well, I had the other side of the file that I made this knife from so I decided to see if I could do a little better. the handle wasn't quite long enough on the first knife and I decided to add and inch to the handle of the second knife. I made walnut scales and drilled and fitted them, however when I was glueing them up one scale cracked. so I grabbed the axe handle, which is Hickory. I remember a thread about Hickory and Oak handles and about the cracks. This handle was cracked from the start and I had oiled it months ago. the cracks don't go all the way thought and I have used Hickory before, but yes they have cracks. Anyway, all I had at the time. Junk yard knives. Didn't waste the other half of file.