GEC Wood Finishing Process?

[WoodManGM]

After lurking around for several months, I finally have a first post.

As you might imagine from my handle, I have an interest in wood. So, I have a small collection of GEC (and a few other brand) knives with wooden handles including Cocobolo, Ebony, African Blackwood, and Snakewood. And they've set me to wondering about how, if at all, GEC finishes these woods.

I've turned pens from these same woods (and many others) and settled on the CA and BLO finish for this many years ago. My Snakewood, and some of the Cocobolo examples, seem to have had a similar finish applied. The Ebony and African Blackwood handles don't seem to have had any finish applied and seem to have been merely polished to a high luster (perhaps with an application of wax). I don't believe that any of these woods have been stabilized because hard, dense, and/or oily woods stabilize poorly.

So, does anybody have any information on the GEC finishing process for wood?

 

[Sabercat]

I can't help you much with the broad topic, but I can tell you that I was told by GEC directly that any of the American Chestnut samples are stabilized. I can say that within the same conversation that it was expressed that not all woods are stabilized by them.

Sorry not much of a help, but I thought I'd share what I knew was true. I have assumptions on other woods, but that's all they would be.

 

[WoodManGM]

I think that a number of the relatively softer woods used by GEC would have benefitted from stabilization. One is the Old Barn Chestnut used in the #15 Navy Knife (perhaps not the same material as the American Chestnut that you mentioned). I had heard from several sources that this wood was too soft for anything but light use in handles. Another stabilization candidate for me would be the Beer Barrel Oak in the Beer Scout.

 

[ea42]

I wouldn't think there's any kind of finish applied other than what they polish with. We used to use a fairly fine grit belt and then finish them off on the buffing wheel with black compound followed by white. Bolsters and backs were polished at the same time. A wash and wipe down followed and that was it.

Eric

 

[WoodManGM]

Thanks for the reply. The process you detail is what I have suspected, at least for Ebony and African Blackwood.

 

[Wurrwulf]

I think that a number of the relatively softer woods used by GEC would have benefitted from stabilization. One is the Old Barn Chestnut used in the #15 Navy Knife (perhaps not the same material as the American Chestnut that you mentioned). I had heard from several sources that this wood was too soft for anything but light use in handles. Another stabilization candidate for me would be the Beer Barrel Oak in the Beer Scout.

The Beer Scouts were stabilized, or at least the Charred were. The COA that came with each of the Charred Beer Scouts said that the wood was sent to a company in Iowa (Wood Stabilizing Specialties?) to be stabilized before being used on the knives.

 

[Ernie1980]

I have thought the same thing, I am glad you asked! Eric, thanks for the information.

 

[ea42]

Thanks for the reply. The process you detail is what I have suspected, at least for Ebony and African Blackwood.

Yes, I worked at Canal Street Cutlery, but I'm fairly certain GEC applies very similar processes. None of the high resin woods were stabilized, such as rosewood, cocobola, ebony, blackwood, bocote, etc.. they were finished completely in their natural state. Softer or drier woods such as chestnut (we used a LOT of that), oak, mesquite, cherry, walnut, palm, etc were stabilized. This was a vacuum impregnated resin based process that was cured through heat.

Eric

 

[mrknife]

Yes, I worked at Canal Street Cutlery, but I'm fairly certain GEC applies very similar processes. None of the high resin woods were stabilized, such as rosewood, cocobola, ebony, blackwood, bocote, etc.. they were finished completely in their natural state. Softer or drier woods such as chestnut (we used a LOT of that), oak, mesquite, cherry, walnut, palm, etc were stabilized. This was a vacuum impregnated resin based process that was cured through heat.

Eric

Im more of a collector than a user to be honest, so I have always wondered how does the wood hold up. if it is not stabilized are they more susceptible to wear? or are those woods particularly more resilient/hardy? thanks!

 

[r8shell]

Im more of a collector than a user to be honest, so I have always wondered how does the wood hold up. if it is not stabilized are they more susceptible to wear? or are those woods particularly more resilient/hardy? thanks!

I've seen and handled a number of 100 year old ebony knives, and in many cases, the handles are in better shape than the blades.

 

[WoodManGM]

I've seen and handled a number of 100 year old ebony knives, and in many cases, the handles are in better shape than the blades.

Ebony is one of the hardest woods in routine use in Woodworking. It is well known that Ebony is so dense that it will not float in water, and density in wood is highly correlated with several measures of strength. However, two other woods in recent use by GEC are harder than Ebony: Ironwood and Snakewood. Ironwood is slightly harder than Ebony and Snakewood is substantially harder.

This link may prove of interest to some: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test

 

[Pomsbz]

I think that a number of the relatively softer woods used by GEC would have benefitted from stabilization. One is the Old Barn Chestnut used in the #15 Navy Knife (perhaps not the same material as the American Chestnut that you mentioned). I had heard from several sources that this wood was too soft for anything but light use in handles. Another stabilization candidate for me would be the Beer Barrel Oak in the Beer Scout.

I have one of these, an incredibly soft wood with zero treatment. I had to stabilise it myself. Should not have been necessary on a $90 knife.