I do agree that if we select ebony or African Blackwood is a safe choice. I don’t think many of us have ever been let down by GEC’s darkest woods.
However, I don’t buy the aurguement that wood in general is the safe choice. Just because two people thought their jigged bone handles didn’t look as nice as someone else’s doesn’t mean that a vast majority didn’t look gourgeous. For the record, the three 48’s that were shown actually looked pretty nice, just not as nice some. This is no different than stag or wood or any natural material. Of the dozen or so of the GEC’s that I have been disappointed in, most of them have been wood. Usally I’m disappointed because of lack-luster wood grain or just the fact that the beautiful wood grain pics on GEC’s website are a lot nicer than the one I received. Dessert Ironwood, Cocobolo, Bocote and others are very hard to get good looking versions, especially if you are hoping for matching good looking sides. Unless, you get the one in the advertising photo, yours is probably not as nice.
Also, the #15 Rope knife jigging isn’t going to be the only jigged bone on the menu. The Grizzly cut and Pony cut and plenty of other good looking choices are going to be available.
Edit: Smooth White or Ivory bone is another super safe choice; always consistently great looking.
