I did not want to hijack Eric's post but JJHACK brought up a good point, the polished handles/scales of many knives can be dangerous if your hands are sweaty, bloody, covered with fat or all three.

I just about cut my hand off skinning a deer with a Buck 110 my Mom gave me ages ago. I finished skinning the deer with a Spyderco and then bought a Schrade 143 with the green rubber handle.

Two things have postponed a custom knife purchase and that is cost, and the second is the grip.

JJHACK suggested covering the handle with cloth tape during the hunt and I think that is a great idea. A little protection for the handle and a lot of protection for the hand.

Any alternatives solutions?

Rougher textures, Stag handles, Canvas micarta, jigged bone etc. can help, bolsters, guards, etc. can also help. Overall design is an option to look at, finger choils, integral guards etc. are all options. I like a short thong/lanyard drawn up to just allow my little finger threw which prevents me from slipping on a blade as well. Lots of ways to skin that cat so to speak.

...?

I am constantly amazed at the number of custom hunting knives shown on this forum that lack any kind of a guard. I was using a Cutco hunting knife with rubber handle to dress a deer several years ago and my hand slipped down over the blade. Fortunately I released my grip the moment I felt it slip and avoided a nasty injury. Those D-edge (serrated) Cutco knive seem so sharp you can get cut just looking at them. Any knife I use now has a substantial guard!

Next thing we know, you guys will be saying the government should be mandating us to wear seat belts while driving. (Just a joke, no offense intended )

I've got several knives from the Mississippi Mafia, mostly wood handled, some with bone, none with guards or extra grippy material, never had my hand slip and pose any danger. I don't put substantial pressure while cutting though or put myself in a position that is too harmful. (I know, it only takes one time, accidents happen when we least expect them, etc)

My company requires the use of kevlar gloves when handling case knives (utility knives in most peoples terms). We don't have cut fingers anymore, its usually slashed wrists or forearms. You can't fix carelessness, next thing will be kevlar forearm covers.

Sometimes stuff happens, but thinking about how you're cutting and using common sense will stop a lot of stuff from happening.....

Cloth tape is going to be mighty difficult to clean so I'll assume you'll be changing the bacteria ladden cover after each use. This is doable but there are better ways.

If you don't want a slippery handle then buy one with a handle you like or have your smooth handle bead blasted, cover with grip tape, sand paper, whatever you wish - it's your knife.

My brother complained about the custom knife I made him (imagine that, given a custom knife and having the nerve to complain). So being the good little brother I am, I made him another knife with ribbed G-10 grips. He is now happy but I'm out a second knife, no mention of returning the no good slippery one.


I prefer a smooth grip that fits my hand. My off hand is in more danger than the one holding the blade.

Check David Winston's bead blasted G-10 scales, they offer a better less slippery grip than wood or some micarta, I'm very happy with mine. The last several skinners I purchased all had the bead blast finish, and the G-10s come in lots of colors.
Good luck.
Steve

The best bead blasted G-10,hands down,Tom Krein.

I've sampled African Blackwood recently,and its pretty darn good.

Ol faithful standby great grip,durable,green canvas micarta.
If not polished too much its smooth yet pretty grippy wet,trick is not to go too polished.

A knife with a guard is a good thing,but the guard only will allow certain holds on the knife.

Take your time if you can,clean your hands if you need to.

I would most definitely remove the cloth tape after use and it should come off easy, I would think most handle materials would withstand mild solvents if needed.

I don't know if this knife would look better in any other material.

Well........ duh............ the 8 cents worth of cloth tape is clearly a sacrificial one time use!

Anyone with the economic limitations to prolong the use of a wrap of tape would not likely be in the custom knife market, nor the hunting license market!

That cloth tape provides an amazing grip, and the knife is easy to clean when unwrapped!

jigged/beaded scales are pretty secure.

With a pit bull on the blade, it better be good

If you want Gription, blasted G-10 or canvas micarta are the way to go.

I think that glass bead blasted G-10 that David Winston and Al Alexander do is the best feeing thing in the hand, as far as knives go, that I've used. It's got a 'tacky' feel to it. I don't think someone could pull it out of your hand with a rope!

I seldom hold the knife in a fist like grip. If you cut vs. hack I think handle gripiness is over blown.
Fat makes things tacky pretty quick.

(((Two things have postponed a custom knife purchase and that is cost, and the second is the grip.)))

First thing cost is a good reason not to by a custom. There are lost of good knives that are not customs. Second thing, most people will not buy a custom knife if the grip isn't high buffed and shinny , NOT a good reason not to buy a custom . If the handle on a custom is to smooth it's the buyers fault, because any custom maker will be glad to sell you a knife with a rough handle. You just have to tell him what you want.

I have rarely felt that a knife's grip is "too smooth"; am I in the minority here? I've been armpit deep in a deer more than a few times with smooth micarta, smooth spalted maple, etc and have never felt like I was in danger of losing my knife. Even covered in blood and without the lanyard on I felt in control. I like a very sharp knife and am more of a deliberate slicer than a hack and slasher too I guess. I also prefer knives without guards for the most part.

I don't mean to imply I have any special talents with a knife either, I can't even count the number of times I have managed to cut myself (some rather badly). It never had to do with losing my grip though, usually it was making a poor decision or forcing a knife that had lost its edge.
Now cleaning Northerns is another story...I'm not sure they make a handle with enough grip for messing with those.

JSH, I agree.

This topic is similar to the filet knife arguement. Some like a flimsy (Rapala taught them this) blade moderately hardened so the user can resharpen it often.
I prefer a stiff blade with good heat treat. I know where it is cutting, it cuts through rib bones and holds an edge.
Seems most custom knife makers follow this patern when building one also.

As to slippery grips, I find most any grip surface works fine for me, and a little blood adds some 'tackyness' to a handle for me.
As noted above, it is easier to sell a highly polished knife off of a table.
And once again, to each his own.
jmho
Tim

My experience with the Kreins as well Vince.
He has really perfected the recipe over the years.
Deep enough blast with the right medium for just the right "grippiness."

Randome thoughts:

1) As mentioned, a sharp knife that allows for controlled, easy cuts will help eliminate losing your grip.

2) Blood has always been sticky to me and aided in grippiness... fish slime, when filleting; that is another deal.

3) Have a nice custom handle and want to temporarily protect it when afield and improve grip purchase?

Cut a piece of narrow diameter bicycle tubing to length and slip it on.

+ another for Tom Krein's beaded G-10...


As an aside, even the slicker of the phenolics can be made grippier by roughing and raising the fibers on the spine ala Bob Dozier. Top pic below is Dozier's standard polished flats, roughened spine. Middle is from the best filet maker out there IME, Phil Wilson. Phil prefers linen, with a 600 grit sandpaper finish on all surfaces. Bottom is an Ingram of course,with his very attractive beaded finish. It's quite grippy, but I raised the fiber on the spine with a flapper wheel out of habit...



Similar to add's bike tube, I use electrical shrink wrap on finer handles to protect and give purchase. Slip it on, hit it with the heat gun/hair dryer and it's there 'til you want it off, then you can't tell it was there once it's gone.

May's jigged/beaded/micarta handles grip pretty well:



Older Ingram jigged/beaded/micarta handle grips well too: