What Is a Knife Handle Called and What Are Its Parts?

The Short Version

• The complete grip: The whole unit you hold in your hand is called the handle, haft, or hilt.
• The side pieces: The two separate flat slabs attached to the sides of the metal are called scales.
• The internal frame: The metal extension of the blade that runs inside the grip is called the tang.
• Japanese styles: Traditional Japanese kitchen knives use a one-piece slip-on wooden sleeve called a wa-handle.

Understanding the Core Terms: Handle, Haft, Hilt, and Scales

When you hold a knife, you touch an assembly of several distinct parts. People often use different words for this grip depending on whether they work with kitchen cutlery, hunting gear, or woodworking tools.

The word handle is the universal name for the part of the tool you grasp. It applies to every knife, from a folding pocket knife to a heavy kitchen cleaver.

You might also hear woodworkers use the word haft. Haft is an older term for the handle of a cutting or chopping tool. While modern cooks rarely say it, craftspeople still use it when talking about re-hafting a hatchet or a draw knife (a two-handled pull blade for shaving wood).

The word hilt comes from sword making. In traditional blades, the hilt refers to the entire lower assembly below the cutting edge, including the grip, pommel, and handguard. On utility and kitchen knives, makers rarely say hilt unless the knife features an oversized protective guard.

The word you will hear most often among knifemakers is scales. Scales are the two outer slabs of wood, composite, or bone that sandwich the inner metal frame. When you drop a kitchen knife and the grip cracks, you broke one of the scales, not the steel blade. Knowing that word makes searching for replacement parts much easier.

Scales Versus Tang: Outside Grip Versus Inside Metal

To understand how knife handles work, you must look at the metal hidden beneath the surface. That metal section is called the tang, which is the unsharpened back portion of the blade extending directly into your palm.

Knife handles fall into two main categories based on the tang shape: full tang and partial tang. A full tang means one solid piece of blade steel extends all the way through the handle to the butt end. You can see the exposed steel spine running between the two grip slabs. This layout offers tremendous balance and physical strength because the metal absorbs chopping shock. Many classic German high-carbon steel premium knife sets rely on full-tang construction for this exact reason.

A partial tang means the blade metal narrows into a slender rod or stops partway inside the handle. You may hear this called a stick tang, rat-tail tang, or hidden tang. Because the metal is buried completely inside the grip, no flat spine shows on the outside.

Confusing scales with tangs causes expensive mistakes. If your knife has a full tang, you need two flat scales pinned to the steel sides. If your knife has a hidden partial tang, flat scales will not work. A partial tang requires a solid wood block with a center hole drilled for the metal rod.

The Anatomy of a Knife Handle: Every Part Defined

A knife handle often includes smaller hardware components that keep the grip secure, balanced, and comfortable. Here are the parts found on kitchen, hunting, and pocket knives:

• Bolster: The thick metal shoulder between the blade and the grip. On forged kitchen knives, the bolster adds counterweight to balance the tool at your pinch grip. It also creates a smooth transition so fingers do not slide forward onto the sharp blade heel.
• Rivets and Pins: The metal pins locking the handle slabs directly to the tang. Knifemakers drill matching holes through the scales and tang, tap metal rods through, and grind them flush with the grip surface. Kitchen knives often use brass compression rivets, while custom outdoor knives might feature decorative mosaic pins.
• Liners: Thin sheets of material placed between the metal tang and the outer scales. Makers add vulcanized fiber or plastic liners for a contrasting accent line and to cushion natural wood against humidity shifts. On an everyday carry pocket knife (EDC), liners are internal metal skeleton plates supporting the pivot and the liner lock (the spring bar inside the handle that snaps behind the open blade to stop it from closing on your fingers).
• Pommel or Butt: The butt is the back end of the handle. When capped with a distinct block of brass or steel, it is called a pommel. A pommel counterbalances a long blade and gives outdoor users a hard surface for light tapping.
• Lanyard Hole: A hollow tube through the rear butt of the handle, providing an anchor point to tie a loop of paracord for extra security.

Western Handles Versus Japanese Wa-Handles

The two most common kitchen handle styles take completely different approaches to grip design: Western contoured handles and Japanese wa-handles.

Western handles focus on ergonomic contours and heft. They usually feature a full tang sandwiched between two dense scales made from synthetic composite or hardwood. The handle curves inward where your fingers rest and swells outward near the back to keep the knife from slipping out of wet hands. This design feels solid, durable, and weighted toward your palm, helping power through dense root vegetables and thick meats.

