Wooden knife handle vs. plastic one: a comparison and some advice

When you look for new knives to include in your catalogue, the first thing you consider is their quality, but you often only evaluate the blade without paying close attention to the knife handle. If the handle is defective or cheap, it will negatively affect the functionality of the knife as well as its value.

In this article, we want to give some advice on how to choose a top-quality knife.

What is the best material for a knife handle?

Many different handle materials are available and choosing the right one can be quite confusing. In this article, we will discuss wood and plastic.

When evaluating a knife, you must consider several factors:

• appearance
• design
• comfort
• grip
• resistance
• durability
• sustainability
• safety
• cost-effectiveness

There are two main categories of handles: natural and synthetic. Wood is natural, while plastic is synthetic. Let’s discuss how they are different.

Wooden handles

Wood is one of the oldest, most traditional raw materials for cutlery handles. It has always been used and has always been a popular choice for kitchen objects.

Wooden kitchen tools remind us of our grandmas’ homes with wooden utensils displayed in their kitchens. These objects have an intrinsic value linked to our history and tradition that has no equal.

Regarding sales, the most evident advantages of wood are variety and aesthetics.

When compared to all other materials, wood offers a greater possibility of choice. Nature has many different types of wood, each with its own characteristics and peculiarities. Each essence is elegant and beautiful, which makes even a simple knife a real object of design.

The wood essences most commonly used in the kitchenware sector are Beech and Ash for cheaper and entry level products, while Oak, Olive and Walnut are mainly used for premium products.

If the wood maker has cutting-edge machinery and tools, you can offer original and unique shapes as well as customized objects. These will help set you apart from your competitors and stand out in the market.

For these reasons, wood is the preferred material by collectors who want to have prestigious objects in their home and by those brands that sell expensive knives.

Moreover, being eco-friendly, wood is considered even more valuable.

Sustainability is a core topic today: people are likely to spend more money for an ecological object, and brands know that very well. That is why companies are trying to include wooden objects in their catalogues, and they look for suppliers that can provide top-quality products.

Wood is sustainable and prestigious at the same time.

Wooden kitchen tools have many other advantages.

• From a functional point of view, wood provides more grip. This feature is crucial for a cutlery handle, as a slippery knife is less safe for customers.
  
  
• Wooden utensils are more comfortable to hold if compared to plastic ones, and they provide a warm, pleasant feeling. They are also naturally shock resistant, meaning that you will feel only slight vibration if you hit a hard surface.
  
  
• Wooden handles are safe for customers. In fact, they can be treated with special food contact paints (EN1934-2004) that protect them from moisture and avoid the proliferation of mold and germs. Special antibacterial varnishes containing active metals are available that guarantee better durability and resistance to bacteria.
  
  
• Special finishes can also make the raw material more resistant to impact, falls, chemicals, and moisture, ensuring a very long life span. Wooden handles can also be stabilized by injecting resin. This increases durability without changing the appearance.
  
  
• Wood is less likely to absorb bacteria, especially if close grained. Therefore, wooden utensils are easily sanitized and cleaned.
  
  
• Wood is also cost-effective. In fact, it doesn’t require expensive moulds, and by selecting the right supplier, you can produce just small lots and only when clients request them.

Plastic handles

Plastic is the most common synthetic material for knife handles, being cheap and easily available.

As it is a cheap material, its aesthetics cannot be compared with wood. The tactile and sensorial experience is very different as well as its appearance.

Both wood and plastic have advantages and disadvantages.

For example, plastic cannot absorb water, so it is naturally moisture and water resistant. Wood, on the other hand, absorbs water, but if treated properly, it can become resistant to water and humidity to avoid this problem.

Another consideration is price. Plastic is less expensive than wood, but you must also consider the cost for moulds that plastic needs. Moulds are very expensive, and if something needs to be modified, you must create a new mould, wasting time and money. That is why wood is more cost-effective.

Moreover, it seems that bacteria and germs grow faster on plastic surfaces, while wood has natural germ-killing properties. It means that plastic is less safe for consumers.

Lastly, plastic conducts heat: if you leave a plastic handle near a hot pot, the handle will melt and could be risky to touch. However, a wooden handle remains cool.

These are just some considerations regarding wooden and plastic handles for knives. It depends on what you are looking for: if you want to offer a prestigious, elegant, top-quality, and comfortable object in your catalogue, a wooden knife handle is the best choice.

Do not forget that wood is being used instead of plastic in almost every industry due to sustainability issues. People are more prone to buy eco-friendly items and appreciate those companies that demonstrate their commitment to solving environmental problems.

If you are looking for top-quality products made exclusively with FSC-certified wood, do not hesitate to contact us!

Our experts will be glad to help you shape your idea.