Rob, a horn hilt and an iron ferrule are common on Filipino agricultural tools. Both are inexpensive materials in the Philippines. Horn is only a little fancier than wood, but it is more durable than wood in the tropical heat and wet. The biggest threat to horn are insects, which have been chewing away at the hilt you show. Faceting of the hilt is also common on agricultural knives and bolos. It is a simple construct made with a draw knife and enhances the grip relative to a circular cross-section. It is actually easier to make a faceted hilt than a circular smooth one using traditional tools.
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