best type of wood for scales.

S

sinawalli

Joined
Aug 20, 2003
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After perusing the Lee Valley catalogue, and seeing all the exotic wood they have, I have to ask which one makes the best handle scales with the emphasis on functionality and durability. Thank you.
 
Another vote for iron wood but African Blackwood sure looks good. I wonder if it is as tough? Anybody know?
 
Balsa.

I do like ironwood. I'm getting ready to do some cocobola. I hear its hard stuff.

RL
 
I like to use Desert Ironwood and Cocobolo.Both are extremely dense and beautiful.You can't go wrong .Dave :)
 
I put some Ironwood on a knife tonight that looks super but Ive used a lot of different Burls and as long as they have been Stabalized right they work great.

Without stabalizing I like Ironwood and Cocabolo. I used ebony for the first time last week and it turned out real nice.

Shane
 
I just sold a knife that I used Camatillo Rosewood on and sure do like it. I also like Ironwood, Amboyna Burl, and Cocoblolo.
 
I vote for any of the above. I also like curley maple. Nice old american look :D
 
Bruce Bump said:
Another vote for iron wood but African Blackwood sure looks good. I wonder if it is as tough? Anybody know?
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Bruce, I have used it on occasion and it is reasonably tough and looks stunning when you get some with the gold irradescence. However, it tends to move a lot over time due to moisture and climatic changes, which can also make it crack and check. For that reason I quit using it except by special request and make sure the customer understands the risks.
 
Gabon Ebony, (is this the same as "blackwood"?) looks great with silver, and makes a classy package.

Tony
 
Ebony is real pretty (not my fave but in the top 10) but the stuff I worked with is very dense and superhard to the point if you dropped the knife (oops :eek: ) the slabs could crack if it hit in the right spot.
I am in lust with Bubinga... So many woods , so little time.
My advice buy 5 or 6 different kinds and try them out , some are easier to work and finish than others , some look nicer with no finish and some only really come alive with a finish.
Trial and error.
 
I do like a dark cocobolo, I've probably used it more than any other wood. A really nice piece of ironwood is hard to beat but some of the nicest handle material I've seen was a black ash burl on a knife Nick Wheeler made if I remember right. Olive wood is someting I've been meaning to try.
 
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