How to stabilize a wooden handle for a knife?

O

Ome108

Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
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Hi Guys,
I have some black walnut from my yard, and some blanks of rosewood, ash, and lignum vitae.
The blanks are over 20 years old and still in wax seals.
How to stabilize so it won't check on me.
Thanks,
Ome108
 
send to K&G or WSSI case closed
the home guy for a few blocks not even going to come close \
\

cavat if you are doing massive amounts of wood (and i d mean massive) it might pay to set up a resin shop other the that just send it out \
 
Thank you very much,
Will definitely send out , thanks again for the links.
Ome108
 
I was going to say pay someone to stabilize the wood for you. For the rosewood and lignum, save your money. They don't need it and if the lignum is the real stuff, it may not even take it.
 
Why would wood that has seasoned for 20+ years check? Move a little with changing humidity, sure, but check? Very unlikely!

Which of the walnut woods is said not to take stabilising? I have some Claro that was treated, but it's nothing like as solid as ash or maple from the same source. Walnut, takes oil finishes rather well, just look at high end gun stocks.
 
Last edited:
Ome108 said:
Hi Guys,
I have some black walnut from my yard, and some blanks of rosewood, ash, and lignum vitae.
The blanks are over 20 years old and still in wax seals.
How to stabilize so it won't check on me.
Thanks,
Ome108
Click to expand...

Hi There!
I don't think Black Walnut will take stabilization and I know Lignum Vitae, and rose wood won't. The ash is the only one that will take any real amount of the acrylic(S).

Call Mike at WSSI to confirm which walnut will take it and which won't?
 
C
Rhinoknives1 said:
Hi There!
I don't think Black Walnut will take stabilization and I know Lignum Vitae, and rose wood won't. The ash is the only one that will take any real amount of the acrylic(S).

Call Mike at WSSI to confirm which walnut will take it and which won't?
Click to expand...
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for chiming in.
How is brazilian cherry, I have alot leftover from flooring I did, 3" wide, and if i glued up a blank and turned it on the wood lathe, would that still need stabilazation?
This wood has been laying around the basement for about 10 years.
I heard patternmakers used to use cherry for its stability.
Thanks,
Ome108
 
Brazilian cherry used for flooring isn't the same as Cherry, the fruit wood. Other than the color they are very different.
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/jatoba/

I don't know about anyone else, but you lost me with turning a blank on a lathe. Are you turning knife handles, or looking to make bowl blanks from flooring timber? You say the boards are 3" wide, how thick are they? You only need about 3/8ths flat and smooth or 1/2" rough for scales, or 1" for a hidden tang.


Most tropical hardwoods don't need to be stabilised, and those that might benefit, often don't take it well. Your flooring timber is hard, durable (not prone to rot), cross grained, so shouldn't split readily, and if used for floors, it is probably pretty stable too. Assuming your basement is fairly dry, I would use it and not worry about trying to stabilise it.

For info, Brazilian Walnut, aka Epe, is used for some knife handles as is. Randall King used to use it for some models. Not suggesting that you use it, it is kinda boring to look at, but it too is a hard, heavy, durable Brazilian timber that is unrelated to the name sake that timber merchants have associated it with.

good luck

Chris
 
Thanks Chris and everyone else ,
The flooring I have is 3/4" thick, sorry for that omission, and i planned on using the bowl blanks to cut and dimensionalise and use for handles.
Thanks for all the info and help
 
A question I think we all are asking:
In the last eight months, you have asked about 50 "What is the best...", "How can I....", "Will this work..." questions.
Have you made a knife yet?
 
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