Abalone - Knife Handle Material

Abalone Info

Description

Abalone Shell, which like Mother of Pearl is also Nacre, is a material found on the inside of a Abalone Shell and is sometimes referred to as Mother of Pearl as well. The color is different from what we normally consider Mother of Pearl, and instead has a very colorful iridescent appearance, with lots of vibrant blues, greens and purples.

The meat of the Abalone, which is a sea snail, is very expensive and considered a delicacy by many Asian cultures. Sometimes the dried meat can fetch over $100/ounce. The iridescent shell is composed of the same tiny calcium carbonate crystals as well.

This material is popular for use with custom knives of a more classic upscale hunter look. Some makers that use this material extensively include Stephen Vanderkolff and Butch Ball.

Abalone Examples