Knives (handmade) 101 #7 Knife Handle

You've probably seen a knife, or if you are a bit adventurous, you've even had one in your hand.
So, remember the part that didn't have a sharp edge?

Yep, that's what we call a handle.

So, for this session, I was thinking I handle the handle topic. - See what I did there?

If you scroll back to my first Handmade Knives 101 you will see that I claim that knives are all about oppositions. And let me tell you handles are no different.

Full tang & hidden tang, Eastern & Western, natural & composite materials, square-edged & oval...

Let's cover the basic!

When talking about kitchen knives there are two basic approaches to handles.

1. An Eastern-type hidden tang, also known as Wa
2. A Western-type full tang, also known as Yo

As you can probably guess from this categorization Wa originated from the East, meaning Asia, and the Yo was traditionally done on European knives.

Both approaches have their goods and bads.

In the modern knife-making business both Wa and Yo handle are done in both Asian and Europe.

I have done both and have yet to find which I like more. The Wa handle is much harder to do, at least to me, but it's easier to manipulate the balance of the knife - the weight distribution. The Yo handle is a bit easier to do, if you know what you're doing, and it does make the knife more compact.

As a rule of the thumb, I would say that there are only two knives that I would not mix the styles and bring the handle over. And both of them are western knives. The boning knife and the butcher's knife. I think both of them would be weird with a Wa handle.

So, which one is better and which to chose?
I don't think either is better, it all comes down to your personal preferences.
And I'm not only talking about what you think looks better but also how you use the knife.

For me, and I'm sure many would disagree, Wa handle is better for pinch grip while European, being more "ergonomic" is better for hand grip.
source

I'm not saying you can't use them vice versa, this is just my preference.

One of the perks of buying a handmade knife is that the handle will, probably, be part of the design and build to an amazing piece of art.

I actually like to play with my handles. And even dough I have done a few plain looking handles, most of them are the result of careful thinking and crafting. And I do try to make them as pleasant to the eye as the function allows.

Most of the production knives come with some kind of polymeric material, from plain plastic to a bit more complex and expensive composite materials. The cost of making is actually not the only factor that most store-bought knives don't come with a wooden handle. There are actually pretty strict regulations for "professional" knives and wood is a big no-no.

Some of the composite materials that surfaced in the last 10 years are really amazing looks vise, but most of them just feel a bit "cold" in the hand. That's why I prefer wooden handles, they bring that old-school look and warmness, and wood looks and feels great.

I do like to play with materials and make combinations of two or more different ones. Usually, I use the "modern" materials such as G10, carbon fibres, Corian... as liners or spacers. Unless the client specifically requests differently, my handles are mostly wooden.

That's all for now. As always, drop a comment below if you have any Qs or thoughts on anything knife related.

Thank you for reading and be sure to check some of my previous post from Handmade Knives 101 series.

1. Handmade Knives (custom) 101 #1 – Are You Bipolar?
2. Knives (handmade) 101 #2 – What’s Wrong With My $10 Supermarket Knife?
3. Knives (handmade) 101 #3 What to Think About When Buying a Knife
4. Knives (handmade) 101 #4 Full Custom Build
5. Knives (handmade) 101 #5 If I Spend a Few 100 $ On a Knife Will It Be Sharp Forever
6. Knives (handmade) 101 #6 Design - How to Get the Knife Out of Your Head