Anyone pickup anything in smooth navy giraffe bone?

[Wharnecilff]

I would interested in seeing pictures and hearing opinions of the smooth navy giraffe bone Cas has recently started using.Anyone out there have any ?

[kennedy knives]

Look in the Case for sale item # 27176

[Steve Warden]

http://casexx.com/Handle/DisplayHandleP ... AutoID=813
From Shepard Hills Cutlery

[Modern Slip Joints]

While I have not handled one SMKW devoted page 3 of the 48 page Case catalog they recently mailed to Navy Giraffe Bone. All the ones pictured took the blue die unevenly and have lots of fine surface cracks. Smooth blue cow bone knives that came out looking like Navy Giraffe Bone would be factory seconds. They remind me of the overpriced blue jeans kids buy that are made to look badly worn. Even if I'm just too ignorant to appreciate the artistic value of both products nothing justifies the price. Comparing standard Trappers, Navy Giraffe Bone is $112.99, less slippery and better looking Hunter Green jigged bone is $51.99 and much better looking is Natural Curly Oak is $60.99. I'll leave Navy Giraffe Bone for some one else and continue wearing out blue jeans the old fashioned way.

[Mumbleypeg]

The OP aroused my curiosity, so I did a little research. I haven't seen any giraffe bone in person. From what I can determine giraffe bone is harder, more dense and stronger than cow bone, therefore it's more difficult to work. Giraffe bone, like stag, has a lot of variability and as pointed out, different areas of the bone "take" the dye differently.

So if you like uniformity of appearance you'll probably not like it. If you like variability and unique appearance from knife to knife or from one side to the other of the same knife, you may like it. Giraffe bone is a relatively rare material. It's not cheap (neither is mammoth ivory, turquoise, pearl, abalone, coral and other more "exotic" materials frequently used for handle covers. Case produced some knives handled with it in the mid-2000s.

If you're looking for an EDC, those may not be your cup of tea. Here are a few pictures from Shepherd Hills web site http://www.casexx.com

Ken

[Wharnecilff]

Mumbleypeg...Yup Sheperd hills is where I have been eyeballing them...I was just curious to hear from anyone who actually purchased new knives with those handles...maybe not a great seller?...definitely more $$ for that option...dunno...if I would opt for it over some real nice stag or even bonestag...

[Mumbleypeg]

I don't think they're unattractive at all but I'm not your typical new knife buyer so I won't be buying one. I suspect some of those who collect new Case knives will buy them. If they show up at a Case dealer hear me I'll examine them for sure - sometimes that triggers me to buy something.

My tastes in collecting run mostly to pre-1970s knives. My tastes in EDC users are less expensive knives. As I said, the topic made me curious enough to learn something new.

Ken

[jmh58]

Giraffe bone is very dense and heavy.. Think about how tall they are.. Handled a few customs with this bone for handles and could feel the weight.. John

[RalphAlsip]

Giraffe bone is a very nice material to use for knife scales, in my opinion, especially if you like smooth feeling handles. My preferences tend to go toward (what appears to me) to be more natural looking colors such as brown, tan, caramel, creme, etc. where the dark lines provide more visible contrasts.

[Tsar Bomba]

Arno Bernard from South Africa is a prolific user of giraffe bone for fixed-blades.

https://arnobernard.com/

I've been tempted more than once to buy one of the Bernard family's knives. I suspect at some point I will give in.