Leopard wood/Lace wood

[AVigil]

I have some Leopard wood and not sure if I want to use it for scales.

Does it need to be stabilized? How durable is it for scales.

Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[Frank Niro]

The few times I have used the leopard wood it has worked out fine both while installing and to the customer's satisfaction later. I still have a couple of sets I may get to use on a folder or two. I never did use the lace wood even though I had some on hand.
Frank

 

[Ken H>]

Frank - was your leopard wood stabilized? OR - natural wood?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Leopard wood/ beefwood/ lace wood/ macadamia make good knife handles. It should be stabilized.

 

[Randydb]

Do you guys do your own stabilizing or send it out. I have been reading about stabilizing wood and am thinking it might be worth trying out.

 

[Frank Niro]

No, it wasn't stabilized but many years in my cupboard. I do not recommend "home" stabilizing.
Frank

 

[Randydb]

I will start a thread asking about home stabilizing. I am curious now.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Short answer is you can't do home stabilizing nearly as good as professional stabilizing, and that it is cheaper to have it done professionally, anyway. WSSI and K&G are two of the most preferred stabilizers.

 

[Ken H>]

There are some woods which are very prosus and open grained that are able to be home stabilized with success, PROVIDED you have the correct equip - vac pump, vac chamber, oven, etc. It's a real hassle and you'll have a couple hundred bucks invested in equip to start. Google Cactus Juice to find a good bit about it... heck, here ya' go.

http://www.turntex.com/

http://www.turntex.com/index.php?op...d=60:using-mesquitemans-cactus-juice&catid=35

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvII1FTm3YM

http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php?topic=12474.15

 

[AVigil]

Sending out to be stabilized is far more economical then doing it at home.

 

[Burl Source]

I will start a thread asking about home stabilizing. I am curious now.

If you use this link you can easily search the forums for previous threads.
https://cse.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
The subject of home stabilizing comes up fairly often.

 

[TJ Smith]

To me Leopard wood is one of those woods you can sand on all day and it still doesn't look sanded.
TJ

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

My fiddleback trio in lacewood, Andy did the little two, I did the machete. I loved working on it (a bit splintery), and I just love the look. Andy's are stabilized, mine isn't, but with Tru Oil finish.