Shipbuilders' timber on a rescue knife
Teak has been a shipbuilder's timber for centuries. Its natural oils help it resist water and rot, which is why it still covers the decks of many yachts, and its silica content is notorious for blunting woodworkers' saws. Those oils also make it a sound handle where hands get wet, and they explain why teak turns up among firefighter rescue knives, a field where aluminium usually rules.
