A firm grip at all times

The traditional material used for Finnish knife handles is curly birch. The wood comes from the curly birch belt in Central Finland. The blaze-patterned curly birch is an excellent material for knife handles, because it's durable and beautiful. Curly birch is available on the market in limited amounts, which rises the price notably higher than regular birch.

Regular, straight-grained birch is also used for many traditional Marttiini knive handles. Birch handles are durable and utilitarian.

In some models the wooden handle has been heat treated, making the wood very durable and practically maintenance free. In the process the wood takes on a hardwood-like beautiful dark tone. 

Wooden handles are finished by either waxing, varnishing or staining them. Wax deepens the glow of the natural variation of shades in a wooden handle while protecting it from dirt and moisture. A waxed handle has a very comfortable feel to the hand. Varnishing highlights and protects the birch's natural color. Staining a handle gives it varying shades of color without covering the grain of the wood. The surface of a stained handle is somewhat rough and allows a firm and safe grip. 

Marttiini's exotic Lapland tradition is best illustrated in knife handles which combine reindeer and moose antler bone with beautiful Finnish curly birch. Handling antler bone is demanding artisan handwork, which puts one's skills to the test. 

Rubber mixture is extremely well suited for knife handles. A rubber handle is easy to maintain, hygienic and safe. An ergonomically shaped rubber handle feels pleasant and warm to touch even in harsh outdoor conditions, for instance in freezing or wet weather. The diamond-patterned part of the handle and the finger guard guarantee a safe and firm grip for knives on the Condor series. 

POM or polyacetal is a widely used technical plastic material, that is hard, stiff and durable. It is both hygienic and ease to keep clean, and it can be washed in a dishwasher. Because it doesn't absorb water and is highly resistant to chemicals, POM is used on the Vintro kitchen knive’s handles. 

A durable and hygienic material made of sheets of wood that are glued together, used for example in the Tang knives. Birch veneer is very strong and resilient. Surface hardness and dent resistance are also good. 

Glass fiber and epoxy-based G10 is an ideal material for the handles of folding knives.
It is extremely durable, virtually maintenance-free and waterproof and is ideal for wet conditions.
The G-10 handle gives you a firm grip on the knife.