Pros and Cons of Red Oak

Brock Cutlery

Brock Cutlery

Joined
Jan 10, 2015
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We just got a load of firewood here in So Cal and I pulled out a stick of red oak to cut up and see how it looked. I like the patterns, and it's a very hard oak.
this is a top view and side view which show very different grain patterns due to the red pockets.

Is this usable for handles?
Too porous?
I like to use Boos Block board cream to treat my wood handles as it can be maintained over time and I think the oils and wax might be good to keep it from splitting.

Anyone with experience with this wood?

Thanks and Merry Christmas all!

redoak1.jpg


redoak2.jpg
 
Use a Danish oil finish. I use watco brand. Wet sand at 400g and the slurry will fill the pores. Several applications will likely be needed to fill the pores completely. 10-12 applications of oil is not uncommon, letting it dry 24h between coats. Once the pores are filled, you don't need to wet sand anymore, but you can keep going up in grits depending on the sheen you desire.

Red oak is the most commonly used hardwood in my area. It's relatively stable and hard. Not as hard or stable as white oak, but it's useable for a knife, if you are ok with the pores, or are willing to put the effort into filling them.
 
That first piece is beautiful. I would bet you can stabilize it and it will be wonderful.
Randy
 
Looks beautiful. Looks like Australian Buloke (which makes obvious sense). I bet it'll be great!
 
Thanks for the advice all. I'll try that Danish oil Willie. It sounds interesting, and I have more time with knives at this point. Quality over quantity.
Don, that is a really nice handle. I love that grain.

The pics above are the same piece. It's the top vs. the side views, so on a Wa handle it should make for some very interesting grain and transition.
I may have to go buy a few more choice pieces of firewood from this guy tomorrow.
 
Pros- works fine for something indoors like a knife handle of floors
Cons- wont hold up to an outdoor environment, I restored a truck 20 years ago and put red oak in for the bed and less than 2 years later you could push your finger through it. White oak for outdoor.
 
Old growth English oak would be the preferred version for toughness and looks, but unfortunately, we don't live in England. :grumpy: To my eye, white and live oak are uninteresting to look at even though they are VERY tough stuff.
 
I've been watching the vacuum method for wood stabilization. I think this would be nice if stabilized that way. Now I just have to gear up and give it a shot.
How do you finish stabilized wood, or does it need it?
 
Just sand it up to 1000 or better and buff it.
Brock47 said:
I've been watching the vacuum method for wood stabilization. I think this would be nice if stabilized that way. Now I just have to gear up and give it a shot.
How do you finish stabilized wood, or does it need it?
Click to expand...
 
It isn't worth doing your own stabilizing at home. At best, you get an inferior product. Trim a few pieces to about 120% the desired size and send it to K&G or WSSI for stabilizing. It is reasonably priced and will be top quality.

When used on the knife handle, just sand to a very fine finish. Many take it to as high as 4000-8000 grit. A rub down with carnauba wax may also me used.

While sanding at the lower grits ( 220-400) any pits or voids can be filled with thin CA, and sanded down. Apply a few drops, sand, repeat - the swarf will fill the voids and make it look like the rest of the pattern.
 
I found what I think is a very good video on stabilizing wood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cvB-MPtxpE
Stacy, do they have some special equipment that allows the 'professional' stabilizing job that I just can't economically do?
I'm not opposed to the idea, but I'm the type that likes to find my own wood, so I would probably stabilize a lot of wood over time.
Thanks
 
I have a home stabilizing setup, from turntex. It works quite well on softer woods, but higher density woods not so much. I have cords of spalting and curly poplar on my property, so it makes sense for me. Expect to spend $300- $500 to get set up.
 
Willie71 said:
I have a home stabilizing setup, from turntex. It works quite well on softer woods, but higher density woods not so much. I have cords of spalting and curly poplar on my property, so it makes sense for me. Expect to spend $300- $500 to get set up.
Click to expand...

Thanks Willie, that puts it into perspective. I still have other shop gear to buy, so I'll probably send wood out for treatment while I get the rest of my shop together.
 
If you cut deeper into some of those pieces of red oak with that figure, you should find some non-porous pieces.

I found quite a bit of that stuff in my firewood pile last year also, and kept some of the best. I think the figure is called "bear claw", and what I found wasn't even remotely porous. It looked crazy curly from the split sides, but when cut, it revealed that pattern that looks like voids but is not.

As much as I pretty much detest plain oak, I think this stuff is awesome, and I seriously doubt it needs stabilization, although it couldn't hurt.
 
You can load it up with numerous coats of super glue and take care of the pores, here's some
oak on one I just finished.

Ken.
 
kc custom said:
You can load it up with numerous coats of super glue and take care of the pores, here's some
oak on one I just finished.

Ken.
Click to expand...

Nice knife Ken. Is that some kind of specialty knife? It looks like it might be designed for a specific purpose.
Are you saying you use CA glue instead of stabilizing, just to fill the pores?
 
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