Hi Shayde,
I am no expert but if the handle was of some age I would expect it to have discoloured somewhat where it is butted up against the metal of the cross guard and the pommel, not sure what happens here but I generally notice discolouration where some of the components of the metal leach into the handle, be it horn or timber
Also as the peening of the tang does not seem more recent than the rest of the knife I would think all component parts are of the same age, i.e. Relatively modern
I like your comment on "when will I pay for tuition" though
I try and give constructive comments as often as I can without trying to build up my post count. I find the forum v helpful without being dismissive of newbies questions or comments. So I guess pay for tuition by sharing opinions or observations
Keep well
Ken