Mesquite for Knife Handles?

[Col Defender]

Has anyone used Mesquite for knife handles? I picked up some on a Texas hunting trip and am considering making a knife with it. It is not burl, just a couple of dry pieces from a firewood pile. So far I have just sawed it into a couple of blanks. A pretty blond sort of color but it does not show much in the way of impressive grain; maybe with some serious sanding and some oil???

Would sure like to see a pic of someone's finished product.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

 

[Jason Fry]

I use a lot of mesquite, being from Abilene. Some of the blondish is fairly plain. There's also a reddish plain variety. The burl is as good as any other burl. In general, the wood is fairly stable and dense, although the blondish variety is typically a little softer.
Reddish knife in this pic is the straight grain reddish variety.

This little guy is a little more burlish in the wood.

Here's a little more blondish version... had to go back to the beginning of 2012 to find this one.

 

[samuraistuart]

This is mesquite on my petty knife. Can't recall where I bought it. AKS, USAKNIFE, Texas Knife.....I forget. LOVED working with the stuff. I have a few large chunks of mesquite burl that I have harvested from our ranch. Been drying out the past year. Sometimes mesquite is just plain straight grain. Other times you can get a nice tiger stripe effect/affect? Which is correct? My grammar aint too good.

 

[Col Defender]

Thanks Samuraistuart and Jason Fry - you guys have some great looking knives... here's a pic of the Mesquite I have to work with:



I do plan to go ahead with at least one knife and see how I like Mesquite.. Thanks!

 

[Kentucky]

I used a lot of mesquite burl. I got a smokin' deal on it(about $10 each) and it was as nice as any $50 piece of wood. I used it up and Im too tight to buy more at regular price

 

[DukeHarley]

Where is the best source for knife handle/scale quality mesquite? I need to find a replacement for certain woods I'm have reactions to. Am I safe to assume that it is a benign wood as far as toxicity be it's used for food prep?

Jay

 

[John A. Larsen]

I have a nice hunter made by Jimmy Wentreek of Bar "W" Enterprises in Granger, TX with mesquite scales as well as a shaving brush with a mesquite handle. Both are holding up well and I use the shaving brush daily for at least the past four years. John

 

[Kentucky]

I got all mine from the 'Bay but Ive noticed today that the same seller has more than doubled the price since I bought the last pieces..

 

[Salem Straub]

I lived in Hawaii for a while, and used kiawe wood on occasion. (That's what they call mesquite out there.) Here's a wa handled chef from a couple years back, using some curly kiawe from the big island.

I really like it, and would use it often if I could get pieces with nice grain easily. It's good and hard too, isn't it a member of the acacia family?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

painkiller,
Please cease selling in this forum. If you wish to get a dealer membership and sell wood in The Exchange, please do so.