Should I Cut this Burl into knife handle pieces?

[blindhogg]

Ill take a guitar piece 10 x 20 x 2 if that is possible
Chris

 

[Keith_H]

I would keep it as big as possible, personally.

 

[SteelSlaver]

I would take 4 or 5 good sized knife blocks. Jim

 

[marekz]

i want a 90 x 80 x 6 piece. thanks-marekz--make the a super size 8" x 100" x 100" --thankz again-

 

[Phillip Dobson]

i want a 90 x 80 x 6 piece. thanks-marekz--make the a super size 8" x 100" x 100" --thankz again-

Well, based the price he quoted for a guitar blank, that'll only run you a paltry $50,000.

(I'd find a way, if a burl that big and that quality existed.)

Phillip

p.s. Have fun cutting it.

 

[Burl Source]

Just a quick update on the cutting.
I am starting with blocks and scales. There is a bit more waste than I had expected. It is taking a while because I am not just cutting long strips off the slab. I look at the wood with each cut and then determine how to do the next cut for the best figure and grain pattern. I started setting aside pieces for myself but found I wanted just about every piece so I put them all back. I'll let you guys have first choice and maybe there will be some left over for me. Just kidding. I already set aside a piece that I'm keeping no matter what.

I am not sure if there will be any big guitar size billets. I will just have to see how things go. Even with a big clean slab like this, you don't really know for sure what you have until you start cutting.

I should have a bunch ready and photographed by Saturday.

Phil asked how old I thought this was.
Back in the 40s the redwoods were not protected so the loggers only went after the big monster sized trees. Some of you have seen the pictures of the redwood that you drive your car through. There used to be a lot of those. There are still some in the State parks. Young ones would be a few hundred years old. There were sections of this slab with growth rings that were more than 20 to an inch. This type of burl grows on the side of the tree like a blister. Based on the size of the burl my guess is that the tree was a big prehistoric monster.

 

[lk3331]

make a table or sell it to someone else whole

 

[MidwestDave]

make a table or sell it to someone else whole

Right,......if this was tableforums or someoneelsewholeforums.
But this is bladeforums. Knife scales would be nice.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

make a table or sell it to someone else whole

It all comes down to economics. If the whole thing is worth $900 whole, and you can get $1100 by cutting into blocks, it should be cut into blocks. If the prospective furniture-maker is willing to pay more than the knifemakers, it should be his.

High quality wood like this will usually be cut into smaller pieces simply because it's more affordable and more profitable (at a certain unit price) as small pieces.

The worst thing would be to have it made into a table, and have the finished table be worth cutting into smaller blocks. If that were the case, I would have no qualms cutting up someone's finished work to make lumber for my projects. The wood should go to the one(s) who can use it most effectively (most profitably).

Phillip

 

[Fiddleback]

Hell. I want the whole thing.

 

[Brett Mathews]

Hell. I want the whole thing.

I wanted the whole thing too but Mark did not want to upset so many here that said they would take some. O well I dont blame him but it would have been nice.

 

[Burl Source]

I just started a thread in the supplies forum.
I wanted to post a heads up here before I started adding the blocks.
This will take you there. I am adding about 30 or so blocks now and more as I get them ready. I will be cutting scales tomorrow.

 

[hank_rearden]

i'll have it turned into a headboard for a king-sized bed.

 

[Burl Source]

Last night I posted the first few dozen blocks. Looks like they just about all sold overnight. I was supposed to work in the gallery this weekend, but I should probably cut some more blocks.

I have a bunch of sets of scales I will be posting this afternoon, then more blocks. Anybody who wanted some but missed out on the first batch can watch for the new ones this afternoon. Or if you'd like me to pick ones for you just send me a PM.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement. Those of you who recommended furniture use; we have lots of other burl slabs here for that kind of stuff. That is what we make here. This slab had really compact figure and is real hard. That is why I thought the best use for it was knife handles. Looks like a lot of you agree.

 

[WA Martin]

Andy says I need one at least 2" x 5" for a KPH so if you get a larger pretty piece I'd sure like to know about it. I subscribed to the for sale thread so hopefully I'll notice when you get more done. I don't know the thickness needed but I'd like a larger width on my handle so if it's a little thicker that's ok too.

 

[proguide]

I totally understand putting this on the forum. I also understand everybody wanting a piece but that really needs to be turned into a nice piece of custom furniture such as a table, as mentioned before.

 

[sizzler]

I totally understand putting this on the forum. I also understand everybody wanting a piece but that really needs to be turned into a nice piece of custom furniture such as a table, as mentioned before.

Too late.