I've got wood

[Kevin McGovern]

I have some interesting looking rock maple from a tree I took down 4-5 years ago. I am wondering if it is imperative that I stabilize it. I have about 3x what you see in these pictures.

 

[Kohai999]

Imperative? No.

Better? Yes.

Wood moves, chips and absorbs moisture....maple "feathers".

Stabilizing helps obviate any of those issues.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Matt Rochester]

I just got enough curly maple for 8 blocks. Someone had them cut into stakes!

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Are you storing it in a cool dark place that doesnt experience major shifts in humidity? Then there is nothing imperative.

But as Steven said, it will eliminate the risk of something happening, and the cost of stabalizing a wooden handle is more than worth it in the end value of the knife.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

Yes. It's been in my basement this whole time.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Well depending on how old you are?
Getting wood can be glorious

 

[Kevin McGovern]

41, I'll take what I can get.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

I burned most of it for firewood. ( this is before I started making knives) luckily, the really gnarly hunks that were most difficult to split due to the wavy grain and swirls I set aside and forgot about. They won't be going in the wood stove.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

So I came across this piece. It has crazy patterns, and seams light, but it isn't rotten. Is this what spalted wood looks like? I sanded one face to 220 and dampened it.

 

[Randydb]

I burned most of it for firewood. ( this is before I started making knives) luckily, the really gnarly hunks that were most difficult to split due to the wavy grain and swirls I set aside and forgot about. They won't be going in the wood stove.

I have made the same discovery on the wood pile at our cabin. I keep taking pieces off and dragging them home.

Stabilizing is pretty cheap in the end. A few bucks per handle. It's worth it. Stabilizing will make that last piece you posted solid and useable.

That last piece may just be starting to rot a bit. Spalting is usually more lines and colours. That piece is going to make some beautiful scales!

This is some aggressive spalting. It was quite soft and punky but once it was stabilized it was beautiful.

 

[Randydb]

What are you cutting your wood up with?

 

[Kevin McGovern]

Band saw. Some of the cuts are rough as they are where I used the chainsaw.