Advice Please - Should I stop cutting oversized blocks?

I prefer the oversized and oddly shaped blacks. As someone else remarked, it is always better to have too much material than too little. I just don't buy as much these days because my case if full of excellent wood, and lately I've been focusing on other materials (ivory and horn). But that phase will pass and I'll be back to wood soon, at which time I'll be buying more of your oversized blocks.
 
I prefer the larger ones. I usually buy the wood without knowing what knife it will go on. If I buy smaller blocks they may not work for a larger knife. But, there is probably a case to be made for making both sizes.
 
I can't speak from experience as a knife maker. I came to bladeforums to learn to make woodworking tool blades from people who know how to make high quality sharp metal things and caught the bug for making knives - has to wait for a few more tool blades. Still, I know how hard it can be to find wood outside the normal dimensions. I run into this when making hand planes or other tools that I can't make from the narrow stock I find everywhere. Still, here's my take:

No matter what you do, why not emphasize that you CAN cut oversize pieces to order and what lead time you'd normally need? I don't know if that would work with your process and because you can't show the specific pieces ahead of time but I know I'd happily buy from someone I trusted or had a good reputation if I told them I wanted, say, a beautiful piece of a curly maple in a specific size. It looks like you are very selective of the pieces you sell in any case.
 
Mark-

I vote for cutting a mix as well.

For most of my big knives, a block that is 5"-5.5" long, 2" wide, and 1" thick will work just fine.

The only large blocks I've passed on that I really liked were sizes like 7-8" long. A block like that leaves me with about 1.5-2" of waste.
 
The 1.5 inch height is where you can run short of material most of the time on larger knives. Chuck Bybee does an interesting thing with his "Bowie block" shape as far as cutting for larger knives with a lot of drop to the handle.
 
Finding blocks with at least 2" width is the hardest thing for me. When I buy block of this width from you, they will go into making handle scales for my beckers, which require about 5-1/2 (height) by 2 (width) by 1-1/2 (thickness) dimensions. Basically, though I am not a "high-volume" buyer from you, I just buy whatever strikes my fancy and decide what projects it goes into later. If I have left over scraps, I like to make keychains and sutff from it. 5.5"-6" by 2" by 1.5" is pretty much the sweet spot for me, but you should probably do whatever your high-volume buyers suggest.
 
Whoever came up with 5 X 1.5 X 1 as "standard' should be strung up.
Those make nice ice pick handles. ;)

Otherwise, 6 inches long may be a bit extreme. Cut that back some to 5+".
Could also probably get away with reducing the 2" to 1 7/8".
And the 1.25 to 1.125.
That would save some weight and cost, and still serve MOST of the larger piece needs.
Still cut up a few of the larger ones from each batch for those who need the larger ones.

"Oversized" block will always be needed.


Burl Source said:
The standard size with most knife making supplies places is 5" long by 1&1/2" wide by 1" thick.
Are things trending away from knives being made that need the oversized blocks?
Click to expand...
 
Karl B. Andersen said:
Whoever came up with 5 X 1.5 X 1 as "standard' should be strung up.
Those make nice ice pick handles. ;)

Otherwise, 6 inches long may be a bit extreme. Cut that back some to 5+".
Could also probably get away with reducing the 2" to 1 7/8".
And the 1.25 to 1.125.
That would save some weight and cost, and still serve MOST of the larger piece needs.
Still cut up a few of the larger ones from each batch for those who need the larger ones.

"Oversized" block will always be needed.
Click to expand...

The 'standard' 5"x1.5"x1" will do 95% of the small knives I make.

5 x 2 x 1" will do 90% of any large knives I make.

I used a 6 x 2 x 1-1/4" plus 'bog oak' block recently for a small fighter.
4.5 x 1.5 x 3/4" would have been plenty. If it was only a $20-40 block I wouldn't have given it a thought.

I don't use much wood at all, so my opinions don't really matter. :cool:
 
Karl B. Andersen said:
Don, your opinions are more valuable than most people's facts. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I don't know about that, Karl.

Years ago a friend of mine was buying large premium blue mammoth ivory scales and using them on very small folders. It was horrible! The waste and the fact I made larger knives that could use the larger scales. Took awhile, but I finally convinced him to used smaller scales for smaller knives. I got the large scales, he saved money. :D
 
I concur with Javand - the width is more important to me than the length. Personally, Mark, I really appreciate the larger blocks. It allows me to position the scales to catch the grain features that I want.

Your scales are outstanding, Mark. Thanks for making them available to us.

TedP
 
Thank you for the information everyone. It looks like I need to keep cutting a mix of sizes. Maybe set up a separate category in the web store for the oversized pieces.

Here is a thought that I am curious about.
If the difference in cost between a 1&1/2" wide and a 2" wide piece is 25%,
would you still go with the smaller piece to save money and avoid waste?
Or, would it be worth the extra to have some extra wiggle room?

Don,
Any photos of the fighter?
 
Here ya go, Mark. This is my son's 5th knife. Photos not so good, wood and knife look much better in person.
Very cool wood!!!

5kyle1_zpsa0b18633.jpg


5kyle3_zps4aabcb03.jpg


5kyle4_zpsb226af88.jpg
 
i need to snap up more of that bog oak as the 2x6 size yeilds many razors or spacers for my WA handles (ill be posting a pic in a bit of what i mae out of my oversized spalted maple block)
 
Personally Mark, I'd rather loose a little length and raise the width for the same price.. I've never needed a 6-7" block personally, although some do, if they were 8", it would make economic sense, as I could get two small knives out of them. I cut my own blocks 2x2x5, or 1.5x2.5x5

What someone mentioned about the trapezoidal "Bowie" shaped blocks makes alot of sense also, you should consider that. I think the applications for large blocks are two scenarios: 1) Need alot of width for a sculpted bowie, 2" may not be enough. 2) Get two sets of scales or handles out of one block to save money over two blocks. If you focus on those two scenarios, I think it'll be a win-win.


Nobody wants you to stop carrying the big blocks, lets just figure out how to make it work in everyone's favor. ;)
 
I am going to be making a few daggers which will require 1.5x1.5x 6 or longer. I started just cutting my own blocks because nobody was making 6 inch long square handle blocks for turning. I am going to be making some nicer pieces which requires premium materials rather than just cutting blocks out of coco bolo boards from the cabinetry supplier, and if you have 6 - 7 inch turning blanks of nice stuff I will buy some

-Page
 
Mark... when shopping with you I have specifically been looking for the larger size blocks. I have not bought many as I have shelves full of handle materials, so when I do shop it is for some special project. I like the larger blocks as it gives me the opportunity to maximize the wow factor for that special project. It then also leaves me lots of material left over to use on other knives. The last block of Calif Sycamore I bought from you I handled 4 other small EDC types besides the special project that I had bought the block for. I like the bigger blocks for that reason, more bang for the buck.
 
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