If I may interject a suggestion here: I've made a few knives from scrap materials, and tried to do the best I could when it comes to handle material. One good source of free hardwood, sometimes even exotic woods, is old shipping pallets. When I was younger, I worked in a plant, packing nails and screws; loading and unloading trucks, and while there, I managed to find one pallet that had a piece of mahogany, and one with zebrawood.
If you know of a grocery store, or even a bulk, club-type store nearby, check out by their shipping dock if you can. You may need to check with someone to make sure it's ok to scavenge there. Bring a hammer and/or a pry-bar, and a pocketknife. Check the hardness of the board by trying to whittle a small piece off the corner. The harder it is to carve, the harder the wood is. You should be able to get some good wood that way.
Looks like you've got your other bases covered well. Nice job so far.