Bark river liten bror handle problem..HELP!!

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scotsmanspride

Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Messages
639
My wife just purchased me the liten bror in blue maple burl and it is beautiful. However it is fairly smooth all over except for a portion next to the metal where it is missing several chunks of wood. Is this just a normal problem because of the burl or is this not supposed to be that way? I would call BRKT but it is now the weekend
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Do you have pictures? The Spyderco Bushcraft knives had the same problem. The wood used on those was Spalted Maple Burl, some cracked and some didn't. It was said that the problem was related to the stabilization of the wood. If stabilization isn't done properly, that is a potential issue.
 
Send a PM over to Mike Stewart on that other slightly more devilish forum about it, he'll take care of you one way or another.
 
Your handle shouldn't be missing chunks. It's a flaw. Unless it isn't a big deal to you, I'd suggest sending it back for a replacement.

Here's my story, and I'm a little ashamed to share it. I saw a nice looking custom knife in the "Makers" section. It had beautiful box elder burl slabs. The knife was sold by the time I got to it, so I ordered one from the maker. I asked for the same thing. The knife I got was nice, but didn't have the spectacular wood that I had seen and expected. I returned it to the maker. He was pretty classy about the whole thing

My point is that you are the final arbiter of whether or not the knife is satisfactory.

TC
 
Well this isnt my first barkie so i was a little surprised at this. They have fantastic customer service. I am still new to knives and this is my first move into the burl woods so didn't know if this is a common "property" of the burl woods. I was all excited to try the thing out and get started on the custom sheath for it but i guess it can wait til next week. Got a spyderco bushcraft blank ordered too so that will keep me busy for awhile.
 
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What's the problem?

Bark River has a no questions asked warrentee.


If you have a problem, have it fixed! :eek:





Big Mike
 
The Bark River crew will take care of you. Aside from the chunks that sure is a pretty handle!
 
I had a Micro Slither in a green spalted wood. This is a very small knife but nevertheless it had these 'holes' in the wood and it spoiled the appearance of the knife completely. I was informed that the 'holes' if they bothered me could be filled with epoxy...I did not like the sound of that at all! Sent the knife in, it was returned after a couple of months with a completely different type of wooden handle, no explanation. They had also ground off some of the notches on the spine of the knife thus making it useless on the second-hand market. Just my experience, it could be an isolated one but it left a nasty taste.
 
As already stated, Bark River will take care of you and ensure all is to your satisfaction.

That said, natural handle materials will sometimes have imperfections, it is the nature of the beast.

I have several wood handled knives that are not "perfect". It adds to the character and individuality of the knife.

Kevin
 
If it doesn't interfere with comfort of handling I'd keep it. Too many knives come out these days that look identical and fabricated.

You'll know that are no Liten Bors out there that look like yours!
 
scotsmanspride said:
Well this isnt my first barkie so i was a little surprised at this. They have fantastic customer service. I am still new to knives and this is my first move into the burl woods so didn't know if this is a common "property" of the burl woods. I was all excited to try the thing out and get started on the custom sheath for it but i guess it can wait til next week. Got a spyderco bushcraft blank ordered too so that will keep me busy for awhile.
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Maple seems to be one of a handful of trees that is very susceptible to insect/fungus infestation. That fungus results in some really beautiful grain deformities, but with that comes inherent weaknesses. The thicker dark/black swirls are the most problematic due to a higher concentration of the fungus swirling through.
 
Normally I would keep it with no problems. But it does rub pretty good right where it is. Causes you to catch the edge of the steel. I will call them on Monday. I'm sure it will all go smooth. I considered doing the epoxy by don't like dropping $250 on something and then have to fix it myself.
 
Bark River will fix it - I have had 2 good experiences with returns. Call them first and speak to the nice young lady who will know then that it's on its way.

With that said, and aside from the fact that the handle should have been rejected before it was sent out to retail, burl wood, fiddleback-grained woods, and other highly figured woods have a tendency to chip out because of the constantly changing grain structure. This is especially true when trying to plane down a piece to thickness before gluing and shaping the scales.

Send it in and they'll fix it to your satisfaction. If they had altered my knife after sending it back (like an earlier poster said happened to him), I would have sent that back too. I don;t ask for perfection from any knife, and especially not from solid-wood scaled knives, but that chipping is a tad much to accept on a $200-plus Barkie.
 
Well sent it back to knives ship free and once again great freaking service. Now I am the proud wonder of an amboynia Burl liten bror with white liners. It looks amazing. Did have a burr on it but went up to 2000 and then the strop and after 10 min it was insane!
 
I had a small arts/crafts company from '95-'02+, where I made >12,000 pens & pencils; rollerballs, fountain, & ball point and .5 & .7 mm pencils. I turned the barrels by hand on small lathes, and have the carpal tunnel problems as a reminder. I used exotic tropical woods, crushed velvet (celluloid), Corian scraps, and tried stabilized spalted woods. The latter had the highest rejection rate - sometimes I'd notice small pieces missing when I put them out for display at a show, having been perfect when they were completed and boxed (I was a one-man shop!). I quit using it early in my career. I think it is the nature of the beast.

I had started out turning larger-scale items two decades earlier - but couldn't give most of my bowls, weedpots, candle holders, etc away. Spalted wood in the larger scale - and not stabilized - was often treated to some thick CA glue and accelerator before turning - it helped, but the centripital forces were high - and often redistributed the bowl, etc, explosively. Spalted wood is pretty - but not dependable - stabilized or not - not for me! My favorite material was/is cocobolo wood - just wear a mask! Glad you got a happy resolution.

Stainz
 
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