Does Bocote need stabilization?

stingray4540

stingray4540

Joined
Mar 26, 2007
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I tried the search and googling, and it seems that it doesn't, but nothing has been conclusive. So, will bocote do well without stabilizing? I'm looking for a wood block to put on a hidden tang Mora with a whitetail deer antler spacer and NS guard. My first choice would be Ironwood for it's durable properties, but I don't want to spend a lot for good figure, so I was hoping Bocote would be a good second choice, since it seems that almost all pieces I've seen look good. Anyways, what do you guys think? Any other recommendations for a good looking wood that doesn't need stabilization and is tough like ironwood?
 
Bocote is the tree from which amboyna comes. Amboyna is the roots, bocote is the tree. Amboyna surely needs stabilization so I would ASSUME bocote does as well.
Matt Doyle
 
can be used either way.

however, it does benefit (as do 95% of the woods out there) from stabilization.

The exceptions are cocobolo, desert ironwood & lignum vitae. (there may be more...but bocote is not one of them).

My experience has been that it is hard and semi-oily, but not dense. Which is a prime candidate for stabilizing.
 
Matt, Bocote comes from S.America & Amboyna from S. E. Asia & have dirrerent scientific names. I would question if both woods come from the same tree. I do agree that I prerer both of mine stabilized.

Joe
 
Well then I guess I'll just stick with cocobolo for now and if this goes well, then maybe I'll consider spending $40 on a nice piece of ironwood.
 
Joe,
That's was what I read on one of the wood sites. You may be right, but that is what I read.??? I'll have to see if I can find it later.
Matt
 
You can buy a 1/4" X 3" X 24" piece of bocote from Woodcraft for $12 and cut it into 5 sets of scales and send it to River Ridge to be stabilized for $15 or less including all shipping. $27 for 5 sets of stablilzed bocote scales. less than $5 per set...
-John
 
I'll have to keep that in mind for my full tang knives, but for this project I need a block because it is a hidden tang knife.
 
Bocote, like cocobolo, is a rosewood and is very oily. I doubt that stabilization will make much difference. Try finishing with teak oil-it's made to penetrate the oily rosewoods.
 
Barker: Do you have a website link to River ridge? I googled it but only came up with golf courses and gated communities lol.

Steve: I will be using Tung oil for my handle since I have a bunch of it. How would unstabilized Bocote hold up with a tung oil finish? I'm looking for a wood that is durable yet looks good for a knife that will be used alot, especially around water(fresh water), it will clean a lot of trout, and be used around camp.
 
DEFINITELY get it stabilized. I've got equal size blocks of both unstabilized and stabilized Bocote, and the stabilized blocks are literally twice as heavy, so it does soak up a lot of the stabilizing agent.
 
yes....bocote benefits tremendously from stabilization.

And yes, it is oily. But it is not dense. And unstabilized....definitely not a good choice for a wet-use handle. Cocobolo is a much better choice (both oily and dense)...and can be found at reasonable prices.
 
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