Northwest Hardwood handle material?

Actually if you look at a map, the latitude of Adak is not too far north of Seattle, just 3500 west and in the north pacific and southern bearing sea. Called the birthplace of the wind for good reason. Now Keflavik Iceland, You can see the real world if you look real real hard. Usually on TV. Spent 2.5 years there, it was very interesting. Made my first forge up there, just to prove you can do it just about anywhere.

Chuck
 
I've just recently started working some juniper. I suppose it's technically an evergreen hardwood because it fruits ? Anyway, I recently posted a pic of some of the wood finished with just an olive oil rub to highlight the grain:
scan
 
Original is right and I forgot sheep's horn and oosic although walrus is farther North.

I don't care about the latitude Adak is out there on the chain and a long ways from anywhere. I have fished above St Paul and have see the sea there a sheet of ice. I have also seen it howl and the winds well over 100mph. It tears the tops off the waves and send huge sheets of water hurling thru space. Awesome if it wasn't so scary in a 100'er
 
Original, you have friends in Haines? That's pretty funny :hums "it's a small world after all" to himself: Do they smith? ;)

Chuck, I know that Adak isn't all that far north, and I don't really care. Something about godforsaken middleofnowhere comes to mind. :)

I've been looking at http://www.amazonexotichardwoods.com They seem to have a good selection there, and they'll ship it to me USPS flat rate :D I hadn't thought about the horn/ivory/bone possablility. I'll have to look into it. And there's always moose antler I guess, I KNOW I can find that...
 
Yeh I have to admit Adak was a unique experience. Speaking of handle material a friend of mine found a full walrus skull on the beach. 24 inch tusks, and fish and wildlife gave him permission (in writing ) to keep it. We used to find all sorts of neat things on the beaches. Whale bones, giant squid, etc. Adak is were I made quite a few knives, sort of my beginning grinding. Luckily we had a great wood hobby shop and a great selection of wood. Lots of handle material subsidized by the government.

Chuck
 
Moose antler tines make great handles. If you are into slabs then the palms do also. The one I had was not too pithy and got a half dozen thru tang handles out of it. You also need to think about bone. Leg bones work good especially if you are making primitive style, then there is mineralized bone like stellar sea cow, mammoth teeth etc. You could have a lot of fun finding unusual materials.

Chuck
 
Well we have a nice shop here too. Except it's run by GSA and they won't let me anywhere NEAR it... :mad:

When some of the snow melts off (Usually not 'till May) I'm gonna go hunting for thrown moose antlers. We have a huge moose population where, so I think my chances are pretty good. I generally prefer through tangs, although I might try a slab if I can find a good antler, just for the experiance :)

-Nate
 
Hey AC

In a way I owe my knife making to the chain, also. My brothers and I are metal skills guys and work mostly piping. We have all worked in fish processing plants out on the chain. How I got started commercial fishing. My one brother spend almost a year on Akatan and meet a knife maker, metal experimenter and started playing with it tpo kill the time. They made a bit of damascus and a couple knives from it. When I saw one, I lusted for a knife of it. He dropped the hobby and his grinder set there. I got sick and couldn't do to much physically, but, wanted a hobby to keep busy and a light came on and here I am.
 
IB

It is amazing what you can do when you are really bored. I did more up in ADAK and Kef than I had done in years previously. I found my first Knife Mags at the Exchange and was in heaven.

Chuck
 
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