Nepali Woods Used on HI Khukuri's and Sword's?

[Yvsa]

I know that the Saatisal is an excellent hardwood and the Rosewood we used to get was also an excellent hardwood as well.:thumbup:
I'm reasonably sure the Hill Walnut is also a hardwood, just kinda stands to reason as the Walnuts are hardwoods. I'm going to assume that the Neem wood is also a hardwood, am I correct in assuming so?
It sure is a beautiful wood from what I've seen?

I'm wondering about the other new Nepali wood's being used for handles, are they hardwoods or softwoods?
I'm pretty sure that the Rhododendron is a softwood or at least a softer wood than the standard fare but not positive. Can anyone set me straight on it?
What about the other woods being used for handles I haven't mentioned, are they hardwood or softwood like pine for instance?
I know I've missed at least a couple and maybe more.

Edit:
I'm considering a special order Foxy Folly in the future and would like to know about the woods so I can make a good choice in designating the hardwood I want for the handles.

 

[Astrodada]

Karam wood too, I find it quite beautiful with that orange tint and tight grain.

Speaking of orange, I think orange osage wood was used in HI khuks a while back, those are purrrrty !

 

[SASSAS]

My first thought was that Rhododendrun wood was a hardwood or hard softwood... Looking it up, it's a bush that grows to tree size (two Nepalese varieties do), member of the Heath family and lists as a softwood or semi-hardwood. The handle on my Foxy Folly is a very tight grain and feels very hard/solid.

The kapur wood is listed as a hardwood. The foxy folly I have in Kapur is a looser grain that seems physically softer than the rhododendron handle....

 

[Yvsa]

Speaking of orange, I think orange osage wood was used in HI khuks a while back, those are purrrrty !

Trouble is the Osage Orange isn't native to Nepal although that's not a problem. I have some Osage Orange that's been seasoning for probably 65 years or so, harder than Ol' Scrooge's Arse.
I could send some to Yangdu and she could send it to BirGhorka for my Foxy Folly Handles but I prefer a native Nepali Hardwood.

 

[Fiddleback]

Chandan is certainly a hardwood. Wait till you see the grain patterns in my FF handle. I haven't started my saaj wood handled Jange project yet. What is peoples opinion of that wood? I would like to know what hill walnut is and what the difference between our walnut varieties.

 

[Ad Astra]

I dunno, Yvsa, but that hot pepper wood (kho- something) on my 18" AK is the neatest grained wood on any of mine.

I tried google searching for more info on it but foreign words don't always click with it...


Mike

 

[ALBPM]

The Nepali Evergreen wood seems soft like Pine. I can make an indentation with my finger nail in the Evergreen.

 

[kronckew]

evergreens are by definition softwoods, deduceous broad leafed trees are hardwoods. one winds up with the anomaly of ironwood being a 'softwood' and balsa being a 'hardwood' - goofy innit?

 

[ALBPM]

This should be a picture thread for the newcomers.

I'll start taking pictures of my handles this weekend.

 

[Yvsa]

Thanks guys. Maybe Miss Yangdu will see this thread and shed some light on the matter.
It would sure be nice to have the genus names for the Nepali wood but I know that's pretty much impossible.
With the genus names they could all be identified.:thumbup:

 

[ALBPM]

Saj, Satisal and Tuni:
http://www.woodcarving.com.np/tow.php#tc


Neem: I knew this was a "magical" wood
http://www.neemfoundation.org/environmental%20use.htm

http://www.bytheplanet.com/Neem/WhatIsNeem/historyofneem.htm

http://www.winrock.org/forestry/factpub/factsh/NEEM.HTM

 

[Kismet]

The pine-like wood on SteelyGunz' Sarge (which I demoted to Corporal) was so soft, it almost promised to split if subjected to leverage. Finger-nail marks took virtually no pressure at all. The finger-guard was also very malleable.

Replacing them was essential before I sent it back to him.

Turned out nicely, but I wouldn't get the pine--Nepali or not--for a handle material.

 

[Yangdu]

Thank you for your interest in the woods available for handles in Khukuris and Swords.
I have requested a complete list of woods available from the Shop,whether they are a hard or soft wood and the genus name if availabe. As soon as I receive a reply I shall post the information .
There is info available on the internet but questionable whether you would find the answers you are looking for concerning the woods themselves but fun to see what is there.

 

[munk]

The pine-like wood on SteelyGunz' Sarge (which I demoted to Corporal) was so soft, it almost promised to split if subjected to leverage. Finger-nail marks took virtually no pressure at all. The finger-guard was also very malleable.
>>>>>>>>>> Kismet

Well, I was going to ask this question, but credit where credit is due; Kismet's already mentioned it. I'd always thought soft would be discernable as just that- soft, and open to deformation through relatively light pressure, such as a finger nail.

If we were getting any soft wood from Nepal, it should have been obvious by now in customer complaints of handles being marred.



munk