Choosing The Best Wood For Knife Handles

By Zelma Hurley


Since Stone Age people have been using knives and it has become one of the most important tools in the day to day lives of people. There are several materials that can be used to make the handle of the knife. They vary from wood to ivory and even bones. All they need to have is a firm grip. Most people even opt to customize their knife handle to make it even more personal. Making wood for knife handles can be a do it yourself project especially for the people that want to express their creativity.

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.

It can be grouped into three main categories. The first is the hardwood that is most common and known by many. Then the other type is softwoods and lastly the plain wood. Hardwood got its name from one of its best qualities, which are that it usually is most resistant to penetration and it is denser when compared to the other two types.

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.

The handle is not made from just any tree trunk part. The heartwood is the one that is used. The reason is that it is the inner most part of the trunk and it contains substances that are usually resistant to decay. Sapwood is not used since it tends to decay much faster and fluids can easily penetrate it. There usually are some notable differences between sapwood and heartwood. Sapwood is usually lighter in color when compared to the heartwood.

There are some qualities that a good wooden handle should have. One of them is that it should be durable and long lasting. These mean that it should not chip or splinter. It should also be smooth to the hand while at the same time have a fine polish.

The wooden handle should not stain easily as this makes the handle unattractive and look dirty. All organic material usually expands and contracts to some extent when they are subjected to heat. A stable material should always be used to make a handle so as to avoid movement that usually leads to the handle loosening.

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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