Knife handle: Wood or paracord?

[Bernie]

Hi

I'm making a knife and the file I'm making it from is thick enough to almost be a handle without sandwiching it in wood. For speed, simplicity and possibly usefulness, I thought I might just wrap the handle in paracord like I've seen others do. There's a helpful photo stream on flicker about how to do this here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itstactical/sets/72157623532963813/with/4448407588/

So what do the good people of this forum think? Wood or paracord?

[rich290185]

I got a knife that was cord wraped but wanted to make a wooden handle for it feels much better to me but i suppose its personal really.

[rossbird]

I like the idea of a corded handle Bernie, from a aesthetical perspective.
Would be easy to remove and replace at a later date.
Hope we get to see the pics whichever way you go:)

[Martin]

Got to be wood for me Bernie. I'm afraid the cord wrapped blades don't do it for me.

Martin

[jus_young]

Wood. It gives the hand a more comfortable surface to grasp for longer working times as I find narrow surfaces strains the fingers and wrist too much.

An open invitation for anyone that wants to interpret this another way...

[CanadianMike]

Really it depends on use, will you use it in areas where it'll get wet, bloody or muddy? If so, wood. If not, cordwrap is fine. I like both, but if the knife is one I plan to use waterstones to sharpen later on, wood is the way to go, otherwise you have to use a toothbrush and water to scrub the cord grip when done and let it dry.

PS: I didn't vote, depends on the style of knife and it's intended use. Cord tends to be more military/tactical looking, wood more traditional/hunter.

[Metal mug]

Another alternative to cord is leather, providing you bind it tight. If I was buying one though I'd go for wood.

[Humakt]

Wood for me as well.
I've seen the paracord handles, and they look OK. But I wouldn't want to use one for any amount of time.

[andy202wr]

Posted by CanadianMike. PS: I didn't vote, depends on the style of knife and it's intended use. Cord tends to be more military/tactical looking, wood more traditional/hunter.

Thats why I voted WOOD.

[CanadianMike]

Hehe, yup, considering this site............... but my knife making centers around different type, the past dozen knives I've sold have had cord handles, but those have gone to military types (no, not that guy with the beret........), but I did add a wood handle to a Scout knife I am keeping for myself, just to prove the flexibilty of the design (also finished a Japanese cord wrap, just for fun).