Another question on Buck ebony handles for 110/112.

H

Happy Hippo

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DeSotoSky set me straight awhile back. But I've been looking through all the Buck catalogs and found something confusing. Here's what I thought. Macassar Ebony was used prior to 1993. Catalog agrees. Between 1993 and 2018, Obeche Veneer was used (which the catalog calls "Natural Woodgrain"). Catalog doesn't agree. From 2019 to present, Crelicam Ebony was used. Catalog agrees. But I found in the catalog that from 2010 to 2018, the Buck catalog is saying the handle material is Macassar Dymondwood. Is this just Buck's marketing department making a different name for Obeche Veneer, since Obeche looks similar to Macassar? Or did they actually replace the Obeche Veneer with Macassar Ebony Veneer? For that matter, are the Macassar Ebony and Crelicam Ebony handles solid ebony, or just veneer placed on something like Birchwood?
 
I would need to do some digging but I know in the mid to late 70's "real" ebony became scarce. I am not sure on the exact year we changed over to Dymondwood but was in production until 2019.
 
Buck Knives Inc. said:
I would need to do some digging but I know in the mid to late 70's "real" ebony became scarce. I am not sure on the exact year we changed over to Dymondwood but was in production until 2019.
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In previous discussions, the product after 1993 has been called Obeche Veneer. The catalog calls it "Natural Woodgrain." So I thought it stayed that way until 2019, when they used Crelicam Ebony. But the catalog went from calling it "Natural Woodgrain" from 1993 to 2009 to "Macassar Dymondwood" in the years 2010 to 2018. So I was wondering if something actually changed from 1993 to 2018. Or was it the same product all along with just a name change.
 
I can't answer all of your questions HH but I can state that Dymondwood was a trade name used by Rutland Plywood.

Here's another interesting fact.Buck also used a material termed Fibron which appeared to be similar in nature to the Rutland Plywood product.
 
sportingspecial1 said:
I can't answer all of your questions HH but I can state that Dymondwood was a trade name used by Rutland Plywood.

Here's another interesting fact.Buck also used a material termed Fibron which appeared to be similar in nature to the Rutland Plywood product.
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I once got very strong opinions here when I referred to "dymondwood" as plywood.


Ahh, those were the days.
😎
 
Resin impregnated dyed birch laminate. Dymondwood, Dymalux, pakkawood, fibron, and other various tradenames, many obsolete.

I don't feel Jamal's ( H Happy Hippo ) question was answered. Was the top veneer layer in the Dymondwood [ebony] handles always Obeche? (a Macassar grain look alike), or at one point was actual Macassar Ebony used in the top veneer layer also. Buck marketing has always been a little less than precise in discriptions sometimes IMO.
 
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DeSotoSky said:
Resin impregnated dyed birch laminate. Dymondwood, Dymalux, pakkawood, fibron, and other various tradenames, many obsolete.

I don't feel Jamal's ( H Happy Hippo ) question was answered. Was the top veneer layer in the Dymondwood [ebony] handles always Obeche? (a Macassar grain look alike), or at one point was actual Macassar Ebony used in the top veneer layer also. Buck marketing has always been a little less than precise in discriptions sometimes IMO.
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so just googling it, it sounds like Macassar Dymondwood never had any actual Macassar Ebony touching it. So I suspect Obeche was being used the whole time. But the crux of my question, as you state, was to confirm that. I wonder if there was a supplier change in 2010? Because what was the driving force for changing the wording in the catalog? Usually they don't change the catalog.

from Google:
Macassar dymondwood refers to a type of engineered wood composite called Dymondwood, which mimics the appearance of Macassar ebony. Dymondwood is a composite of wood veneers, typically birch, that are infused with resin to create a durable and stable material. It's used in applications like knife handles, where the appearance of Macassar ebony is desired without the challenges of using the real wood.
 
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GPyro said:
I once got very strong opinions here when I referred to "dymondwood" as plywood.
Ahh, those were the days.
😎
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GPyro GPyro you made me look!! According to Brittanica....
Plywood and laminated wood are both made of layers (laminae) of wood glued together. The basic difference is that in plywood the grain of alternate layers is crossed, in general at right angles, whereas in laminated wood it is parallel.

QED "laminate"
 
Lol

I will admit it makes for a great knife handle!
I remember my heritage walnut 110 that wasn't walnut.....


At least now Buck isn't being as vague as they once were.
👍

I have knives I don't have a clue what the handle material is.
But I still like 'em!
😎
 
GPyro said:
Lol

I will admit it makes for a great knife handle!
I remember my heritage walnut 110 that wasn't walnut.....


At least now Buck isn't being as vague as they once were.
👍

I have knives I don't have a clue what the handle material is.
But I still like 'em!
😎
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Yes, I don't think any of their stuff coming from the custom shop (from the standard woods) are what they say - cherry, oak, walnut, blue. Well, that isn't true because they don't make that claim. I think they are all Dymondwood made to look like cherry, oak, walnut, or blue. They call it DymaLux now. The others, Buffalo, Palm, Ebony, Elk, Ironwood are solid pieces, I believe. So here's another question. When did they switch from Dymondwood to DymaLux?

Google:
DymaLux is a resin-infused, dyed birch laminate used in various applications, primarily for knife handles, pistol grips, and other products requiring a durable, visually appealing material. It's known for its strength, water resistance, and ability to machine easily, often without needing a finishing coat.

Dymondwood and Dymalux are similar engineered wood/plastic composites used for knife handles and other applications. Dymalux is generally considered more affordable than Dymondwood. Both materials are made from layers of dyed wood veneers that are laminated together and infused with resin, providing stability and durability.
 
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Happy Hippo said:
Dymondwood and Dymalux are similar engineered wood/plastic composites used for knife handles and other applications. Dymalux is generally considered more affordable than Dymondwood. Both materials are made from layers of dyed wood veneers that are laminated together and infused with resin, providing stability and durability.
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HA HA...Jamal, have you tried buying any Dymondwood lately? Dymondwood was the registered tradename of Rutland Plywood Co which burnt down in 2014 and never rebuilt. Yes, there is still small amounts of old stock but less and less. Dymalux is the trademark of Cousineau Wood Products. It's all the same kind of stuff IMO.
 
DeSotoSky said:
HA HA...Jamal, have you tried buying any Dymondwood lately? Dymondwood was the registered tradename of Rutland Plywood Co which burnt down in 2014 and never rebuilt. Yes, there is still small amounts of old stock but less and less. Dymalux is the trademark of Cousineau Wood Products. It's all the same kind of stuff IMO.
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Dang. If it would have burned down in 2009, it'd answer the question. So Buck had reserved 5 years of stock? I suppose during that 5 years, the price got higher and higher. I think Google was saying that when Dymondwood and DymaLux were both available, DymaLux was cheaper. But maybe not.
 
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