Lets see some wooden scales!

Not mine but definitely cool wooden scale setups


BK14 w/yellow liners:

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BK2 w/blue liners
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Eli
 
Tommythewho has done most of my wooden scales.

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This one is Clich's Snakeskin 5. He did all the handle work on it.

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Hey guys I like your wood. Definitely considering crafting some myself, I'm curious about what kind of treatment is often done to weatherproof them? My wood will be getting wet for sure. I know I've heard the word "stabilize" mentioned somewhere. Best.
 
getridone said:
Hey guys I like your wood. Definitely considering crafting some myself, I'm curious about what kind of treatment is often done to weatherproof them? My wood will be getting wet for sure. I know I've heard the word "stabilize" mentioned somewhere. Best.
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He said wood :)
 
getridone said:
Hey guys I like your wood. Definitely considering crafting some myself, I'm curious about what kind of treatment is often done to weatherproof them? My wood will be getting wet for sure. I know I've heard the word "stabilize" mentioned somewhere. Best.
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True Knife quality stabilizing really requires special liquid resins and a vacuum setup. It uses tremendous suction to draw the resin into the wood and full impregnate it. K&G in Arizona and several others do it. It's not cheap.

While the upside of stabilized wood is that it all but eliminates movement or warpage it does no fully Water proof the wood. It will still take on a bit of water like Canvas or Linen Micarta will. It needs to be waxed and/or finished depending on the grain structure. Still, it's WAY more water resistant than most any bare wood with a top coat of finish.

The downside of a stabilized wood for any hard use knife with bolt on scales like a Becker is the fact that that hard resin makes the scales more brittle- like plastic. This will not be an issue if you glue 'em on and pin or bolt them on the blade, But I would avoid stabilized wood for bolt on .removable scales.

Other than that, it's wonderful stuff for use in a wet environments.
 
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I used super glue to seal mine up, kind of fussy to work with but seems to be durrable. I showed some steps in my thread.
 
Nsvens89 said:
I used super glue to seal mine up, kind of fussy to work with but seems to be durrable. I showed some steps in my thread.
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That works well.. Another method is to take any good two part epoxy, mix some up and thin it down a bit with some lacquer thinner.

Keeping the heat source AWAY from the lacquer thinner and working in well ventilated area, heat the surface of the grips up with a heat gun. You want it just too hot to the touch - about 120 degrees. Then slather the Epoxy on. The cooling of the wood creates a vacuum in the cellular structure and suck the Epoxy right in the wood. It does not work well on Oily tropical woods because the oils bubbles up when heated and besides, those woods need no finish anyway- just a good wax an polish. It's not a substitute for Stabilizing, but it sure makes for a more waterproof surface finish.
 
Is there an advantage to actually epoxying the scales to the handle? Would this seal out moisture from between the scales and the handle?
 
jim62 said:
That works well.. Another method is to take any good two part epoxy, mix some up and thin it down a bit with some lacquer thinner.

Keeping the heat source AWAY from the lacquer thinner and working in well ventilated area, heat the surface of the grips up with a heat gun. You want it just too hot to the touch - about 120 degrees. Then slather the Epoxy on. The cooling of the wood creates a vacuum in the cellular structure and suck the Epoxy right in the wood. It does not work well on Oily tropical woods because the oils bubbles up when heated and besides, those woods need no finish anyway- just a good wax an polish. It's not a substitute for Stabilizing, but it sure makes for a more waterproof surface finish.
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I have never heard of that method. It sounds like it would work pretty well. Do you know if thinning down the epoxy changes the curing time? I wonder if there would be enough time to put the scales in one of those pickle jar break bleeder vacuums using the epoxy method.
 
Good stuff in there, jim. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and tips. I will try some of that. I really need to make some more sets for my Beckers. Been too busy making other things.
 
Nsvens89 said:
I have never heard of that method. It sounds like it would work pretty well. Do you know if thinning down the epoxy changes the curing time? I wonder if there would be enough time to put the scales in one of those pickle jar break bleeder vacuums using the epoxy method.
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N,

The vacuum generated by the heat in the wood cells is what makes it work. I don't think the thinned down epoxy will work in a vacuum chamber as the solvent(lacquer thinner) evaporates pretty quick the Commercial stabilizers user water thin resin compounds. The method I described was simply a deep penetrating top coat- it's not meant to be a replacement for true stabilization. Epoxy basically is what they water proof wood boat hulls with, so it should be dandy on a knife handle..
 
You are a wealth of knowledge Jim. The advice and info is much appreciated. I might give the heat gun trick a try. Last time I did the superglue method it didn't seem to penetrate the wood much at all. The heat gun sounds like a better method.
 
Nsvens89 said:
You are a wealth of knowledge Jim. The advice and info is much appreciated. I might give the heat gun trick a try. Last time I did the superglue method it didn't seem to penetrate the wood much at all. The heat gun sounds like a better method.
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I don't know everything about wood finishing but the older you get you realize they are many ways to skin that cat. It's part of the fun working with real timber.

Another word of warning.. the carriers in just about any finish are flameable. Also Cyranylate (super glue) is the hardener Duracoat and the other mil spec two part paint systems. The crap will fry you brain and lungs . Do this stuff in a well ventilated area.

Also, heating the wood also works for other wood finishes. Spar varnishes and various oils. I like it for soaking pure tung oil into wood.
You also don't have to use a heat gun. You can rig up holder out of a coat hanger to lift it a few inches above a hot plate burner.
 
getridone said:
Is there an advantage to actually epoxying the scales to the handle? Would this seal out moisture from between the scales and the handle?
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Yes and Yes.

If you are permanently installing grips on a knife, roughen up the blade tang with about 100 grit paper(Sand blasting it is even better). Degrease BOTH the wood and the metal on the blade and then use either epoxy or Gorilla glue.. The epoxy especially will create a near perfect seal and is as waterproof as any of the epoxy based paints Kabar uses to coat blades..;)
 
Doogoon
For some reason I cannot see your pictures. I am really interested in seeing how the Purpleheart worked out and how it looks. I received a Purpleheart back in Nam in 67 while serving with the Marines. Got shot 3 times in the left chest and shoulder with n AK-47. Enough to retire me at age 20 but not enough to stop me.
 
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