid for the single engraved slab but I bet it was around $175.

FRN is lower cost and does pretty much the same thing.

[sal]

Hi Flattop,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[sal]

Great thread,,

Push the envelope. I'm all ears.

sal

[sal]

Gail voted for G-10, she said it has the "Tactile" feel she prefers, and it's very tough and impervious to bad incoming. I voted for her.

sal

[zhyla]

It's really the handle shape that matters more. And then the color. And lastly the material.

Since Spyderco rarely puts a lot of contours into their G-10, usually the FRN handled knives are more comfortable. Especially if they were designed as FRN knives first (such as all the Natives prior to the Native 5).

[mikey177]

I voted for G10/micarta, FRN and Titanium.

I used to like wood, but have had more than one fixie where the wooden scales have shrunk over time, so I don't seek it out as much.

I also pass on any knife with ultem scales

[kobold]

1 wood
2 Ti
3 micarta

[Larry_Mott]

1. Wood (or horn or other natural material)
2. Micarta
3. Smooth G10

[Aladinsane]

For practicality and ease of use, I like FRN. For bling-bling I like Micarta or G-10.

[8th_Note]

My favorites are G10 and FRN. They both feel great in hand. I also really like Spyderco's CF/G10 laminate. Micarta is good too (I prefer a more "fabricy" feeling micarta than polished).

I may be the minority here, but I really do not like titanium (or aluminum to a lesser degree). Metal handles just feel really bad to me. It's an unpleasant tactile sensation for me.