KnifeCenter FAQ #147: Best Knife Handle Material?

Don’t skimp on your knife’s handle. After all, it’s the part you interface with the most. But what’s the best handle material to do the job? Plus, we’ll cover scissors fit for everyday carry, the qualities of a good whittler, and a few of our favorite comments this week.

Featured Knives

00:00 Intro
00:57 Handle Materials Explained
14:48 EDC Scissors
18:23 Comments of the Day
19:09 How We (Don’t) Prepare the Knives
20:19 Carbon Steel vs “Carbon” Steel
21:34 Best Opinel for Whittling
22:52 The Happiest Knife

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[MikeJ]

DCA I can say I never thought that you guys did any kind of adjustments to the knives you show. I definitely find you to be one of the more honest and knowledgeable people in the YouTube vid biz. So thank you

[seanrobinson]

Natural bone or stag handles and wood are classic to me and I prefer them for outdoors hunting fishing camping etc. synthetic materials I like on edc knives.

[kermitthepog]

DCA - thanks for recommending the Amicus, it's probably got the best ergos of any knife in my collection. Great action, comfortable handle, no thumstud so can do a pinch grip, just great user interface all round. If it came in 14C28N it would be my favourite folder in my collection! Please get Kizer to do a version with this steel as an exclusive! I know it's not that simple but hey it's worth a shot. Thanks!

[christiankammer]

Ha, gotcha! Stacked leather, you forgot. Like on the Fällkniven NL series. :) And horn and antler. And bone. Tss. :) Greetings from Sweden.

[tsmspace]

I am using a copper scales knife (the civivi dogma, , COPPER, , not brass) and I really feel that copper is a great scale material. My feeling is that the copper is reactive (tarnishing as you hold it) and this creates a different kind of grip than most metals. It's as though gripping a fresh wood every time you pick it up. I realize some people might find the sensation uncomfortable, because indeed it is a chemical reaction (if my senses don't defy me), , but I personally really like it.

[andyy]

Raptors were carried by alot of the staff when I worked ER. As well as by most of the medics taking pts in and out. Great tool. Boss actually used his glass breaker to save an older man who drove himself to the ER, but passed out before he could get out. Only problem is they grow legs of you leave them somewhere.

[zacharyhighberger-ctdn]

DCA is also an EMT! Man of all seasons! Thanks Sir!

[knifedaddy]

I always expect the otf in the lightning round to be a lightning otf 🤷‍♂️

[richardstone]

I do not like metal knife scales for many reasons but one that stands out is they get COLD in the winter and can actually freeze to your hand like putting your tongue on a flag

[jweed]

DCA: I saw a documentary on old cast iron cookware recently and was blown away how an item can be used and abused for over a century and still function as good as the day it rolled off the assembly line. It got me thinking: what type of knife in your expertise will be around 100+ years from now, just as good as ever? I'm talking exclusively folders, and with a lineage of owners who aren't knife people so no maintenance outside of sharpening once in a while. Cosmetic damage I'm not too concerned about as far as paint/coating goes, although I am curious as to how g10, micarta, bearings, washers, springs, etc., may handle the years. Will some knives considered premium now be seen as throwaway at a certain point by the normies?

[stephangrobler]

Out of personal preference. I cant seem to put any knife down with micarda scales. Micarda is also great for outdoor knives. G10 is my second choice. But theres just something with with micarda in the hands that makes it figity.

[Daniel.Liddicoat]

My favorite materials are micarta and brass. Titanium is good for the strength and being anodized bronze and blue colors.

[thumperstick]

don't tell my wife but over the last 2 months i've bought 3 knives off this table selection. just my personal experience, get a buck 110. the finger grooved version is good too. it changed my perspective on weight, blade steel, function and yes, handle material and the use of classic knives in general day scenarios. its a knife i can cut down saplings in my garden with, use as a steak knife, or break boxes down with. its good.

[koffeeu]

Hey DCA and co. Knife n00b here. Can you show how different blade shapes cut the same medium? All YouTube vids show folks cutting paper, but they never show how a wharnie cuts different from a clip point, etc. Get DCA some good stuff to cut on camera and go nuts with the explanation. Thanks!

[oscr_zen]

My question: what to use to whitle the inside part of the spoon, it seems to cause the most issues with a standard knife 😊

[BPFMCar-vipg]

I have tha exact big banter and love it. It just works

[c.garison]

Hey DCA and Thomas! I have a Morakniv Pro Chisel in my tool bag that serves as a knife and a pry bar that I can can brutally abuse when I am removing weather stripping on door or prying out a plastic valve body from an old brass faucet. The thing is I would really like a knife that I can beat in a similar manner as the Pro Chisel, but not have the fear that I am going to break the handle. So what full tang, fixed blade knife would work as (litterally) a beater while having an edge that will be as resistant to chipping as the Morakniv that I have. I don't necessarily need a stainless steel for this knife. Any suggestions as to what would make good knife that is about the size of the Pro Chisel that is reasonably priced would be great. Thanks and keep up the good work on these videos.

[coroag]

Question I keep asking myself is do I need to carry so much for my EDC. I work as a janitor in a school and I have to be careful on what I EDC so there is certain criteria for it. Some of them are is it concealed enough the kids can't get it off me, is it noticable enough if it is missing, and do I have enough on me to fix random things. So I boiled it down to a Free P4, a small under 2" blade with a deep carry clip, a flashlight, the olight pen with lazer pointer, and sometimes a small bit driver and a couple extra bits in the 5th pocket. Wondering if there is a way to compact it more and still get the functionality I have while making sure it is safty oriented and durable. Some tasks are cutting rope for school events, packaging for a bunch of items from plastic containers to cardboard, fixing sliding locks on stall doors, door hinges, turning off out of service toilets and urinals, and other small menial tasks that require a range of specific tools but all fit within minimal maintenance of a building. (Editing this to say, I also use the tools to fix the equipment given to use to clean the building and as I go I fix small things to get it done faster. Since asking for any to be done takes weeks.)

[obbar]

I’m very interested in getting a spiderco folding knife as a everyday carry but don’t know much about them as a beginner collector, and I’m really interested to hear your thoughts. However I do live in the UK, with strict knife laws

[chuckcarney]

As a KnifeMaker, Canvas & Burlap Micartas, (different colors) and Otange and Black Suretouch, when you want Funtionality, Strength, and unreal Grip