Let's talk handles

[Shelley]

Seems to me no matter how good the blade if a sharp and pointy thing thing does not have a good handle its not going to get used.

For me a handle must be both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to use, the majority of handles on knibes I buy off the shelve tend to be too big, I have medium sized hands and excess handles seems to me to be a waste of space, material and weight.

Aesthetically I like the handle to be equal to at worst or much preferably less length than the blade, so a Woodlore just gets in but a mora does not, hey if I don't like it I won't use it, most knives I have are either this combination or get modifies in sort order to be this combination, the best handle I have had off the block is the Gary Mills Timberwolf that I built the handle for myself, followed by a Randall 18 that is paracord wrapped.

So just wondering if I am alone in my handle requirements or if others modify they handles or ignore models based on the handle more than any other characteristic.

Also wondering what you people have found to be the most comfortable handles?

Shelley

 

[Robson Valley]

The key feature in the Pacific Northwest is what I call the "Kestrel Constant." They are competent bladesmiths.
Further, if you plan to carve all day, day in and day out, the handle must fit your hand.
Kestrel Tool says that when you grasp the knife in a fist-grip, palm up for a pull stroke, the tips of your second and third fingers should just touch
the fat ball part of your thumb.

For my large hands and long fingers, the handle blank is 7/8" square. 1" is OK, 3/4" is too small.
Carve for a week or two, you'll learn soon enough.

Bushcraft people are unlikely to use any knife for these lengths of time, as I do when carving.
My blades are surface hafted in handles of rosewood & mahogany with boat-tail noses and tails to provide relief for my upright thumb placement.
Center hafting and round handles, the Scandanavian style, is not practical .

 

[woof]

I like a long handle, my hands are'nt huge, but its just what i want & feel comfy with. It does look like, well to me anyway, that over the last couple of years knife handles seem to be getting longer.

Rob