Thread: What is your favorite handle?

I'll come along to Antwerp if I can get a lift from one of you. I'll pass on the liquid gold though, I don't drink alcohol.

Originally Posted by Kees

I only have razors with celluloid scales.

I am a bit worried though by some members' fascination with and use of certain handle materials. Hardwoods, horns, tusks and shells can be turned into stunningly beautiful scales. Unfortunately many of the plants and animals that do produce these materials are rare or even endangered. The demand for these products contributes to the extinction of rare creatures. Poaching also causes a lot of unnecessary suffering to animals.

I would like to stress that I do not intend to accuse any SRP member of involvement in the illegal trade of plant and/or animal products. I do hope that anyone who buys and uses those materials checks their origin first.

I am not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but a lot of ivory and bone now come from wild game preserves. When their animals die, they often sell the skins, furs, bone, and ivory to help support the park. I think this is a wonderful idea as the animals live a full healthy life without the fear of hunting or poaching, and the preserves in return help fulfill that promise to future generations of animals and people interested in protecting them through the sale of these exotic goods.

First time I heard about it. If it's true, then I would use that kind of bone or ivory without any problems. The question is though: how can I be certain, the bone, skin, ivory is from an animal that lived a full, happy, healthy life.
In other words: a group of poachers, assembled in organised crime, can produce certificates of origin, that look the same as the originals.

JL, is there a way to be certain?

Originally Posted by Pinda

First time I heard about it. If it's true, then I would use that kind of bone or ivory without any problems. The question is though: how can I be certain, the bone, skin, ivory is from an animal that lived a full, happy, healthy life.
In other words: a group of poachers, assembled in organised crime, can produce certificates of origin, that look the same as the originals.

JL, is there a way to be certain?

If you do not buy it you can be absolutely sure no protected animal or plant was killed for the handle. There's so many beautiful materials around we do not need wood, bone, shell, horn, tusk etc.

gee...and here I was looking up which kind of sea turtle tortoise shell came from for next time I went to the beach

@Kees:

I love to use traditional materials as bone, antler, leather etc. Not only because I belong tot the small group of str8 shavers, but also because I am a traditional bowhunter. Mind you: we don't shoot live animals, but animals made of special foam. They sure look the real deal though. (have a look at http://www.archery.ansgraafmans.nl)

When I need horn, for example, I use only cowhorn. They ar sown off by the farmers and sold for reuse. Leather isn't hard to come by and antler is found in the woods, rejected in the season deer looses it.

So I have no problems using these materials, but when it comes to ivory or the hide of an bucktail, I wouldn't get my hands on before I know it's not from poaching.

I would love to have my wooden bow backed with diamondback rattler skin (rattle snake), but I have to know the animal had died of natural cause or roadkill.

Thats my point.

um.......hey Pinda....I'm not sure if that link was a joke or not, so I'm gonna pretend it wasn't in my reply.
1) "Traditional Bowhunting" involves sticking a "living animal" with an arrow.
2) Not from the back of a unicorn.
3) I see some TERRIBLE shots in those photos, and gee I wonder how foam animals bleed to be tracked? Peanuts?
4) Whoever gutshot that lion wouldn't be alive to wound another animal, thank God.
5) Perhaps if there were REAL GUTS involved those folks would be more keen on keeping the stinky things intact instead of poking them full of arrrow holes.
6) Maybe havin to track one of the gutshot animals 3 miles would inspire better aim or knowing what range you can reliably hit at and not trying to exceed that range.
7) Ever hear of "Buck Fever"? A factor that most definetly is not present with a foam target that you watched your chum stake out at a predetermined range.
8) I propose that anyone who gut shoots an animal should be whipped on the arse with an arrow.
9) I will say however that I am glad you folks know your limitations and only shoot foam. I cannot count the number of wounded animals I have had to put down in rifle season because some yahoo thought he was Robin Hood.
It makes me truly sad.

BTW rattle snakes aren't protected here and it wouldn't be to hard to get a skin I would think. I wouldnt want one off the road though, they get mashed pretty bad and the daytime temps in climates suitable for rattlers don't exactly help the carcass to keep very well.

First of all, hunting live animal with bow and arrow is forbidden all over western Europe. Shooting targets in the woods is for me and many other archers (better name instead of bowhunters) just another way to do our beloved sport. We learn to shoot on the range, shooting on round paper targets (we call them "blazoenen", Blasons?). In competition we go to other clubs and shoot for the highest points. This sport is only done with the most sophisticated bows we can buy. Meaning, the high-end recurves with sights and stabilization and comound target bows with scopes and stabi.

In the field there are two disciplines. First of all, there is the "field", shot at paper targets. The inner ring is worth 5 points and the outer rings go from 4 to 1. These are shot mainly with compound (target bows) and recurves.

And last, but not least, there is a growing group of people who have a weekend of fun shooting the wooden bows in the woods. With mainly self-made arrows. Our targets here are the foam targets to be seen on the site. And fantasy targets made out of foam. I can mention here a 8 meter-high sponge Bob... Dagobert Duck holding a bag of money, where the bag is the kill...

We shoot for the kill and yes, that is the haert-longue-area worth 20 points if hit with the first arrow. But please don't forget, we shoot to have fun. Therefore there are targets to be shot from the back of a moving Unicorn. We DO NOT shoot to practice our shooting on live animals. All of the traditional bow-shooters (no hunters, for your minds sake) feel the same about that. We are disgusted if we watch the newest DVD from Hoyt, where you americans shoot live animals just to shoot one buck once a year.
For example there is one who sits in a tree all day waiting for a buck to arrive. At the end of the day the buck slowly aproaches. He gets a shot, the bucks speeds off to run some 100 meters or so, but the "hunter" doesn't even take the time to track the animal. No, he and his mates have a nice BBQ and a good night's rest just to track the animal following the bloodtrail the next day....

Is that what you call bow-hunting? Aaargh, my stomach turns, just by telling the story.

So, please don't judge us on having pleasure with our SPORT. We harm no animals, shit, we won't even think about shooting rabbits or so.
It's just a great past-time with your friends who share the same interest on equipment and love for nature.

PS
The foam animals were invented by you, I believe?

well i agree with parts of it, i do not see the problem with people shooting foam targets or proper targets, but i do dislike animals being slaughtered for the sake of a new pair of shoes or a custom made wrist watch. As i do have reptiles as pets, all though these often get a better quality of life in captivity than in the wild.

Well, based on your description of American hunting, you can see why I get upset.
Its at least partially true.
I have known many a bowhunter to make a "fair" shot and instead of tracking it more that 200 yards they give up.
2 weeks later I end up havin to waste a tag on something I can't eat but yet can't let walk either.
I had no idea there was no bow allowed in western Europe. What kind of a sissy rule is that? Hmmm....strange days we live in here folks.

I don't hunt for sport, I kill for meat. Meat tastes better than a trophy!
If you can believe this, for the last few years Michigan has been giving out 1 antlerless tag PER DAY in rifle season from my understanding.

It wouldn't surprise me if we did invent foam here.
Yeah, I've shot the center out of a few bucks and bears in my time(foam I mean)

I've shot a 55# Fred Bear Grizzly recurve my whole life, instinctive.
Last year I think I still could put 4 in 2" at 20 yards, and I never shoot over 30.
Could I hit you at 100? sure I could! do I want to track your butt down if I only wing ya? HELL NO!

Hey Pinda, good to see people havin fun over there. If I see a snake I'll think of you and skin and salt it and send you a PM.
let me know if salted is no good