Pearl Shell Knives

Pearl shell handles are cut from mother of pearl, the iridescent inner lining of a shell. Held still it looks white; tilt it and it throws green, pink and blue, because the layers of nacre split light rather than reflect it. That is not a finish that can be applied to a knife afterwards. It has to be the material itself.It is a demanding handle to fit. Nacre is brittle, it will not take heat, and every blank has its own figure, so scales are shaped and bedded by hand against the tang rather than machined to a pattern. That is also why no two of these knives look alike even within the same model.These pair a pearl shell handle with a hand-forged Damascus blade at 58 to 60 HRC, full tang, with a leather sheath. They are bought as gifts more often than as working knives, which is worth knowing before choosing one for a hunting trip.Questions we getIs this real mother of pearl?Yes, natural shell, not resin or printed film. You can tell by the depth of the colour shift as you rotate it, and by the cool feel against the skin.Will the handle chip?It can if dropped on a hard floor or knocked against stone, which is true of all natural shell. Treat it as you would a watch face rather than a hammer handle.How do I clean it?A dry or barely damp cloth. Keep it away from dishwashers, solvents and long soaking, all of which attack the nacre layers.Can it be engraved?The blade can, for a flat 29 dollar fee, up to 20 characters. We do not engrave the shell itself because it fractures.