Waxed wood question

jorasco312

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
141
I got into hobby forging and knife making in 2006… and of course I was excited and bought stuff …. Like handle wood … from Rockler, Woodcraft, at hammer-ins, well you know the drill! A lot was put away for a later day…. In an unheatedattached garage subjected to Atlanta area heat and humidity. Today I opened a box and started finding stuff…. Stuff I don’t remember what it is ….. newbies … label everything you get! most have the ends waxed … so I sawed off about 1/16th-1/8” of the ends. Does not appear the wax penetrated that distance. No checks or cracks!

The wood is on shelving close to the ceiling (warmer/hotter) and the garage faces the afternoon sun and will be 10 - 15 degrees hotter than ambient air temp!

Most of the wood is turning stock 1.5x1.5” , 2”x2” , some 1.5” slabs.

Here are the questions: given the circumstances of storage and time , would the moisture content have stabilized?
Would the wax have penetrated deeper than the amount I removed above? If so, how much should I cut off?

Any other thoughts and/or suggestions are appreciated!

Randy
 
It will vary by species as the oil content is dynamic. It’s never a bad idea to send to K&G or another stabilizer if you are uncertain. Ironwood, cocobolo and other similar high oil species should be fine
 
In 19 years the wood has acclimated to the surrounding atmosphere. It is stable as far as that goes. Use it as-is or send it to K&G for stabilizing. Your choice.
Stabilizing by impregnation of acrylic resins is not the same thing as stabilization to the local environment.

Labeling wood and steel is a very wise thing. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at a piece of nice wood and had no exact idea of what it was. Steel is nearly impossible to identify if unlabeled. I use metal white marking pens to label bars of steel and blades I am working on. Write on both ends and on both sides. One real plus for marking the blades as you work on them is the white metal marker will survive HT.
Wood should be labeled with a pencil, not a marking pen unless you are sure the marked area will be removed in making the handle. Marking pens can put the black ink fairly far into the wood.
 
Thanks for your responses. Kinda what I had assumed...
 
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