I'll elaborate on Mark's comments ( Burl Source)-
Mark runs a big wood place. They handle tons of wood.....many, many tons. Cost of stabilizing is a factor in profit, so Mark decided to stabilize his own handle wood. He did his research, cut no corners and built top grade equipment, purchased chemicals that make the cost of Parks #50 look as cheap as bottled water, and did his own stabilizing. After a while, he tore it all down and now sends it to the pros......Why???? Because they do a better job, cheaper than he can, even in bulk.
Now, take a hobby person like most of us, with a mason jar and some off the hardware store shelf products and decide if that has any chance of ever comparing to the work done by WSSI or K&G. Mike at WSSI and Ken at K&G are real pros and will do it far better than you can. The big gain is in time and quality for you. It is also going to be cheaper in the long run.
Additionally, a knife with a home stabilized handle will likely be worth less than one with a handle from these sources.
The cost of stabilizing the handle wood is part of the cost of making a quality knife, and worth every penny.
Just like good steel, proper HT, and doing quality workmanship, the handle wood should be top class,too.
Stabilizing Tips:
Choose good quality solid wood and trim away anything that you don't want stabilized ( you pay by the pound).
Dry it well for at least six months. If the moisture content is above 10% (7% is better), it will warp and crack durring stabilization. Thois is your problem, not theirs. You will pay for the wood either way, so make sure it is dry. They will check it when it comes in, and dry it a while if needed, but the loss is yours - So Make Suer It Is Dry!
Send a batch to one of the pros and you will get the lowest rate. Ten pounds and up is usually the best amount.
Check with the stabilizer as to wood types and dying if you have questions - they glad to help you.
Consider stabilizing larger blocks. WSSI does huge blocks, and K&G does fairly good size blocks. You can stabilize some woods better as a larger block, and cut for that as needed to get the best yield.
Don't wait until you need the wood back in a week to send it out. While the turn around time is usually quick, they do get backed up, and it can take a few weeks.
Consider dying woods that have a nice pattern, like quilted and curly maple. The wood may only look so-so as a light tan, but will look stunning as black, brown, green, etc.
Double dying is more expensive and only done on a few wood types ( Buckeye Burl and Box elder Burl, IIRC). It is best left alone until you have more experience with the wood types and dying results.
You pay by the finished pound, so very heavy woods are going to be more expensive. Ten blocks of buckeye burl may weigh less than five blocks of walnut, but you will pay the same for the final fees.
My dad and I got some really nice spalted maple burl from an old farm yard but alot of it is a bit punky so I am going to have to get it stabilized. Not saying I might not try a few scraps myself but I will definatly get some done by the big guys.
