Question about burl wood

BonhamBlades

BonhamBlades

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Nov 13, 2010
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I came across some beautiful rare burl wood that is fresh cut green wood that has been cut into small blocks and waxed. My question is how likely is it to crack or split? thanks in advance for your help...
 
When I tried to take green wood and cut it into handle size pieces I filled a box with sawdust and packed the material in it. I left it there for about 3 years and then took it out for use/stabilization. No problems in the batches I did but that does not guaranty yours will turn out the same. I also used to slice oversize then sticker them in the attic for a couple years. Once dry I would cut to size and send out for stabilization.

I have given up on trying to find large chunks and cut them into handles. It is fun at times but I had so much waste it made it more problematic than it was worth. I now buy dry stabilized material that catches my eye. It might cost more up front but pays dividends in the long run in time and lots of scrap material. This is what I have come to, again for you it may be different.
 
Not trying to hijack your thread bonham but I have a similar question. Here in alabama I've seen many oaks and maples with burls and have my eye on a few to get. Would it be best to cut in blocks to dry and seal in wax or leave in one solid piece and seal the cut side.
 
the best way is to Leave the burls intact and let sit in a cool dry place for one year for each 1" of thickness.

Some cut into oversize blocks, but your chance of cracking goes way up. I have had burls/ logs that once they are down to about 20% mosture I cut into oversized blocks and then seal in a cardboard box for another year or until its down to 10-12% Then its off to be stabilized or ready for use.
 
danool13 - If they are branch tumor burls, cut the branch about 12" from the burl on both sides. Seal with paint and set aside for several years. Then cut in half down the middle, cut the ends off next to the burl, and seal with paint again for a year or two. After this, you can cut into oversize blocks or slabs and let dry until it is low enough moisture content to send off for stabilizing ( and dying if desired. Maple dyes a beautiful brown as well as red and green.).

rmbonham - You description of a "waxed block" or "rare" burl wood sounds like an ebay sellers ad for turning blocks. They are usually quite green. You will have to scrape away as much wax as you can, sand the surfaces well, and let continue to dry for at least a year. Since it has already been cut and stored for a while, there is probably no real gain in painting the surfaces. I have bought a lot of promising wood in this way. Some worked out good, others warped and split badly. It can take years for some to dry out fully.
Wood Turners have very different methods and processes for their wood than knifemakers do, and they actually like it in the wet state. Some of their "stabilization" methods actually make the wood sort of permanently wet ( like PEG and Pentacryl).
For knifemaking, it is best to get wood that was cut an stored with making knife handles in mind. Folks like Burl Source do this, as well as many others. In the long run, buying blocks already cut to size and stabilized for use as knife handles is often the best cost wise...unless you make a lot of knives.
 
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Thank you for all of your advice, you guys saved me a pretty penny. Rather than dropping a chunk of change like I was going to I heeded your warnings and opted to only gamble on two blocks. Only two weeks into drying and both blocks have cracked more times than I can count. I have been checking daily and zapping the cracks with super glue to keep the size to a minimum, but if I had bought the 15 I was going to it would be a full time job just gluing them up daily lol. The things we will do for rare burl. Oh I never said what it is, it is osage orange burl. if any one knows someone that has some dry or stabilized osage burl and wants to part with a block or two let me know.
 
If you can lay hands on some Mesquite burl, do it. It's drop dead gorgeous and about the most user friendly wood i've ever used.
 
To let it dry slower, you could put your blocks in a plastic bag, paper bag, or a box covered in sawdust. You will still need to check for cracks. Wood in a plastic bag can mold. But, mold can be a good thing. Mold can cause spalt which is very desirable. Too much mold too long can rot the wood.
I had some wood which was very hard to dry with out cracks. I painted it with thick varnish, wrapped it in wax paper and let it sit for several years. It turned out good.
Wood working supply places sell a wax emulsion you can paint on the wood. This helps with the cracking. Latex paint can also work.
I have never seen osage orange burl. It must be spectacular. It would be worth waiting for while the wood cures.
 
Anytime buying fresh cut waxed wood is a gamble.
With a layer of wax you can't see if there are already any checks or cracks. Then you take the gamble as to whether you can dry it intact. There is a LOT of loss during the drying process. Then even more when you cut it up and reveal what you could not see before.
There are a lot of reputable wood sellers out there who can sell you good quality dry wood for a bit more than the green wood would cost.
Another thing to bear in mind is what is acceptable to a wood turned can be wholly unacceptable to a knife maker.

I cringe when I look back at some of the wood that I thought was good when I first started at this.
Now a lot of what I used to think was good wood goes into the discount scrap bins to be purchased by.........woodturners.

This is not meant to be knocking the woodturners. But a lot of their literature focuses on projects using found materials and yard waste.
What they might call a unique character feature translates as unusable to the knife world.
 
The thing to do for rare burls... pay for the stabilized blocks! :)

That said, I can't recall Mark ever offering an Osage Orange Burl. Mark, you better get on that. And some mesquite burl while you're at it.
 
Yes mark get on that and while you are at it some yellow cedar burl, chittum burl and cocobolo burl would be great lol. I love the ringed gidgee on your website beautiful stuff. I also just used some of your 3D maple with silver blue spalting on a chef knife, absolutely beautiful. I am glade I have more of it.
 
tryppyr said:
That said, I can't recall Mark ever offering an Osage Orange Burl. Mark, you better get on that. And some mesquite burl while you're at it.
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I think Phillip Patton had some Osage burl at one time. I know Larry Davis has some good mesquite. In a month or so I will have some AZ Walnut that looks a lot like mesquite but better in my opinion. The owner of our place is in Nicaragua right now. I told her to look for Cocobolo Burl but I am not holding my breath.
 
Burl Source said:
Anytime buying fresh cut waxed wood is a gamble.
With a layer of wax you can't see if there are already any checks or cracks. Then you take the gamble as to whether you can dry it intact. There is a LOT of loss during the drying process. Then even more when you cut it up and reveal what you could not see before.
There are a lot of reputable wood sellers out there who can sell you good quality dry wood for a bit more than the green wood would cost.
Another thing to bear in mind is what is acceptable to a wood turned can be wholly unacceptable to a knife maker.

I cringe when I look back at some of the wood that I thought was good when I first started at this.
Now a lot of what I used to think was good wood goes into the discount scrap bins to be purchased by.........woodturners.

This is not meant to be knocking the woodturners. But a lot of their literature focuses on projects using found materials and yard waste.
What they might call a unique character feature translates as unusable to the knife world.
Click to expand...

Mark,
You are 100% right about what a difference in woods that a turner wants over a knifemaker.

I know I guy that does 10X turning work on bowls and the like!

His comment to me was that cracks & holes in his wooden bowls cost more$$$$$$$$
 
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