Look what I just scored! Nice slab of Osage Orange!

[Hengelo_77]

It's probably considered exotic overseas.

To me it is

 

[deker]

If it were me, I'd save some as blocks for hidden tangs. You can always cut them down into scales later, but it's a lot harder to put them back together

A few hints on working with Osage. Use new, sharp belts at a reasonably low speed. Osage will scorch pretty easily if you don't and when it does it holds the heat a bit and that dark color penetrates a good bit into the wood.

-d

 

[rayban]

I stopped by to visit Phillip Patton about a year back......gosh Phillip, has it been that long already??......I bought a couple sets of Osage from him, and he picked this up and threw it in my car for good measure.

It's been a good conversation piece, held many a beer, and heard lots of lies since then:thumbup:

 

[NStricker]

Here is a knife I did a few years ago, with aged osage for the handle:

The wood came from an old fencepost I found out in Kansas that had been exposed to the elements for 50+ years. There were a lot of twists to the grain, and I actually used a cut from close to the outside of the fencepost to incorporate the fissures and natural aging of the wood.

After shaping the handle, I hand sanded up through the grits to 400. Then, sanded some more with 00 steel wool, and then rubbed it with some coarse cloth (like denim). I got a semi-gloss finish that displayed a little chatoyancy in the wood. Then, I topped it off with 2 thin coats of Tru-oil.

 

[Phillip Patton]

I stopped by to visit Phillip Patton about a year back......gosh Phillip, has it been that long already??......I bought a couple sets of Osage from him, and he picked this up and threw it in my car for good measure.

It's been a good conversation piece, held many a beer, and heard lots of lies since then:thumbup:

Nice to see it's getting some use.

BTW, I haven't forgotten about your walking stick, I just haven't been out in the woods much this past year.

 

[tattooedfreak]

When you cut the scales, make sure you leave them out in your shop for a while before you flatten them. Otherwise you may find you have to sand them flat them again before you try and put them on a handle.

 

[jim moyer]

If it were me, I'd save some as blocks for hidden tangs. You can always cut them down into scales later, but it's a lot harder to put them back together

A few hints on working with Osage. Use new, sharp belts at a reasonably low speed. Osage will scorch pretty easily if you don't and when it does it holds the heat a bit and that dark color penetrates a good bit into the wood.

-d

Well said Decker, once you scorch a folder scale just start over.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Thanks again for all the responses and pictures.

Tattooed- This piece was cut in 97, shouldn't it be stable enough not to warp after 13 years?

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks again for all the responses and pictures.

Tattooed- This piece was cut in 97, shouldn't it be stable enough not to warp after 13 years?

Nope. Anytime you cut wood, it can move.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Thanks, didn't know that.

 

[tryppyr]

If it were me, I'd save some as blocks for hidden tangs. You can always cut them down into scales later, but it's a lot harder to put them back together

I think we're wasting our breath, Deker. Seem that Griz only likes scales and has no use for hidden tangs.

- Greg

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks, didn't know that.

You're welcome. It has more to do with stress being relieved than moisture being lost.

 

[Carl_First_Timer]

You're welcome. It has more to do with stress being relieved than moisture being lost.

Yup, metal is the same way. When WEDM a tight tolerance part (0.0001") you first cut around the part you're cutting, leaving tabs to hold the metal from falling out. This allows the metal to move into it's "natural" position before doing the actual cut.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Three of the toughest native woods I've worked- desert ironwood, eastern hophornbeam, and osage orange. Its been said before that if it grew somewhere else it would be considered exotic. Love the stuff.
Ken.

I had asked about it and was promised some by a member who never followed through so I tried my first attempt at working osage this summer on the advice of fellow members. After cutting out the profile on a scroll saw I didn't think it would be too bad. Boy was I wrong! I couldn't really carve it, so I scraped out most of the head by hand with a couple of knives before sanding the shaft to 400 and tung oiling. Gave myself tendonitis doing so. I loved the glow it has yellow, too bad I use it and it is already turning brown.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Will a UV inhibiting polyurethane coat help keep the handle yellow longer?

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Will a UV inhibiting polyurethane coat help keep the handle yellow longer?

I bet it would, it is the light not age that changes it.

 

[barnett25]

I believe there are two factors that darken osage orange. The first is UV. The second is oxidation.

As far as I know the UV inhibiting polyurethane should cover both of these points.


BTW, is this stuff worth much as handle material? It grows all over the place around my parents house.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

I think, from what I've seen online, the more figured it is, the higher the price. But it's not very high on the list.