The handle of a Randall is arguably the least important part of the tool but just like the paint job on a car it's what catches your eye. This phenomenon hasn't escaped the handle material purveyors either. As far as being a utilitarian handle material, stag is stag, wood is wood and ivory is ivory. However, a knobby piece of amber stag, a highly figured piece of snakewood or a blue green piece of fossil walrus can and will bring a huge premium compared to the less flashy version of the same material. Let's see your most favorite handle.
Show us one or two Randall's with what you feel is the most beautiful handle you've ever seen. On one hand it's going to be difficult to choose but on the other hand there are no "wrong" entries because it's completely subjective... it's your favorite!

My favorite wood handle happens to be the "Teardrop" shape of Desert Ironwood on one of my Bowles Skinners (#264):



One of my favorite specimens of Stag graces the handle of my Combat Companion:



The handle shape, material, and character seem to serve to "seal the deal" for the knife as a whole.

I should also point out that the Spacers also play an important part of the handle, in that the color and material can influence the appearance as it relates to the hilt and butt cap (if any).

I have been in love with the border patrol handle since I first grasped one. Its light weight, impervious to water temperature and most chemicals. I also think the handle is one of the most important parts on a knife, as everyone has a personal preference and own style.

Heres a pic of my newest favorite user: Model 28 Green Micarta

I don't have one most favorite handle, but I have a favorite ironwood and a favorite stag. I hope to have a new favorite ironwood by the end of the year:)
Here is the ironwood, I will have to take better pictures of the stag and will post later
Small Gambler with concave ironwood

Peter

This isn't even close to "fair"...I mean..."2"!! Come on, man!! This one would make my "short list" along with...well...more than "2".
Best, Capt. Chris

That is a real work of art Cap. What is that?

It is one of my 4" Stanaback Specials in stabilized maple burl. The wood's a "freak" in that:
A) The stabilization worked perfectly, but
B) The "blue dye" did not take totally, leaving the multi-coloring throughout.
There was no way to realize this until the handle was shaped. I could tell from the flat, finished exterior of the block that this piece of wood was spectacular...but I had absolutely no idea just "how" spectacular until the Randall shop shaped it! Quite unique and, that truly hard to use word for me..."rare"!!
Best, Capt. Chris

Its like looking into a nebula!

Mine are finger gripped in any material..... here are two beauties from the early 50's.

This one's my favorite! 1948 3-7 picked up from Jim and Cindy off of e-bay a number of years ago (Pics from the original auction):




Best,

Mitchell, here are some old finger grips.

Hope these pics don't offend anyone as my last ones apparently did.

Looks like I've been severly "one-upped" on an old finger grooved leather handle

HELL, I was TWO upped! Great knives guys,

Anyone like Delrin and 8" Separate "S"?

Both still mint in green butcher paper.

How about a '50's #12 Heavy with my favorite handle material.

Cool delrin set Tom.... !!!

Here's a fighter from the days of shop supplied ivory!

Nice, got to love the slippery S's.

Here's and old 6" King Faisal set with Shop Ivory.......cracked as usual. They are, like the Delrin set, still mint in the green butcher paper, too.

Here's an unusual #2-8" with an upside down handle; note the mis-stamp, too.

Tom,
That ivory 6" King Faisal set is very cool. The only one I've ever heard of.

Thanks, the letter from Bo that came with it dated 2/66 says it's the first 6" set ever made.

BTW, great topic, Rick......thanks for starting it.

Wow, that is too cool.

How about an Astro handle with finger grips?

That letter, in Bo's own hand, is all the provenance you could ask for. The letter is also interesting in that Bo did not cross out the "JR." on the letterhead. My guess is that Bo's father was still alive in 1964. Both had the initials W.D. but Bo's father was not Walter Doane and thus Bo was not a junior. To help keep the mail separate they decided that Bo would use "Jr." in his correspondence.

Very unusual and WAY cool Steve!
Speaking of King Faisal sets (not to get too far off topic), this one made by Tom Leschorn is pretty cool. Both knives could be removed separately.

I retook some pictures of my favorite stag and my only and favorite fossil walrus ivory.

Peter

Steve, very nice Astro!

Here's one from 1965 that came with no handle scales and a tool steel blade with an etched logo.

Peter, that's the best piece of stag I've ever seen. Kudos to Rick (or to you, if you supplied your own stag!)

Tom, that's a great one--I love the older shape.

Obviously I get to see a lot of ivory. It's always been a paramount handle material but it's not very striking. I'm a big fan of exotic wood and Snakewood is at the very top. This matching pair of handles came from the same piece of Snakewood. I had to buy an 18" stick earmarked for a pool cue.

Beautiful wood but I'm thinking that it would have made an awfully short cue.

NICE STUFF GUYS!!!!!!!!!
Here's my favorite Micarta handle - Functional, with a capital "F".

My "nicest looking" an iron wood A.G. Russell Special.

My favorite Stag Handle ...

Really Rick? Favorite "2"!!?? And folks are "thanking" you for a good thread? Really? Telling someone to come up with only "2", Rick? Really??
Here's a nice "Yukon" in musk ox. (Old Photos...Old Camera...Too lazy after a long weekend to re-take 'em...Sorry)
Best, Capt. Chris
PS: "2"???...CCS

Tom,
The whole stick of Snakewood was 18 inches which is the standard length used for the butt end of a cue. I think I got five handle pieces out of it.

Steve
I believe that Rick supplied it. I saw the knife and loved the stag and had to get it.
Peter

The stag on my RBS #251 was supplied by the shop.

Pics courtesy of Rick Bowles.

The stag on this #4-6-6 SS is shop supplied also.

I hope this fits here...
I have many pieces wating for knives....
They we all favorites when I bought them!!
Is it me, or do we all stock up on material?
:-)Rocky

It's not just you...
Best, Capt. Chris
PS: Just to show you how much it's "not just you"...I have over 300 pieces of wood..."alone"!! Stag? Over 100 including a good batch (about 60) of crown? Then there's the "other" stuff: Ivory, micarta, G-3 and G-10, etc., etc., etc., etc....CCS

Rocky
Great selection of handle material, you can keep the shop busy for a while.
You make me look like an amateur.
Do you know what knives you want to make with the different pieces?

Peter

Here's some nice stuff.

Your Kill'n me!!
That's some nice stuff!!
:-)Rocky

Capt.
That's a lot of wood....I hope you use it to it's best ability!!
:-)
Guess I'm not alone...It's good to know I'm not that screwed up...
:-)Rocky

I love ivory, FWI and other ancient ivory, whale tooth and Musk Ox. Here is my favorite handle which has Narwhal, Mammoth tooth and Ivory "tip" sections.

Unreal!!

Pap

Rocky, ...Come on man! You can't use Capt. Chris as your measure to "know that you're not that screwed up". I mean
hoarding all that handle material when it could be sitting at the base of a Randall blade!

Screwed up? Nawwww...Crazy like a fox...visionary? Yeah, that's it. I can just envision all those handles on Randalls being built and distributed amongst all of us RKS members now.

Peter,
Several of the blocks are for knives already on order at the shop. Three of the Ivory, one of the Westinghouse Micarta, and I'm thinking of making a change on a 12-8 to one of those iron wood blocks. I had it sized the other day, so I'm going to have to get with the shop about that, before January....as for the rest....I'm still think'n. At one knife every three months....It appears that I buy more material than I can use.
And always, looking for more!
Capt. is right...one of the best places is the BLADE show.
:-)Rocky