I saw this piece as coarse and a bit rough around the edges. I purposefully left in some cracks and knots. Hickory has a rugged nature and the animalistic look for the handles magnifies that effect.

The line suggested long and slender, so an Oryx horn came to mind.  Instead of a ring around its diameter, I opted to spiral along the tapered and curving length. The mahogany will be ebonized with a jet black finish which will give an interesting contrast to the calico hickory.