Interest in precut scales?

Greenberg Woods

Greenberg Woods

Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
2,696
Hey guys, I have a small mountain of fiddleback tasmanian blackwood, Maple burl and ringed gidgee waiting for me to finishing my finals and go home for winter break.

I was wondering, is there interest in pre cut scales? If you buy from me you probably know i only really sell blocks. But would you like me to carry a mix of blocks and scales?
 
I would think it might increase your sales potential to the hobbyist crowd if that’s a market you are interested in. Plenty of folks with just low end bandsaws or even just scroll saws that don’t have a good way to make a nice clean rip cut to turn your blocks into book matched scales. That is of course assuming the added amount of labor needed on your end to cut down into scales doesn’t make it economically not make sense for the hobbyist crowd.
 
I know when I first started I got blocks and hosnestly was cutting them into scales with the saw on my leather man. So I can see an advantage to offering scales to the new guys. Or maybe have the option to cut any block into scales for them.
 
having some scales would be nice. anything that increases a knife makers productivity is a good thing. And not having to cut a block into scales then flatten em definitely speeds things up on the makers end. I just wouldn't go overboard with it. maybe 10-20% of what you sell would be a safe bet if your going to do so. see how it goes from there. Also, SAYA wood pre cut! yes please!
 
I could see cutting them on the saw but not spending the time to flatten them. I personally don't buy scales unless it's a wood I really want and only found in scales. I will just cut them my self if I need to.
 
Don't you already offer to split any block into scales?
 
I would definitely be interested in scales. One thing though, could you cut some larger than what is common for scales? I been having a hard time finding scales large enough for certain handles, like full tang bowies and choppers. With a curved bowie handle, the common 1.5 x 5 inch doesn't cut it. Maybe some at 2 x 5.5 ? This is just a suggestion, maybe I am the only one who wants these.
 
yes. i use scales more than blocks. i know you will cut them but i think they will sell better if the buyers can see them bookmatched.
 
Personally at least 80% of the wood I buy is precut scales. I only make full tang knives so there is a lot of waste with blocks. They're also more time consuming to prep obviously and I don't know what the book matched sides are going to look like until I split them. I think offering scales would dramatically open up the market for your wood.
 
The barefoot boy said:
I would definitely be interested in scales. One thing though, could you cut some larger than what is common for scales? I been having a hard time finding scales large enough for certain handles, like full tang bowies and choppers. With a curved bowie handle, the common 1.5 x 5 inch doesn't cut it. Maybe some at 2 x 5.5 ? This is just a suggestion, maybe I am the only one who wants these.
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My blocks tend to range from 1.75 to 2.25 wide, so i think you will find what you are after
 
cut to my size is important for me
I hate the waste of the wood from a block and it's time consuming to remove (saw, file and sand away) the remaining part of the blank that isn't used.
 
HSC /// said:
cut to my size is important for me
I hate the waste of the wood from a block and it's time consuming to remove (saw, file and sand away) the remaining part of the blank that isn't used.
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I sell have 1 by 1.5 by 5.5 kingwood i can resaw, you have never been interested in koa or gidgee so far.
 
For those of you commenting that you don't like the waste of blocks: Is the concern cost? Because I'm not sure a pair of scales would be cheaper if they are the same thickness as a block. I used to prefer scales, but now block, since I have a good bandsaw. Blocks just give me the option to do a hidden or full tang. Also, If I am doing a bolster, I can use the chunk I cut off the block as a bolster on another knife. Just my $.02.
 
I was also wondering if you might be interested in pre flattened scales. I use some pretty fancy wood working toys, and I have a massive granite surface plate.

"For a fee" would you be interested in scales where the backs are lapped flat?
 
I'm a small hobbyist without any powered saws so I usually bought pre-cut scales though I have some blocks. Just haven't gotten around to using a pullsaw to split blocks since I have so many scales to choose from. I probably would've bought some wood from you before except for subconsciously dreading cutting blocks by hand.
 
Kevin McGovern said:
For those of you commenting that you don't like the waste of blocks: Is the concern cost? Because I'm not sure a pair of scales would be cheaper if they are the same thickness as a block. I used to prefer scales, but now block, since I have a good bandsaw. Blocks just give me the option to do a hidden or full tang. Also, If I am doing a bolster, I can use the chunk I cut off the block as a bolster on another knife. Just my $.02.
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cost is part of it, having to discard or not able to use something that is waste,
the other part is utility perspective, unable to use a natural resource, I don't care for that waste if it can be avoided.
yes I save what I can on the cut to possibly use elsewhere including as a bolder as you mentioned,
 
Greenberg Woods said:
I sell have 1 by 1.5 by 5.5 kingwood i can resaw, you have never been interested in koa or gidgee so far.
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$50-$60 each is a lot IMO, even if you get $500 a knife, you are in 10% for the wood alone,
for a $250 knife you are in for 20% cost of handle material.

I don't know, others who do this for a living know how to go about this, I'm still learning.
 
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