Stabilizing wood

O

O.L.C.

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May 14, 2018
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I just picked up some home stabilizing equipment. (Vacuum pump, chamber and cactus juice) I have done some research on it and think I get the basics, like making sure it is dry and all. I am just wondering if you guys have any other tips for me? Tricks you have learned?

Thanks, Dave
 
Just follow the instructions exactly. Be sure the wood is dry, then baked in oven for 24 hrs at 200F or so. Pull the vacuum good, then let it sit for several hours, even overnight is good to give plenty of time for resin to be pulled into the wood completely. Then bake in oven per instructions.

Once you clean the wood up, it should sink in a pan of fresh water to show it's fully stabilized.
Understanding that some wood just won't do as good as K&G does. Most of the maples, spalted woods, and other open pore woods will stabilize nicely. American Black Walnut is harder to home stabilize.

Good luck and have fun. Most likely I've not saved any money, but it's another learning experience.

Ken H>
 
Does a vacuum pump have to work all the time, or can I close the valve when it's close to -1 bar and shut down the pump?
 
Thanks we will see how it goes.

I have a ton of English walnut, and cherry. I may have to send out the walnut then. I live in orchard country so cherry, and apple wood is really easy toget.

I am planning on just shutting the valve. As long as it holds, it should be fine. Just keeping an eye on it will be the key I think.
 
FiliKnives said:
Does a vacuum pump have to work all the time, or can I close the valve when it's close to -1 bar and shut down the pump?
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It needs to keep running the whole time until there are no bubbles. Read the information on the cactus juice page and follow it to the letter. Once the bubbles have stopped, release the vacuum and turn off the pump. Let it soak for as long as it was under vacuum at a MINIMUM. Longer is better.
 
O.L.C. said:
Thanks we will see how it goes.

I have a ton of English walnut, and cherry. I may have to send out the walnut then. I live in orchard country so cherry, and apple wood is really easy toget.

I am planning on just shutting the valve. As long as it holds, it should be fine. Just keeping an eye on it will be the key I think.
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Don't do that. Keep the pump running the whole time- until the bubbles stop. I leave it run overnight regularly. It won't hurt the pump .
 
If you are working with orchard wood, be aware that pesticide residues may be present, particularly in the bark. Be sensible about PPE and dust control.
 
Keep the vacuum running until bubbles stop coming from the wood. Make sure the wood is submerged in the liquid filler. This could take several days. Once the bubbles are very small or stopped, stop the vacuum and allow to stand in the liquid for approx. twice the time you used the vacuum. Once vacuum is complete, wrap in aluminum foil and heat to 200 degrees for 24 hours. Turn Tex is a good and helpful site.
 
There is a fellow on utube named Jacklore. Bushcrafter, very knowledgeable about the process. He’s made some changes over the years. Might be worth a shot sifting through some of his vids.
 
Here is the video I found. Really informative. I am sure others will enjoy too. Good tip rjedoaks.

 
I’m real curious how this system works. Does it work well? I always hear “don’t bother, it will never work as well as K&G.” Is that true? Has anyone compared home brew stabilized to K&G? Do they weigh the same? I wonder if there’s a way to test the Janka Hardness and compare to other stabilization methods. Is the wood completely adequate for knife handles? I’m not suggesting they’re not. I’m just wondering, because I don’t know.
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
I’m real curious how this system works. Does it work well? I always hear “don’t bother, it will never work as well as K&G.” Is that true? Has anyone compared home brew stabilized to K&G? Do they weigh the same? I wonder if there’s a way to test the Janka Hardness and compare to other stabilization methods. Is the wood completely adequate for knife handles? I’m not suggesting they’re not. I’m just wondering, because I don’t know.
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The results are HIGHLY dependent on skill level. Therefore, most makers aren't going to risk unknowns. So k&g is King. I have compared my home stabilized to k&g, and for maple burl anyway, I can't tell a difference in resin penetration, weight gain, or finish. That said, I only sell k&g stabilized wood. AND I have a proper setup and a developed and proper technique.
 
It's really really important that the wood is super dry. 24 hrs at 200 might not be enough. Take it out of the oven and put it in a zip lock so the moister in the air doesnt get to it while it cools down. Do not put hot wood in cactus juice.

Once cooled submerge. If you have bubbles persist for a very long time, that means it was not dry enough usually.

IMPORTANT to not try and stabilize oily woods. It will fail to work and will contaminate your cactus juice. Like cocobolo, ebony, rosewood, and that sort.

Good luck, it's not that easy and will eat up a lot of your time as a knife maker.
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
I’m real curious how this system works. Does it work well? I always hear “don’t bother, it will never work as well as K&G.” Is that true? Has anyone compared home brew stabilized to K&G? Do they weigh the same? I wonder if there’s a way to test the Janka Hardness and compare to other stabilization methods. Is the wood completely adequate for knife handles? I’m not suggesting they’re not. I’m just wondering, because I don’t know.
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K&G is a way better resin then cactus juice. I have done both home and professional cactus juice and professional k&g. K&g is like hard plastic every time. I switch to doing only k&g after so many failed cactus juice handles. Professional ones at that.
 
I wish I could figure out how to get pine cones dry enough to stabilize. I've tried baking them, soaking them in acetone, whatever I do, no matter how dry they seem, there is always some residual pitch that prevents good adhesion when casting in alumilite somewhere.
 
kuraki said:
I wish I could figure out how to get pine cones dry enough to stabilize. I've tried baking them, soaking them in acetone, whatever I do, no matter how dry they seem, there is always some residual pitch that prevents good adhesion when casting in alumilite somewhere.
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How about packing the cones in some drying material like Vermiculite ?? For a couple of months??
 
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