Handles of our knives

Knife handles sold by “Breathtaking Steel” are made from (but not limited to) birch bark, elk and deer antlers, G-10 plastic, micarta, as well as highly durable and beautiful hardwoods from around the world, mainly from Africa, South America and India. The wood that grows in these regions, due to the dry and hot climate, has a very dense structure.  Before assembling the knife, the wood is dried for about a year at a stable temperature with forced ventilation.  This is done so that when the knife is used, the wood on the handle does not shrink and crack.  After manufacturing, the handle is infused with a solution of wax with turpentine for a water-repellent effect, and then polished on a felt wheel with a special paste.

G10 is a synthetic knife handle material made of woven fiberglass fabric and epoxy resin. It is strong and durable while being lightweight and easy to work with. G10 handles can be carved, engraved, or scrimshawed. Available in a variety of colors, G10 grips perform well without detracting from your knife’s overall look and feel.

Micarta is made of layers of paper, linen, canvas, or other fabrics sealed with resin.  Micarta is a type of phenolic.  Micarta material is relatively strong and scratch resistant. Micarta can be made of several different types of fabric, each resulting in a unique look for your knife handle.

Karelian Birch is a variant of the plant species silver birch with a genetic defect that causes the tree to twist on the stem with curls. The annual rings are oriented incorrectly, which gives the wood a fiery appearance. The variant originally comes from Karelia in Finland and Russia.

Ironwood is perhaps one of the most highly regarded of all woods in knife-making, with its density, stability, and grain patterns and colors creating a unique combination of characteristics that’s ideal for decorative handles.  Ironwood colors range from an orangish yellow to a darker red or brown, with darker violet to black streaks. Some pieces may be almost entirely black.  Very difficult to work on account of its density.  High cutting resistance.  Desert Ironwood is usually restricted to very small projects, though it takes a good natural polish and is very stable in service.  Turns, polishes, and finishes well.

Birch bark (composite handle), handle is made of birch bark and walnut.  Such handles are very "warm" and velvety, because they do not cool the hand even in severe frost and "sit" well in the hand and do not slip out.

Bubinga. Origin - Africa.  It is found mainly in Cameroon and Gabon.  The core of this tree has a reddish-purple color with dark veins.  The sapwood is lighter in tone.  The wood is hard and heavy.  Density in a dry state from 800 to 960 kg / m3. The texture is fine.  Resinous pockets may occur.  The wood is suitable for any kind of polishing and painting. When cutting, the wood and the finished veneer are called bubinga, when peeling (it gives a slightly different veneer pattern) – called kevasingo.

Wenge. It grows mainly in Zaire (Africa).  The core of wenge is dark brown, with fine frequent veins, giving the wood a beautiful appearance.  Wenge is a very hard and heavy wood with a dry hardness of about 880 kg / m3. Hardness - 4.2. Straight fibers.  The texture is large.  This wood is characterized by high resistance to bending and shock loads.  Wenge is a very resistant wood.  Easy to process but difficult to polish.

Hornbeam.  The wood is dull white, often speckled with grayish strokes, and wide heart-shaped rays create a speckled pattern on the radial cuts.  The texture is fine and even.  The arrangement of the fibers is usually irregular.  Hornbeam is a tough breed with high splitting resistance.  Allows you to get a very smooth surface, excellent polishing.  Density is about 770 kg / m3. Hardness 3.5. For the manufacture of our knives, we use grated hornbeam (brown) and stained hornbeam (black).

Oak. Solid, durable, with a beautiful texture, and quite resistant to decay, oak has a density of 690 kg / m3.  It grows mainly in regions of the Northern Hemisphere with a temperate climate.  Oak handles are easy to process and polish well.

Zebrano.  It grows in Gabon and Cameroon.  Decorative wood is light golden in color with narrow strokes from dark brown to almost black.  The surface is shiny.  The texture is somewhat coarse.  The wood is hard and heavy. Density is about 750 kg / m3.

Lacewood.  Origin - Australia.  This tree has a very decorative appearance, pinkish or reddish brown in color.  The most distinctive feature of the breed is the large heart-shaped rays that form a well-visible silky fiber pattern. The density of wood is 550 - 580 kg / m3 in dry condition.  The wood is easy to process, but it is possible to loosen large heart-shaped rays when cutting.  This wood is easy to process and polishes well.  Lacewood is one of the most beautiful Australian trees.

Rosewood.  Distribution: South America, Africa.  Color from pinkish light brown to brick red or chocolate brown, with dark veins.  Rosewood is 1.5-2 times harder than oak, and its density is 800-1000 kg / m3.  This noble wood is highly durable and easy to polish.

Ash.  Ash wood, with a density of 710 kg / m³, is a heavy and hard wood with good strength characteristics.  Its tensile and fold strength exceeds that of the oak.  It is elastic, wear-resistant and more ductile than many domestic wood species.  Ash grows in Europe, Transcaucasia, North Africa, Western Asia.  We also use "melted" ash. This is wood that has undergone heat treatment in an inert environment at a temperature of 180 - 200 degrees.  During this process, the wood changes its color, increasing its hardness and durability.

Horn of an elk. Horn of the elk require precise, “jewelry” work of a master.  Carving and burning of the horn make finished knife a real work of art.  In our store we sell functional products with horn handles, decorated with original designs.