The RMK catalog currently lists four options for wooden handles: walnut, maple, rosewood, and ironwood.

Are all of these about equal for durability, appearance, etc. or are any of them "better" than the others?

Your thoughts?

They are all nice woods, but I am really partial to ironwood. I believe that it is also the strongest of the four woods.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/fighting38.gif

Hi Jerry!

You raise a good question here.

As far as durability is concerned, these four are very hard woods, which having been stabilized should be more or less equal under normal using conditions. However, as Chris says, I believe Ironwood is the toughest of the four.

When it comes to appearance, it all boils down to a matter of taste. Also, there are great variations in even the same type of wood.

I happen to like all kinds of wood, and amongst the four offered by Randall, I prefer Ironwood. However, as an example the Ironwood on my #1 is different from that on my #14, and both are quite different from the #12-6 I just received.
Not everyone will like all three, as I do.

As you can see it's really what suits your taste.

Hopefully, someone else can shed some light on the durability factor of these four kinds of wood.

Cheers!

David

First, what model is it. If you are going to use it I would use maple. It warms up fast in your hand, great on cold winter days. If it is for show I would use Ironwood. If you are going for an old look like a bowie I would use walnut. As for rosewood it makes for a great looking knife.:fencing:

It's nearly impossible to sort individual woods for this application. It's better to think of them in classes. All 4 woods you mentioned are good hardwoods with similar properties, and any one of them would make a great handle - for looks and durability.

Are the shop supplied wood materials stabilized?

I dont think so could be wrong.

Hi Tuner and Sticker of Swine!

I assumed that all four woods are stabilzed. However, after checking the catalogue (should have done so first), I read:

"We can supply handles of unusual beauty and coloring in dense, finely-grained walnut... (often thought authentic on Bowies), material stabilized maple, East Indian rosewood or Mexican Desert ironwood..."

Perhaps someone from the shop will clarify (please)...

Cheers!

Moosehead

Gentlemen,

Maple AND Walnut are currently stabilized.

Of the 4 woods, we seem to have more of the Ironwood show up with cracks before construction, although the Walnut have more natural knots, therein lies the reason for adding stabilization to this wood.

-----DW-----

DW, thanks very much for the clarification! It is much appreciated by us Randall nuts and with utmost respect for your patience and time constraints, I will not ask three return questions for each answer supplied like I'm prone to do!:lol

seuss:101

Seuss,
...I don't know what three questions you would ask but the only one I would ask of DW would be if he could pick out some of the very best pieces of wood and hold them for handles for my upcoming orders. And I already know the answer so I won't even ask.
jc

Jerry just to confuse you some more!!!!!

I have owned two knives with ringed gidgee as the handle material

Now hot dayum if it aint nice :gossip:

But I do know of a source out here and I may be able to get some

I do however ask Scott or Dan for their learned info in regards to this wood

BTW it was used on the RBS limited edition run of 50

The other knife I had it on was a Nordic knives special bowie

Great character in this wood

Mind you I have had some great walnut handles also

Rob

Gotta love wood

Wood handles are definitely a great handle material for users. Easy to refinish if you bang em up some.
Although I have never had iron wood as a handle material, I would imagine iron wood a little heavy and cold as a user ? ( I have used iron wood for wood stoves in the past). Beautiful grain though, and very appropriate for show knives. I agree that Maple is a good user wood, very oily in nature and does not micro splinter off like rosewood or ebony. Walnut would be my other choice for a wood handle.
Now ultimately my fantasy wish list for a Randall wood handle would have to be Lignum Vitae! Love the look and feel of that wood! :photo:

Isn't lignum vitae a type of ironwood? I found the following:

"True ironwoods include trees and shrubs with dry, seasoned woods that actually sink in water, with specific gravities greater than 1.0. They include:
> lignum vitae (Guaicum officinale, 1.37),
> quebracho (Schinopsis balansae, 1.28),
> knob-thorn (Acacia pallens, 1.19),
> desert ironwood (Olneya tesota, 1.15), and
> ebony (Diospyros ebenum, 1.12)"

Yup, Run_N_Cut!

"Lignum Vitae" is a member of the Ironwood family and is the densest, heaviest wood in existence.

A Google search will find lots of information on it.

I once saw a Randall with a lignum vitae handle on the now defunct Knife Auctions site. It looked really cool.

According to Captain Chris, it usually comes in sizes too small to be used on the large RMK models.

Long Life!

Moosehead

Hi Cut 'n Run,

thats something I never knew! :eek: Lignum Vitae seems like an oiler type of wood compared to
"iron wood" as marketed on knives. What is the type used for "generic" iron wood? and how does it
compare to Lignum Vitae? I had a Hartsfield Choora knife with a 5 1/2 " Lignum handle, so I know
that it is available in large sizes, especially in slab.

Thewap, I think the "generic" ironwood would be "desert ironwood", and I think it is just a little less dense in comparison to lignum vitae.

(and thanks, Mooshead)