I store my snakewood for a couple years ( and it has been curing at the sawyers for maybe four or five already). That allows for enough time for most of the splits to happen. When working snakewood, there will be some hairline splits that you either discover, or open up as you remove wood. Snakewood has a lot of internal stress, and is tricky. If done right, and slowly, a finished handle will remain stable for a long time. I let the finished knife sit in the cabinet for a couple months to make sure nothing is still moving.A I said, thin cyanoacrylic does a great job of making those hairline cracks disappear.
As far as the reputation problem....snakewood already has that reputation. Few knowledgeable buyers would blame the maker if a snakewood handled knife checked later. Same goes for ivory and Gabon ebony. It is the rarity and difficulty of working it that make the handles desirable.
Snakewood is not for knives that get hard use....or ones that get a lot of wet/dry cycles (kitchen knives). It is a good wood for collectible knives and to compliment sculptured handles on art knives.
The grade varies a lot from some pretty plain stuff to wood that is incredible. The price varies on the same scale. I have paid over $1000 for a 1/2 log 3 feet long. I have also paid $50 drywall bucket full of lower grade pieces. A premium set of scales or a block can set you back $50+.
Stacy
