Thank you all for your nice comments!

@Capt. Chris: Yes Capt., it looks a bit like leather, but the layers are much thinner, 1/16" max. Wouldn't it be mega cool to have a Randall with this handle material! I just might rip one of my Randalls apart to put a birchbark handle on it.

This material has another great aspect: you don't have to glue the layers, just stack them on the tang, put a bit of pressure on them so that they are snug, then pop the knife in the oven for an hour or two at 70 degrees C, and the layers glue themselves with the natural resin present in the layers! Mother nature at her best.

And a very Merry Christmas to you too, Capt.!