A traditional Japanese kitchen knife uses a slip-on wooden handle known as a wa-handle ("wa" represents traditional Japanese style). Rather than two flat slabs riveted to exposed steel, a wa-handle is a lightweight, one-piece wooden sleeve pushed onto a hidden stick tang. Wa-handles are typically shaped with eight flat sides (an octagonal grip), an oval profile, or a subtle D-shape that nests into your finger creases.

At the front of a wa-handle, knifemakers install a reinforcing collar called a ferrule. Made from water buffalo horn, dense wood, or black resin, the ferrule keeps the thin wood collar from splitting when the steel tang is driven inside. Because these handles use light woods like magnolia, walnut, or sandalwood, popular high-carbon Japanese chef knife sets balance their weight forward toward the blade tip. That forward balance encourages a light pinch grip for delicate slicing.

Wa-handles are also easy to service. When the wood gets stained or worn, a cook can gently heat the tang to soften the internal glue, tap off the old handle, and mount a fresh wooden blank in minutes.

How to Identify Your Handle Type Before Buying Replacements

Before purchasing replacement parts or handle materials for a repair, inspect your knife carefully using this four-step checklist:

1. Inspect the spine and belly: Look closely at the top and bottom edges of the grip. If you see a strip of bare steel running from front to back with handle material on both sides, you have a full-tang knife that requires a matching pair of flat scales. If the edges are seamless wood, composite, or rubber with zero steel visible, your knife uses a hidden or partial tang.
2. Check for side fasteners: Look at the sides of the grip. Round metal circles sitting flush with the handle surface are rivets or pins locking two scales together. If the sides are smooth wood without pins, the handle is a slip-on style held by internal adhesive or friction.
3. Examine the butt end: Check the very back of the knife. A threaded metal cap, a decorative nut, or a peened steel rod indicates a through-tang design clamping stacked handle materials together from the rear.
4. Measure your tang and grip dimensions: Use a ruler to measure the length, width, and thickness of your existing grip. If replacing a Japanese wa-handle, verify the detachment depth (the length of the pre-drilled internal slot) so your blade tang seats completely without bottoming out early.

Choosing Replacement Scales and Handle Blanks for Repairs

When a handle cracks, splits, or loosens, you do not have to discard the knife. Selecting the right replacement scale set or pre-carved handle blank lets you restore the tool to full working order.

For kitchen knives exposed to tap water, food acids, and regular washing, composite materials like G10 offer outstanding durability. G10 is a fiberglass cloth laminate soaked in synthetic resin that will never swell, shrink, or absorb moisture, giving you a slip-resistant texture in wet conditions. If you prefer the warmth of natural wood, choose stabilized wood slabs. Stabilized wood has had all natural air pockets filled with hardened acrylic resin under vacuum pressure, keeping the grain from warping when wet.

For Japanese cutlery, look for pre-shaped octagonal wa-handle blanks made from dense woods like sandalwood, olive wood, or ebony paired with a sturdy ferrule. Always confirm that the pre-drilled slot matches your blade tang thickness so you get a tight, rattle-free fit when locking it in place with heat-activated adhesive.

1

Huusk Knives, Viking Boning Knives for Meat Cutting, Small Ulu

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• Brand
  Huusk

Key specs2

Handle Construction

The curved oak scales are mounted onto a seamless full-tang frame, providing a rigid one-piece backbone without welded joints.

Steel Hardness

61HRC ATS-34 high carbon steel

Pros & cons53

Pros

• Seamless full-tang construction connects the blade steel through the oak wood handle scales
• Hardened ATS-34 high-carbon steel reaches a listed 61HRC via vacuum heat treatment and nitrogen cooling
• Titanium-nitride coating enhances blade surface corrosion resistance and provides non-stick slicing
• Curved oak handle features an integrated index finger hole for firm grip control during meat cutting
• Includes a fitted leather belt sheath for transport and outdoor storage

Cons

• At 0.85 pounds, the solid full-tang build weighs more than typical slim boning knives
• High-carbon steel core requires prompt drying and routine maintenance to prevent surface spotting
• Curved handle profile and finger hole shape cannot be adjusted for hands of all sizes

2

1PC Japanese-style Kitchen Knife Handle Octagonal Handles Safflower Knives Material

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  TEAMWILL

Key specs2

Tang Socket Depth

67 mm

Grip Materials

• Black sandalwood (purple sandalwood)
• Red gem composite spacer
• CNC-machined octagonal contour

Pros & cons42

Pros

• Traditional Japanese-style octagonal profile offers an authentic wa-handle grip shape
• Combines red gem composite with dense black sandalwood for balanced weight distribution
• Pre-machined 67mm insert socket accommodates compatible hidden-tang kitchen blades
• CNC-cut exterior provides uniform symmetry for custom handle replacement projects

Cons

• Requires manual sanding and wool wheel buffing before installation is complete
• Includes only a single handle blank without epoxy, retaining pins, or blade tang hardware

3

CJRB Folding Knife Pyrite (J1925) AR-RPM9 Blade and G10 Handle

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  CJRB CUTLERY

Key specs2

Handle Scale Material

Lightly textured G10

Carry Profile

Weighs 2.65 ounces with an integrated pocket clip and ambidextrous opening setup for everyday pocket carry.

