Your knives having the most unique or rare handle/scale material(s)...

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

We all know that a knife's handle/scales can be made out of all sorts of materials.

So, whether fixed blade or folding, please share your traditional knives having unique or rare materials used in their handle construction.

I will start with my circa 1990 Camillus Cutlery 'US Marine Raider Stiletto' commemorative knife. The handle is made of cast 'Solid Pewter'...







Camillus was the original maker for military originals made and used during WW2.
Those were made with a cast 'Solid Zinc' handle material that began to get brittle and fracture as they aged.
Today's few surviving originals fetch some of the highest prices by collectors wanting them added into their collections. Again, their Zinc alloy handle material continue to deteriorate, so finding them is not only uncommon, they have to be very gently handled, as to not break their weakening and often brittle/crumbling handles.

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

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[easternknives]

This one is made with whale bone

 

[JohnDF]

I have two unusual knife handle materials...

The first is Katalox wood... also known as Mexican Royal Ebony


The other is the always beautiful and a true technological marvel... Synthetic Ebony

Okay, the Synthetic Ebony isn't rare, but it's still a marvel.

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Here is a Middle Eastern made knife having a bit of Camel Bone
Likely not uncommonly used over there, but not so much here in the Western World

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

I have two unusual knife handle materials...

The first is Katalox wood... also known as Mexican Royal Ebony


The other is the always beautiful and a true technological marvel... Synthetic Ebony

Okay, the Synthetic Ebony isn't rare, but it's still a marvel.

That Katalox Wood looks pretty cool!

 

[JohnDF]

That Katalox Wood looks pretty cool!

Thanks. I really like the tight swirly grain on it.

 

[mrknife]

i forgot to bring sterling scales to the rendezvous for a special luxury tc barlow this year

 

[JTB_5]

The knife on top is a page from an art magazine (El Greco’s View of Toledo) embedded in resin. That’s about the most unique. I also have this paring knife by the same maker that has thermoresin and aluminum chips:

 

[easternknives]

A little neck knife made with a jaw bone

 

[Arathol]

Percheron bone, 1 of 10....

 

[waynorth]

Sperm Whale tooth handles!!

 

[Spaten]

This one was recovered with Fordite.

 

[pjsjr]

Swordfish bill scales on a Buck 315, scrimshawed by Dale Fisk.

 

[bladecollectorr]

Such an interesting range of uncommon materials! Great knives!

Mine would likely be this Viking-themed Schrade 7OT by Jimmy Sabo inlaid with MOP, Gold-Lip, man-made and natural opals, malachite, black jet, coral and likely a few others I have missed.

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Sperm Whale tooth handles!!
View attachment 1619800View attachment 1619801View attachment 1619802View attachment 1619803

So freaking cool!

 

[Railsplitter]

Real Blue Jay feathers.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Case Sowbelly with textured bolsters, fileworked blades, liners & springs and mammoth tooth covers. Probably the most exotic of any of mine.

 

[tiguy7]

Abalone and SambarView attachment 1619946

 

[Ernie1980]

https://imgur.com/a/ilsQhzn

I don’t have anything that could really be classified as exotic unless you count some vintage Sheffield ivory. But these are a little different! The advertising knives all have solid aluminum handles, and the black and brown knife is black palm wood. Finally, we have a friction folder made from a whole antler tip that has a cut-out for the blade.