cutting up some wood help

[butcher_block]

need to know what some options are for me cutting this wood up
there is a crack running up it near the middle should i cut it across the graini like it is now or try to cut along the grain in hopes of saving all i can
the tree was in a friends yard and his now dead grandfather had planted it so he wants a few knives made with it in memory of him
its walnut and had been dead for 3 years now and its mostly dry but i just had to see what it looked like before i dried it out all the way
thanks
butch

 

[blgoode]

that crack may not go as deep as you think. Cut the scales 3/16" thick and you can get a couple more out in the end. Add black liners to it and it will beef up the wood back up if you'd like. I'd cut it on the saw in the position like it is in the top photo. How long is the wood up to the crack?

Also, add a bolster to the handle and the wood can also be smaller...........

 

[deker]

Looks like you have a good bit of wood there. What you might try to do is to cut your blocks without cutting all the way to scales. Then, send those blocks to WSSI for satbilization. After that cut them into scales. Stabilizing will help it from cracking further, and for smaller cracks you can fill in with superglue, etc just prior to finish.

What folks have told me is to stabilize the biggest hunks you can and cut AFTER to avoid warping of thin sections.

Now, for my question....Is there any more of that walnut tree?

-d

P.S. I'm thinking about sending some stuff to WSSI soon, if you plan to stabilize these we could save a few $$ if we sent one order.

 

[John R. Fraps]

Brian has agood point but I really like the results WSSI out in Iola, Iowa do ...
they stabalize the wood under pressure so to stabalizing agent penetrates the wood/ ivory, etc, Have not been disappointed by WSSI's results.

Also , deker has a good point and is making a nice offer....the more you send to WSSI, up to a point, the better the per pound rate you pay...

That is a pretty piece of wood and with the added neat-ness of having sentimental value, it is definitely worth the additional expense and time to have it stabalized by the pros...

Good Luck and post some of the finished knives, please!

 

[deker]

Also , deker has a good point and is making a nice offer....

See that Butch? In a public forum even..I have a good point AND I'm nice

-d

 

[butcher_block]

.
What folks have told me is to stabilize the biggest hunks you can and cut AFTER to avoid warping of thin sections.

Now, for my question....Is there any more of that walnut tree?

-d

P.S. I'm thinking about sending some stuff to WSSI soon, if you plan to stabilize these we could save a few $$ if we sent one order.

soundg good i ll cut it in to a block and see what i have left
also there just so happenes to be more of the stump sitting waiting for me to get it if i want and more and more i want
deker i might just have ot take you up on that wssi ship also did you did you get your steel for stock removal dont worry i wolnt tell anyone that you didnt forge your house knives
butch

 

[deker]

soundg good i ll cut it in to a block and see what i have left
also there just so happenes to be more of the stump sitting waiting for me to get it if i want and more and more i want
deker i might just have ot take you up on that wssi ship also did you did you get your steel for stock removal dont worry i wolnt tell anyone that you didnt forge your house knives

Butch,

Give me a call (I seem to have lost your #) when you have stuff cut down and are thinking about a WSSI shipment. I'm hoping that the stuff I want to send them is dry enough at this point.

As for the other stuff, no movement at all. I've been hammered at work to the point of not being able to do much of anything but work. I did buy a power hammer though

-d

 

[butcher_block]

. I'd cut it on the saw in the position like it is in the top photo. How long is the wood up to the crack?

Also, add a bolster to the handle and the wood can also be smaller...........

so you think to cut it across the end grain
and the bolsters are some good thinking
thanks

 

[deker]

so you think to cut it across the end grain
and the bolsters are some good thinking

I'd cut along with the grain so what you see is like what you're showing us in the top picture. You want to maximize the curly bits, so think of what you want a scale from the outside to look like in that wood, and cut accordingly

Of course, a picture near to a ruler would help so we can see how big it actually is...


-d