Choosing The Best Wood For Knife Handles

By Zelma Hurley


From the invention of wood in the olden days wood has always been used to construct the handles of knives. Over the years man has discovered that there are many other materials that can be used to make a handle. Some of the materials that mostly used today include bones, plastics and ivory. As long as they give you a firm grip you can choose any of the materials to make the handle. Some people even prefer having custom wood for knife handles just for them. So that they feel unique.

Even though there are many other materials that can be used in its place, it still remains to be the favorite of them all. It can be used on other tools as well not just on the knife it is even used to construct the wheel of a ship. This is because it has so many qualities that make it unique. One of the reasons is that its nature is organic. Many people will prefer it to plastic since after use it will decompose unlike the plastics.

There are many varieties that one might use in the making of the handles. There are three main types; they are hardwood, softwoods and plain wood. The hardwood is more preferred since it usually is denser of all the three and the most resistant to penetration. This is where it got its name from, hardwood.

Having a handle that is made from a hardwood is a sign of class and taste for the owner. Hardwood has always been cherished over time even in the olden days. They are mostly used on knives since hardwood usually complement metal very well. Because of the above reason that hardwoods will remain to be a standard.

Not every part of a tree trunk can make a good handle. The reason behind this is that each part has its own unique features. The heartwood is usually the one that is usually used to make knives. This is because the substance that it usually is made of does not decay as fast as that that makes up the sapwood. The heartwood just like the name suggests is usually the inner most part of the trunk. Fluids d not usually easily penetrate through the heartwood.

To make a long lasting handle that you will use for years there are some basic characteristics that it should have. Like stated above it needs to be durable to give you longer service. It needs to feel smooth on the hand and it should therefore not chip.

Being organic there are some undesirable characteristics about the wooden handle. One is that when subjected to high levels of heat it will expand. This constant expansion and contraction will make it loose. To avoid this; the most stable materials are used in place of the less stable ones.

There is a misconception among many that the darker the more durable the wood is. This usually is a lie since there are many light colored woods that are just as good as the darker colored ones.




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