I will jump on the band wagon for

Squared brass hilt, Brass Crow's Beak

We can also have custom spacers and a wrist thong too

Peter

Squared-top hilt for sure.
But! ...
I just went through the #5s on THE KNIFE OF THE WEEK post and I think this wood,
along with an 8" blade would look great with FINGER GROOVES (right of left).
-Check out Ken Lunde's #5-8" in his post of 06/20/09 ... it has a micarta handle, but I could
see it in our wood ... the grooves would really show off the grain, and the end flares out
slightly which will work well with the long blade.
AND ... maybe BRASS/RED SPACERS??? - BRASS BUTT CAP & WRIST THONG?

Both handle shapes mentioned so far sound good. By building the big #5 in carbon we are saving all of our options for the "handle end" of the knife. Thumb notches and brass hilts are the norm. Brass spacers and a butt cap will use up 2 options and of course the ringed gidgee makes "3". Gotta be careful but there's a great knife in all of this just waiting to be finished up...and where's Graham?? Let's hear from ya'll...
Best, Capt. Chris

How about a crows beak with a wrist thong?

Pap

Yes I'm still here, I'm happy about all brass, it should balance OK with such a big blade.

I did want to discuss a double hilt with a 50% reduced top hilt, to make it a double duty knife as a pig sticker and a camp knife. I guess it would mean using up another option but it would be a unique look and a more versitile outdoor knife.

1 Double hilt top reduced
2 Brass and Black or Red spacers
3 Gidgee
4 Finger grips
5 Brass butt cap rounded

or

1 Double hilt top reduced
2 Brass and Black or Red spacers
3 Gidgee
4 Brass Crows beek 22 handle
5 Anothe option

Graham,
I'm not sure you can request that hilt configuration anymore. A "Squared" top would come close...not exactly the same...but close.
Best, Capt. Chris

I guess I'll have to go for a double hilt and get out the angle grinder after it arrives

Squared it is then.

Capt. Chris--

I like Graham's second set of options, but of course with the squared hilt instead of the double hilt. Then I would include a Wrist Thong. I don't know whether red-brass or black-brass spacers would look better with this wood. I would defer to others on that.

Thanks,
Larry

I'm with Tony, I think we need finger grips to show of this wood and I've never been a real fan of crows beeks, I've got a couple and they are nice knives but if there is one thing I would change on them it would be the crows beek. However the bigger the knife the happier I am with the crows beek and this is a big knife.

5-8"
O1 Blade
brass hilt squared
with following 5 chargeable options
1 Brass and Black or Red spacers
2 Gidgee
3 Finger grips (under maybe)
4 Brass butt cap rounded
5 Thong hole or name etching.

If you go with finger grips (#14 style...or "under") you are going to lose some of that "showing off the figure in the gidgee" you want. Underneath fg's tend to make the sides far "flatter". Of course: There's always SFG???
Best, Capt. Chris