Featured Interesting knife grip. Name that animal?!

Can’t figure out what this is? It resembles horn more than anything else to me but it doesn’t look like horn totally either. It’s so rich and honeyish/yolky or something. It’s got a quality or luster I can’t explain. I guess it could just be the patina more than the material. Can anyone help ID? Was wondering if it was an uncommon form of ivory or other not so common material? Came in a box full of pretty decent quality old knives from auction.

 

Looks like bakelite,test it.

 

Oh wow, that never occurred to me. I tested tons of possibly Bakelite things I have recently too. I’ll let you know how it turns out. It looked natural to me but that would explain why I couldn’t come up with anything that seemed right.

 

No answer down that alley unfortunately. Tested negative. I’m pretty sure it’s from a beast of some type.

 

How long is it?
I wonder if it is some sort of antler that has absorbed grease over a long time. It certainly has age.

And about the blade, is that a damascene pattern?
It reminds me of something I've seen before, but I want to know a bit more first.

 

horn.......sez me.

 

I was trying to think where I'd seen those layer cracks(?) before, and that's it, horn.

 

just shy of 10” total. Absorption or application of grease/fat/tallow or just oil from extensive human hand contact or something is an interesting proposal. Assuming it’s horn of some type that could potentially give it a unique quality I guess.

it does have quite a bit of age on it I think. That is another reason I didn’t consider any synthetic material initially. I don’t think there’s a damascene pattern. Just wear and age taking its toll with some pitting and discoloration.

I did notice some layer cracking so to speak today when I finally had it in good natural light. I was going to post a better photo of that but I see you caught it anyway.

 

Also I thought the grip/handle was carved or turned to give it that spiral like or ribbed pattern. Is it possible its natural? Some species have ribbed antlers and horns. Like antelope and rams. Is there any smaller whitish horn like this? I’m guessing it’s manipulated to look like this but just a thought.

 

nah, the twist is a cut out to improve grip!

 

Ditto.
The wear is very nice, and the saturation gives it a beautiful sheen.

 

I wonder if it isn't bone. In the second photo there does appear to be some striations parallel to the haft. Would HCL react with bone? Or both bone and horn?

 

I think horn. Notice how the butt end has drawn material from the metal. Since horn is made of growth layers wicking would be natural.