A knife handle can make a knife invaluable or useless.

Useless was what classified the previous handle – it was thin; it was made from plywood; and it was deteriorating. The plywood layers were peeling off leaving leaving uncomfortable grip and possibilities of getting splinters in your hand as your use it.

Then the knife came to me... and everything changed.

The old handle was summarily removed and a new handle was designed. The wood of choice was Ziricote – a tree native to Mexico and Central America. Ziricote has medium to dark brown colour with black growth rings intermixed leaving a “landscape” grain pattern. Two stainless steel pins are used to enhance the look as well as provide extra bonding strength.

The handle flares out towards the butt of the knife thereby providing more comfortable surface area for holding the knife. The wood is finished with five coats of Tung Oil and buffed with Carnauba wax. The Tung Oil penetrates the wood to emphasize the grain and colour. The oil does not contain artificial thinners or cure-accelerants and is approved for food-contact items. The Carnauba-based wax forms a light 'skin' finish which serves as an additional layer of protection. The combination of the two finishes emphasize the beauty of the wood while preserving its natural feel.

Invaluable is what classifies the knife now.

The knife should be cleaned with warm water and mild soap; rinsed; and dried immediately; the handle is not dishwasher safe.

Note: the weight is in grams; the dimensions are in millimeters and shown as length by height by width. The weight and dimensions include the knife tang.