1821 6 Oct. 3/5 Blades, of the best cast steel, put in Pen-knive handles, and warranted good.
1845 J. Coulter xii. 157 The..length of a penknife handle.
1998 (Nexis) 25 July 46 Small blocks of beech (and other species)..are shipped to a nearby factory to make penknife handles.