Best Wood for Knife Scales

B

Brooks2

Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
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I plan to make wood scales for my EDC knife. I live in a arid climate so moisture is not a large concern. I have done some research and found that hard woods (woods that come from deciduous trees that is) are typically more desired on account of their characteristics that evergreens tend to lack. I am aware that there are a few evergreens that have good qualities as well, but for the most part hardwoods are better. There are also laminates that are very water resistant; I am also considering those. I tend to like lumber that is a darker color. Which wood is best for an EDC and does anyone have any specific recommendations as for what I should use? Thanks in advance. I know that there are going to be some jokes below.
 
Well thats not a simple question....

Amboyna Burl
African Blackwood
Afzelia
Bubinga
Burmese Teak burl
Burmese Blackwood
Cocobolo
Chechen

Im sure I could keep going....

Look what other people use. You can see my website, burlsource, you can google "Wooden knife handle" and see hundreds of choices.
 
Massaranduba is an oily hardwood with a nice dark red/brown wavy pattern. And unlike most of the forementioned woods it is cheap and widely sold (used as a terrace wood)
 
Whatever wood you choose wear breathing protection when you work it. A lot of these exotics have oils in them that will really irritate your lungs when you make sawdust from them.
 
Good cocobolo works for me:

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Then again a guy can use left over walnut shelving from Home Depot:

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Pretty much any of the readily available "genuine rosewoods" aka genus dalbergia
 
I've used it in the past and it works fine. Not a big seller for me, I think it's subtle for many.
 
I'm not sure what wood guru posted this (Larry?)... but I found this on the forms a while back and have been using it as a rough guide:

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"I haven't used all these, and many people may disagree with some of these, but from my research, this is the list I have come up with. Sorry, for the poor formatting, as I have an Excel spreadsheet and don't know an easy way to import it here."

Woods that NEED stabilizing:

Burl Woods
Spalted Woods
Acacia
Afzelia
Alder
Ash
Bamboo
Beech
Beefwood
Birch
Black and White Ebony
Box Elder
Buckeye
Carob
Chechen
Cherry
Coolibah
Cottonwood
Elm
Eucalyptus
Gum
Hickory
Hollywood
Jarrah
Koa
Locust
Madrone
Maidou
Mallee
Mango
Maple
Mesquite (Kitchen)*
Mohagany
Mulberry
Myrtle
Needlewood
Oak
Palm
Pear
Pecan
Pistachio
Poplar
Sandalwood
Sapele
Sheoak
Sycamore
Tambootie
Teak
Vitex
Willow

Woods that do NOT need stabilizng:
Blackwood
Bloodwood
Bubinga
Camel Thorn
Camphor
Cedar
Chakte Viga
Cocobolo
Dead Finish
Ebony
Gidgee
Greenheart
Grey Ironbark
Ipe
Ironwood
Juniper
Ligum Vitae
Limba
Marblewood
Merbau
Mesquite (Hunting/EDC)*
Osage Orange (Bois d'arc)
Pau Ferro
Redwood
Rosewoods
Sandalwood
Snakewood
Thuya
Wenge
Yew

Woods that can do either/or:
Amboyna Burl
Bocote
Canarywood
Katalox (sapwood needs stabilizing)
Kingwood
Lacewood
Maple
Mesquite*
Olive
Padauk
Pink Ivory
Purpleheart
Tigerwood
Tulipwood
Verawood
Walnut
Zebrawood
Ziricote
 
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