Stabilized Folder Scales Evaluation -Status & Results

Burl Source

Burl Source

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Dec 7, 2008
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This thread is for the folder makers who agreed to evaluate stabilized wood scales for the folders they make. Each of the makers who agreed to take part was sent two sets of stabilized burl or figured wood scales to try out on their knives. When a maker finishes a project using the scales this will be where photos and comments can be posted.

The scales that were sent were selected randomly from a batch of stabilized wood that was cut into 1/8" thick bookmatched scales.

These are the forum members taking part and what was sent to them.

Rusty McDonald - Spalted Maple Burl & Redwood Burl Finished folder with maple shown below
Joe Sangster - Spalted Maple Burl & Curly Redwood - Finished folder with maple shown below
Michael Gordon - Curly Redwood & Underground Redwood Burl - Finished folders with redwood shown below
Erik Boese - Spalted Maple Burl & Redwood Burl
Pierre Rodrigue - Underground Redwood Burl & Black Willow Burl
Balibalistic - Spalted Maple Burl & Redwood Burl
Patrick Randall - Spalted Maple Burl & Redwood Burl Finished Folder with Maple Burl shown below
Aaron Cardon - Curly Redwood & Black Willow Finished Knife with Redwood shown below
Brent Cramer - Spalted Maple Burl & Spalted Maple Burl
Sean Cochran - Curly (Bog) Maple & Underground Redwood Burl
Todd Davison - Spalted Maple Burl & Curly (Bog) Maple

I still have a few sets of stabilized scales left over so if anyone else wants to take part, just let me know. The way it works is; I provide the scales for free. You just pay the postage. When you finish a folder using this wood, post a photo here along with any comments. You get free scales and I get to have the fun of seeing some of my wood on the cool knives you guys make. It's a win/win situation.

Thank You to everyone taking part. Watch for photos in the coming days and weeks. Everyone's comments are welcomed.
Thanks, Mark
 
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Wow! Looks like Im in the company of some great makers with this one.
Thanks for the opportunity Mark. Right now I have two folders and four skinners on the bench to finish for orders so it will be about two weeks before I get to this one. (I still have to work a regular job:mad:).

Just an idea, maybe we could work out some kind of raffle for a charity with some of these.

Thanks
Sean
 
got something in the mail today. . .

one piece is a little bowed (second from left) but it is my favorite one of them all

my plans for this wood changed now that it got here.

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Received mine also! Such nice pieces, the maple would actually work on a fixed blade size wise! Thanks for the chance to try this out, can't wait to finish my folder up now!
 
TekSec said:
Received mine also! Such nice pieces, the maple would actually work on a fixed blade size wise! Thanks for the chance to try this out, can't wait to finish my folder up now!
Click to expand...

yea i am having a hard time not putting the underground redwood on one of the two fixed blades sitting beside me but i keep telling myself it has to go on a folder:grumpy:.
 
Got mine in as well, looks great! Nice mass, and figure. I dropped one of them and broke a small piece:o:mad:, but it wasnt in the part with the best figure:D

Look forward to getting started.

Sean
 
Cutting these so thin had me a little nervous. Some of the pieces may have a small flaw or two. That is why I cut them larger than you guys asked for. It will be up to you whether to work with or work around them. Plus I wanted to give enough room so you could position the grain and figure for the look you like best. Maybe when these are done we should have a people's choice contest or something. Any ideas or comments?
 
I just received an email from Joe Sangster with photos.
WOW!!!
That's a great looking folder! What do you guys think?

1-1.jpg


2-1.jpg


3-1.jpg
 
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Got mine to :) theres a good bit of voids/flaws in one piece, but the others are golden! i love the tight figure and i think it'll look great interframed :)
 
here is what i did

the blade is from a kit knife however i scrapped the rest of the kit due to poor quality and made my own. This is my first folding knife. still could use a little work but this is going to be a user.

The wood is beautiful and the pictures do not do it justice but let me caution you before it is on the kife it is a brittle as a saltine cracker. However on the knife with epoxy it feels sturdy.


it is a lock back
about 4"closed
7.5" open
440c
bolsters are satiless finished at 600 grit
redwood underground burl
needs to be sharpened a little better but i will get to that

IMG_0986.jpg


IMG_0987.jpg


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let me know what you think as this is my first folder

mg
 
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Great looking folder. Your comment about the scales being brittle was a concern of mine as well. Especially with pieces that do not have long grain for strength. With burl grain going every direction it does not have the strength to be bendable, ever stabilized. But it sure looks good. I think the finished results are worth the extra care needed working with this wood cut so thin.
 
Burl Source said:
Great looking folder. Your comment about the scales being brittle was a concern of mine as well. Especially with pieces that do not have long grain for strength. With burl grain going every direction it does not have the strength to be bendable, ever stabilized. But it sure looks good. I think the finished results are worth the extra care needed working with this wood cut so thin.
Click to expand...

i agree it is impossible for it to be as strong as wood with a directional grain but the look is great. On the knife it feels plenty sturdy but you have to be very careful putting it on
 
Mark was nice enough to send me some scales for a couple folders I have - nothing custom (or even all that nice) but I was very interested in trying out his stabilized wood. Of the 2 sets I glued up one tonight and the other I need to thin some more before I can move forward with them. One set was too small for either folder so I used it on a fixed blade (hope you're cool with that Mark!) with leather liners. I am a complete noob at this so there were many mistakes along the way and I really hope these turn out.

Regardless of how they turn out I can give my eval portion of working with Burl Source's stabilized wood.

Initial reaction was that the wood felt a little light, but these are small scales so couldn't quite tell how they'd compare to non-stabilized scales. They sound like plastic when you tap them and definitely smell different when you sand them. Though these are small there seemed to be full penetration through the wood with no areas of differing impregnation. The wood was clear and consistent. With a spritz of water the grain really popped out and showed great coloration and contrast in natural colors (something that I've noticed from other stabilization processes is that the colors almost seem muted).

After sanding to shape before applying to fixed blade I thought these sanded just like wood scales of the same size but were nice in that they didn't splinter or check like most wood can when using a disc sander. They sanded beautifully and I'm stoked once the epoxy cures to finish this set up and see how they finish up. I will post pics as soon as I finish up the knife, probably not till friday as I'm in class all day tomorrow.

Thanks again, Mark, for sending me the scales. Sorry it's taken so long to post any results, life kind of gets in the way sometimes! Also, like I mentioned, I am a complete noob at knifemaking but have done my share of woodworking in the past (I make custom wood portable Chiropractic adjusting tables) so I hope my review of your stabilized wood is what you were looking for!
 
I was trying to find this somewhere but do I need to finish stabilized wood at all or just take it up to 2000 and wax? I don't have a buffer. I like how these particular scales look (finishing some black willow right now) and will try to get a pic up tonight of them at 2000, again, this is on a fixed blade...

Taken to 400:

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Remember, I'm a noob and these were supposed to be folder scales so I had to add a fairly thick liner and couldn't line up the grain exactly how I wanted it... These sand so well and at 220 felt smoother than some wood feels at 400...
 
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