Cedar for slabs?

[gredpe3]

Any of you guys tried cedar,or seen any cedar slabs? I was wondering if it would be worth a try.
Thanks Eddie.

 

[russianpolander]

I always thought cedar was a soft wood.

 

[dgjester]

it is a softwood, yes. but i don't see why it wouldn't work for scales as long as you can accept that it'd get dinged up a bit on a knife that's used a lot.

 

[Tom Lewis]

Cedar can be a very attractive wood.
The cedar I have worked with is full of oil like turpentine that will eat up a finish. In wood turning I just buff the cedar bowl with the Beal Buffing system, and don't but any finish on it. (Check Woodcraft, or a wood working store for more information on the beal buffing system)
I have stabilized cedar and used it on knife handles with good results.

 

[gredpe3]

Thanks guys,Ive been tinkering with stabalizing with clear laquer.I think i'll give it a try.

 

[jawilder]

I've used cedar and will never use it again. After putting a lot of work into shaping and sanding a handle, it hurts to see it dented and scratched with just the smallest bit of effort.

 

[Matt Markell]

I've used cedar and will never use it again. After putting a lot of work into shaping and sanding a handle, it hurts to see it dented and scratched with just the smallest bit of effort.

This. I have made a knife with a cedar handle and will never do it again. Waaaaaaay to soft.

 

[quint]

It would be one of those ones that needs stabilization. If ya had it done at KandG I imagine they would use the same formula they do for redwood.

 

[DannyDiablo]

Does cedar take the stabilization process well? or is it still way too soft?

 

[Britt_Askew]

K&G told me they could stabilize cedar. I have not yet got any cedar done but I have had some wood stabilized that was much softer than cedar and once stabilized , softness was not an issue anymore.

 

[12345678910]

I can dent Cedar with my thumbnail

I'd much rather pick a hardwood local to my area
for me that's maple.

For you in Alabama I'd look for Pecan



If you go to a store that sells REAL hardwood flooring, you can often get knife scale sized samples for free.

Or if you find a speciality hardwood supplier you can buy almost anything.
compared to furniture, knife scale sized pieces are scraps.

 

[tryppyr]

Or, if you want a nice piece of stabilized wood to try before you buy any, let me know your shipping address and I'll send you one free. You'll have to cut your own slabs from the block, but unless I miss my guess you're already prepared to do that.

As an aside, I might actually have a piece of stabilized cedar, but I wouldn't recommend it. The cedar I'd used (and stabilized) is full of voids.

 

[camoninja]

This is red cedar I tried on my BK11. As other have stated it is soft. I've since replaced them with osage orange.

 

[gredpe3]

It's looking like more nay's than yea's,it was just a thought.A friend brought me some fresh cut limbs so i thought i would ask you guys.I see some really good advice posted on here.Now on a quest for pecan.That sounds interesting.
Thanks for the reply's,Eddie

 

[Burl Source]

Does cedar take the stabilization process well? or is it still way too soft?

I have had a small amount of Western Red Cedar stabilized by K&G.
It took the stabilizing well, but like Thuya it needs to settle for a few months afterwards before using.
If you get a really good looking piece you might try getting it stabilized.
I would not bother with any plain looking wood. There is too much nice stuff available for fairly low prices.
For non stabilized woods I would check to see if there is a woodcraft supply store around you.
They usually have a good supply of low priced exotic woods.

 

[Britt_Askew]

A friend brought me some fresh cut limbs

Fresh cut wood needs to dry before using on a knife. The thicker the wood the longer it will take. I would cut it 1/8-1/4 thicker than what you want them to end up and give it time to dry.

I talked to K&G about eastern red cedar. After reading this thread, the next box this I send to K&G will have some ERC just to see.

Pecan is a hard wood. A friend bought a sawmill about 15 years ago and I carried him a pecan log to saw and when I picked it up he said he didnt want me to bring anymore pecan because it was to hard to saw

 

[fast14riot]

Pecan is often used interchangeably with hickory by mills and flooring manufacterers, same family.

Fruit woods like cherry and apple work, also nut woods. White ash is a good hard wood with contrasting grain. If your looking to scrounge up some free handle material (I dont know how rural your immediate area is) I would check for old fence posts, barn walls/beams, old broken furniture on the side of the road, cutting boards at Goodwill, hard wood pallet slats next to dumpsters, really lots of sources of handle materials all over the place of you look around. One place to avoid is the neighbors wood pile!

All these should be available easily in your area.


-Xander

 

[gredpe3]

Once again well recieved advice,I will see if i can utilize this list.Thanks for all the ideas.
Eddie