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Hilt/Handle Material
- Thread starter Jim L.
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2000
- Messages
- 12,724
Cypress is a soft wood. You need to use a hard wood.
Well, you could try it, but it's going to take a heck of a long time to dry it. I agree that cypress is a softwood, but I don;t think it necessarily Must be a hardwood. Bark River, et al, uses redwood on one or more of their knives. Granted, redwood is a relatively stable wood, but so is cypress. If it's a fine blade and the scales will be glued and pinned permanently, I'd be a little more reluctant to use softwoods. But if not, and especially if the scales can be screwed on with 'cago screws, then a nice softwood could be pretty sweet.
It aint really my cup-o-tea, these softwoods, but being a woodworker, anytime somebody cuts down a tree, I have to have some (or all) of it. It usually doesn;t matter what type of tree, but I particularly like fruitwoods - apple, pear, apricot, etc. The trick is to cut them well oversized, seal the ends with glue or paint, and let them dry outside (covered with plenty of air circulation) for several months (if small pieces) before bringing them into the shop, where they'll need to dry for several more months. Even then, I still neewd to square the pieces that have warped and twisted with light cuts, then let them continue to dry. With some woods, each time you do this they warp again and again, until you've cut the blank down to sawdust (((
)))
Actually, on review of this post, I'm not so sure cypress is a "softwood". I'll have to look it up. It is certainly soft and light as opposed to hard and dense, but there are many hardwoods like that. Hmmmm...I'm gonna have to look this one up.
It aint really my cup-o-tea, these softwoods, but being a woodworker, anytime somebody cuts down a tree, I have to have some (or all) of it. It usually doesn;t matter what type of tree, but I particularly like fruitwoods - apple, pear, apricot, etc. The trick is to cut them well oversized, seal the ends with glue or paint, and let them dry outside (covered with plenty of air circulation) for several months (if small pieces) before bringing them into the shop, where they'll need to dry for several more months. Even then, I still neewd to square the pieces that have warped and twisted with light cuts, then let them continue to dry. With some woods, each time you do this they warp again and again, until you've cut the blank down to sawdust (((
)))Actually, on review of this post, I'm not so sure cypress is a "softwood". I'll have to look it up. It is certainly soft and light as opposed to hard and dense, but there are many hardwoods like that. Hmmmm...I'm gonna have to look this one up.
I'd thought of stabilizing, or stacking 1/4 inch slabs with the grains going at 90 degrees. Either way, the grain will be gorgeous
The thought of curing in the oven at 150 dgs. or so for a couple of hours to "kiln" dry. (I know not the same, but it's a way
)
Any in put woud be appreciated.
Jim L.
The thought of curing in the oven at 150 dgs. or so for a couple of hours to "kiln" dry. (I know not the same, but it's a way
)Any in put woud be appreciated.
Jim L.
Jim,
Do you mean individual strips of 1/4", glued together to form a thicker piece? If so, I would recommend 1/8" or thinner. THe reason for that is that, if you are truly trying to "stabalize" the wood, aka plywood, you want as many cross-grain laminations as possible. A 1/4" thick piece of wood, unless laminated 8 or 10 times or more (forming over 2" of lumber), will (no, could) pull your glue apart and de-laminate during the extremes of moisture variation. Go thinner, I would say.
Another thought on these laminations... I've done them (not for knife scales) and have seen and used the results. They are plywood.....not "essentially" plywood, but...truly plywood. The benefit is that you choose the lumber and there should be no "voids" as you would normally see in all but the very best baltic or finnish birch veneers. BUT..... remember that you will see the laminated side and end grains in your knife scales. It might look very nice - I wouldn;t discourage an attempt or three - but the finnished result will be readily identified as plywood. Just a thought........
The kiln drying sounds interesting. Remember to air dry that lumber to a reasonable moisture content first. Be prepared for warping, checking, and cracking. I'd like to hear how it turns out, as I have never tried any oven (or other homemade) kiln-drying.
I don;t work with green lumber as some bowl turners do, but there used to be a stabilizing liquid product called PEG. I read more than two articles on it many years ago, but have forgotten all of the details. It probably stands for Poly Ethyl Glycol or something like that. The idea was that bowl turners could take a large section of a log, green (not dried), and soak it in PEG. Somehow or other, the liquid would stabilize the wood so it could be turned while still "green". I don;t know if PEG or similar is what knife manufacturers are using to treat the wood they call "stabilized".
Do you mean individual strips of 1/4", glued together to form a thicker piece? If so, I would recommend 1/8" or thinner. THe reason for that is that, if you are truly trying to "stabalize" the wood, aka plywood, you want as many cross-grain laminations as possible. A 1/4" thick piece of wood, unless laminated 8 or 10 times or more (forming over 2" of lumber), will (no, could) pull your glue apart and de-laminate during the extremes of moisture variation. Go thinner, I would say.
Another thought on these laminations... I've done them (not for knife scales) and have seen and used the results. They are plywood.....not "essentially" plywood, but...truly plywood. The benefit is that you choose the lumber and there should be no "voids" as you would normally see in all but the very best baltic or finnish birch veneers. BUT..... remember that you will see the laminated side and end grains in your knife scales. It might look very nice - I wouldn;t discourage an attempt or three - but the finnished result will be readily identified as plywood. Just a thought........
The kiln drying sounds interesting. Remember to air dry that lumber to a reasonable moisture content first. Be prepared for warping, checking, and cracking. I'd like to hear how it turns out, as I have never tried any oven (or other homemade) kiln-drying.
I don;t work with green lumber as some bowl turners do, but there used to be a stabilizing liquid product called PEG. I read more than two articles on it many years ago, but have forgotten all of the details. It probably stands for Poly Ethyl Glycol or something like that. The idea was that bowl turners could take a large section of a log, green (not dried), and soak it in PEG. Somehow or other, the liquid would stabilize the wood so it could be turned while still "green". I don;t know if PEG or similar is what knife manufacturers are using to treat the wood they call "stabilized".
Thanks for the input Stretch. I guess you could call it plywoold at that. One big difference though, is that (as I do with cedar) these strips (laminations) will be cut at 45 dgs. off the grain direction. This way the grain is exposed (open) all the way around the handle (hidden tang) and reveals some really deep grain patterns.
The neat thing is that at finishing, the grain pops out, literally. Steel wooling (oooo) will munch away the softer wood leaving the harder, darker grain standing out as "raised." This makes it really grippy like an etched finger print on the handle.
Thanks again for the in put; I'll keep y'll posted with progress/defeat as it's made.:thumbup:
Jim L.
The neat thing is that at finishing, the grain pops out, literally. Steel wooling (oooo) will munch away the softer wood leaving the harder, darker grain standing out as "raised." This makes it really grippy like an etched finger print on the handle.
Thanks again for the in put; I'll keep y'll posted with progress/defeat as it's made.:thumbup:
Jim L.