Pros & cons42

Pros

• Textured G10 handle scales provide secure palm traction in wet or dry conditions
• Proprietary AR-RPM9 steel delivers strong edge retention and corrosion resistance for daily use
• Lightweight 2.65-ounce folding profile with pocket clip enables convenient pocket carry
• Ambidextrous deployment design allows smooth one-handed opening for right- or left-handed users

Cons

• Folding pivot mechanism is not designed for heavy chopping or wood-batoning tasks
• Compact 7.3-inch overall length offers less leverage for large game or heavy outdoor work

4

2PCS Blank DIY Replacement Octagonal Wooden Handle For Japanese Kitchen

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  TEAMWILL

Key specs2

Socket Channel Depth

70 mm

Wood Combination

Pairs olive wood with dark black sandalwood for classic Japanese hidden-tang chef knife rehandling.

Pros & cons42

Pros

• Two-piece handle pack provides extra material for multiple knife restorations or practice builds
• Two-tone combination of natural olive wood and dense purple sandalwood creates distinct visual appeal
• Pre-cut 70mm internal tang channel fits standard hidden-tang Japanese chef knives
• Classic octagonal geometry maintains traditional alignment for pinch-grip kitchen cutting

Cons

• Demands DIY finish work using sandpaper and a bristle wheel prior to knife assembly
• Does not include bonding adhesive, ferrule collars, or blade tang shims

5

SHIELDON Gambit Mini Pocket Knife 154CM Steel Stonewash Finish Blade

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  SHIELDON

Key specs2

Blade Steel Alloy

Crucible 154CM

Grip and Deployment

Features machined G10 handle slabs alongside Dirk Pinkerton's 5-hole blade design for weight relief and manual opening.

Pros & cons42

Pros

• Crucible 154CM blade steel offers balanced wear resistance and edge stability
• Durable black G10 handle slabs resist moisture absorption and temperature shifts
• Compact cleaver blade with broad belly handles precision food prep and light utility slicing
• Five graduated blade cutouts reduce overall carry weight to 3.16 ounces while aiding deployment

Cons

• Stubby cleaver geometry lacks a sharp piercing tip for puncturing tasks
• Short handle footprint provides limited grip area for users with extra-large hands

6

Take This Heart

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  N/A

Key specs1

Listing Verification

This entry lacks cutlery specifications, requiring buyers to verify the exact product category and materials prior to purchase.

Pros & cons33

Pros

• Catalog entry confirmed with non-adult rating classification
• Standard product title without restricted age markers
• Clear title notation for straightforward catalog cross-referencing

Cons

• Listing contains no blade steel specifications, handle dimensions, or knife materials
• Manufacturer details and warranty terms are omitted from the catalog entry
• Physical item type is unconfirmed and requires verification before purchase

Last update on 2026-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

FAQs

What is a knife handle called on an everyday carry pocket knife?

On a folding pocket knife, the outer side panels are still called scales. These scales screw directly onto internal steel or titanium skeleton plates called liners. The liners hold the folding pivot hardware, the pocket clip screws, and the locking mechanism that keeps the blade rigid during use.

What is the ferrule on a knife handle?

A ferrule is a protective metal, horn, or composite band fitted around the front end of a tool handle right where the blade tang enters. The ferrule acts like a barrel hoop, preventing the wooden handle from splitting outward when pressure is applied to the blade during heavy cutting.

Why are knife handle slabs called scales?

The name comes from ancient cutlery and armory traditions where paired flat pieces of horn, bone, or wood resembled the overlapping protective scales of an animal or fish. Cutlers adopted the word to describe any pair of matching flat plates pinned to opposite sides of a metal core.

Can you replace a damaged knife handle yourself at home?

Yes, replacing a damaged knife handle is a manageable DIY project. For a full-tang knife, you drill out the old brass rivets, clean the steel spine, glue on new scale blanks using two-part epoxy, and sand the material flush with the steel. For a Japanese wa-handle, you simply soften the old internal adhesive with gentle heat, pull the blade, and push the tang into a new pre-slotted wooden blank.