Letter Opener Materials

In essence, such common tools are made from just about anything: recycled tires, sugarcane, meteorites.  This article will narrow its scope to common letter opener materials found in stores and on the internet.

A slice of life

Our survey of letter opener materials begins with two common types:

Plastic letter openers:  Very common to modern letter opener materials, high grade plastic is durable and inexpensive.  Great for any home or office, such versions often come as personalized as designer letter openers.

Recessed Blade:  This model combines two types of letter opener materials into one body.  Roughly shaped like a credit card, the plastic body surrounds a sharp metallic blade.  Slide along the edge of envelops to open with ease.

Standard metals

Of course, letter opener materials still include a variety of metals.  Traditional and generally more decorative, these letter openers exhibit the best of attentive craftsmanship:

Stainless Steel:  Durable and economical, some models such as the Excalibur Letter Opener are exquisitely detailed.  Steel designs often pair with other letter opener materials such as brass or wood to make a fine decorative piece.

Silver:  An engraved silver letter opener always makes a fancy gift.

Gold:  Solid or gold-plated, this letter opener genuinely commemorates a special occasion.  The finest in letter opening materials.

Titanium:  If it's good enough for spacecraft, it will look handsome on the desk.  Currently one of the trendiest letter opener materials on the market, these letter openers are forged to last.

Antique varieties

Some letter opener materials are unusual to find, though not altogether scarce.  When browsing antique or curio shops, keep your eyes open for two particular letter opener materials:

Ivory:  Intricately carved and stained with age, these models are surprisingly easy to find.

Bone:  Traditional work from many cultures used bones from a variety of animals.  Whales and camels are two examples of exotic letter opener materials.

Decorative bases

As plentiful as letter opener materials, their holders are made from a variety of sources.  Some classic designs such as the dragon letter opener feature a pewter dragon holding a detailed metal sword.  The Excalibur letter opener mentioned earlier would not be complete with out a solid rock base to keep it secure.

With so many types of letter opener materials to choose from, it won't be long before you find the model right for you.  Let the search begin!

More information on letter openers