A buffalo horn handle knife uses pressed water buffalo horn for the grip. People search for it because horn goes very dark, almost black, with faint amber streaking where the light catches it, and because it feels dense and cool in the hand in a way that wood does not. It is the material to pick when you want a knife that looks severe rather than rustic.
The knives carrying it
Horn turns up across the range here. Folding pocket knives with blades near 2.75 to 3.5 inches, skinners and hunters at 4 to 5, gut hook knives, cleavers, chef knives and bowies at 7 to 8. Overall lengths sit from about 6.5 inches to 13. Steel is mainly Damascus of 1095 and 15N20, forge welded and acid etched at 58 to 60 HRC, with plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC on part of the range. Horn is often paired with pakka wood, ram horn or turquoise inlay and a brass bolster, since a solid black grip with no break in it can read as flat. Fixed blades ship in a stitched cowhide sheath.
Matching horn to the blade
Dark horn suits a polished Damascus blade because the pattern reads clearly against a plain grip. On a plain 1095 blade the same handle can look heavy, which is why most of the horn pieces here break the grip with a brass bolster, a pale spacer or a section of pakka wood. If you want the pattern to be the loudest thing on the knife, pick horn. If you want the handle to lead, pick antler or a figured wood instead.
How horn behaves
Horn is keratin. It is tougher than most people assume and it takes a polish that wood cannot, but it does not enjoy heat. Left on a dashboard in July it can warp or check, and left soaking it will eventually lift at the pins. Neither happens in ordinary use. A wipe with a soft cloth and an occasional touch of oil keeps the surface deep rather than chalky. If you are still deciding between horn, antler and stabilized wood, the materials guide sets out what each one does when it gets wet and cold. For blades where a dark handle suits the shape, look at the bowie knives and the hunting knives, and if it is going to live in a pocket instead, the folding pocket knives include horn scaled folders with brass and stag bolsters.
Free US shipping
On most pieces. Heavier and oversized ones carry a flat charge.
Hand Forged
Heated, hammered and ground by hand.
Engraving available
Names, dates or Norse runes on most pieces.
buffalo horn handle knife
Bluegrain Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Blue Hardwood Handle & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Gentlemans Everyday Carry Gift | RK-382
Price range: $75.65 through $84.15
Brasswood Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Wood Handle and Engraved Brass Bolster & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Everyday Carry Gift for Him | RK-380
Price range: $92.65 through $109.65
Hornsmith Hand Forged Damascus Chef Knife with Buffalo Horn and Pakka Wood Handle and Brass Bolster and Mosaic Pin & Leather Sheath | Chef and Kitchen Gift | RK-378
Original price was: $229.00.$194.65Current price is: $194.65.
Bonewarden Hand Forged Damascus Skinner Knife with White Bone Handle and Hardwood Bolsters | Bushcraft Hunting Gift | RK-376
Original price was: $159.00.$135.15Current price is: $135.15.
Leafcarry Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Damascus Steel Handle Ready for Engraving & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Everyday Carry Collector Gift | RK-375
Price range: $92.65 through $194.65
Pakkacarry Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Pakka Wood Handle & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Everyday Carry Groomsmen Gift | RK-374
Original price was: $99.00.$84.15Current price is: $84.15.
Bonecarry Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Natural Bone Handle and Stag Bolster & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Gentlemans Everyday Carry Gift | RK-373
Price range: $75.65 through $126.65
Rosecarry Hand Forged Damascus Folding Pocket Knife with Rosewood Handle and Stag Bolster & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Everyday Carry Gift for Him | RK-372
Price range: $84.15 through $92.65
Bobcat Hand Forged Damascus Skinner Knife with Walnut Wood Handle & Leather Sheath | Full Tang Hunting and Skinning Gift | RK-331
Price range: $84.15 through $92.65
Scorpio Hand Forged Damascus Skinner Knife with Stag Antler Handle and Buffalo Horn and Walnut Spacers and Damascus Bolster | Deer Skinning Gift | RK-338
Price range: $75.65 through $177.65
Yumastag Hand Forged Damascus Hunting Knife with Stag Antler Handle and Turquoise Spacers and Damascus Bolster & Leather Sheath | Hunting Collector Gift | RK-343
Price range: $101.15 through $177.65
Wengehook Hand Forged Damascus Gut Hook Hunting Knife with Tropical Wenge Wood Handle & Cowhide Leather Sheath | Hunting Gift | RK-350
Original price was: $119.00.$101.15Current price is: $101.15.
