My uncle is a blacksmith and he makes knives for a living. He uses need some brass bar to make handles or guards, brass cut easily and shaped just the way he wanted. Brass square bar added good heft to the knife and provided a nice visual balance with the other materials used.

HYGMPDAS C360 Brass Square Bar - 5" x 1" x 1", Brass Bar Stock

Note:
1. Brass bar is raw material which is unpolished, pls sand or polished it if need more good and smooth surface.
2. Please make sure to check the size carefully if your project is size sensitive, because it's fresh cut and will has a slight tolerance.