spalted wood ?

L

logyard

Joined
Feb 15, 2000
Messages
11
I went to the Missoula Knife Show last summer and bought some wood blocks, 1"x1 1/2" x 6". One of the blocks I bought was a Spalted Maple Burl, it's colors are black, tan, and cream, very nice. I've looked through Websters Dictionary and I can't find the word Spalted. Can anybody tell me what Spalted wood is,was, or does.
 
yes he is right... i think spalting is the first stage of wood deterioration due to rot, and it begins to get fungi and bacteria growing in the wood which makes all those nice colors. as long as you get it early or cut out all the bad spots it can be very good handle material...ken onion buys buckeye and puts it in his yard with old smelly stuff and leaves it there for a while and brews his own.

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
logyard,
Hopefully you didn't panic when you heard that spalting was rot. Let me add a little to this. Spalting is caused by a fungus in the wood. The beautiful figure and unique colors are in fact caused by what is sometimes called "white rot" caused by the fungus. However, when the wood is harvested and dried, the fugus is arrested. Spalting, like many other things that spell bad news for a tree, create a beautiful medium for artists such as wood turners and knifemakers.
 
In the past, Scott Slobodian has used some very choice spalted woods for the scabbards of his Japanese blades. I've seen them in Knives Illustrated and Blade magazines. The spalt is very striking.

Centaur
 
wear a good respirator, and clean your shop good after using the spalted wood. whatever killed that tree could be getting in your lungs if your not careful. i dont use spalted woods becuase of the fact that it had a fungus in it.
 
Magnum,

If you think that is frightening, consider these tidbits of information:
Wood we typically use for handle material is comprised of dead cells, which surely contains some amount of dead fungus.
Rust is a form of fungus. Be careful of rust disease.
Be careful what you eat, especially mushrooms.
Fungus is a parasite that can be found everywhere, usually in microscopic form. Consider using your respirator at all times.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.


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None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. -Goethe
 
From my very first "Spalted Wood, 101" introduction, the most interesting thing I remember is that the black streaking is caused by a chemical the dying tree releases that allows the wood to rot.
This wood should be stabilized to toughen it up some and help it last a whole lot longer.
Spalted wood has many soft spots and hard spots that make it difficult to finish evenly.
You have a treasure there!

Dave Evans
 
Since we're mentioning safety tips here. You guys should know that tetanus lives in all wood. And you can get it from getting cut on the tools that you use in your woodworking/handlemaking etc. So thats one shot thats worth keeping up to date on. They make your whole arm sore, but that goes away and they're good for 5 years. I learned all this from my last trip to the emergency room
smile.gif


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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
I have some nice spalted cherry that I found in one of those big metal bins with free stuff inside them outside a cabinet shop. It's unfortunately a little on the small side but would make beatiful handles for kitchen paring knives. I've almost changed my mind though from what's been said about the inactive fungus in the wood. Unless its been stabilized I suppose it's not a good choice for damp kitchen activity??? Any thoughts?-Guy T.
 
Stablizing is clearly the best way to go with kitchen knife handles, but it's expensive.

You might try what I do. I use multiple coats of penetrating epoxy with light sanding between coats. This stuff is intended for sealing and strengthening rotten wood and it works quite well on knife handles, especially when the wood is porous. I carefully apply a thin final coat and it leaves a nice shiny surface.

Carl
 
Years ago a friend almost died from tetanus after he cut his hand on a shovel while planting some pine seedlings. Everyone should have a tetanus shot, especially folks like us who work with sharp objects and dirty old wood.
 
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