spruce burl

[Rob!]

I have come into posession of a fair size spruce burl. it probably weights 40 - 50 lbs and still has the bark and 'porcupine' coat around it. It has about 4 inches of trunk on each end, at least one of which is checked pretty deeply.

I'm guessing it's been dead and on the ground at least one and maybe two years. I'm looking for some advice on how to preserve it, how to cut it and just how good spruce burl is as a handle material. I presume it would have to be stabilized but what about looks? I suspect angle of cut is pretty much a crap shoot since the grain often goes every which way in a burl.

All guidance appreciated.



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Rob Ridley
Ranger Original Handcrafted Knives

 

[Phillip Jones]

I don't think it matters which way it is cut since the grain in a burl goes in all directions. Cut it from several different directions and see which way has the better figure pattern.
Have it stabilized once you have cut it into handle size blocks.
Be careful when cutting, burls sometime contain rocks and dirt.
As far as the figure of the wood goes, I have no idea what it is going to look like. All I can say is for you to cut it and find out.

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