What do you want that is hard to find?

Burl Source

Burl Source

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Dec 7, 2008
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My boss and I were having a talk yesterday. It came up in conversation that the knife makers are my most loyal and consistent customers. He asked, "What else do you think we should start supplying for knife makers?" He initially asked about types of steel, antler or other materials used by knife makers that they might have difficulty getting.

A couple ideas I had were exotic leathers for sheath making, Wootz bar stock, Elk antler, unusual damascus patterns. I don't want to be just a supplies person. More like cool and unusual stuff that you have a hard time finding. Are there any specific woods I should get?

My boss is ok with me importing or having items produced for us to supply. I just need to know from you guys what you really want.
 
I don't know If I could get some cash to buy a bunch, but some choice bits of amboyna would be cool to have.
 
I have been looking for Chinese Quince burl for a long time. A.G. Russel uses it on some of the knives he offers but I haven't been able to find a supplier.

Take care

Charles
 
antler and horn sounds like a good idea. I would recommend exotic handle materials, wood, and otherwise, because that seems to fit better with the burl thing. do you sell stabilized burl? if not that would seem to be the next logical step. Then you will be even better known as the best handle material supplier. Other raw materials like steel are relatively easy to find, although I would like to try some kangaroo leather heard its really tough.

PS: you could also get into the glue business- get lots of different glues, test them and then recommend them based on handle material
 
I'd say stick with woods for now as that is what you guys know. Find the really really good stuff get what needs to be stabilized stabilized then sell it to us. And just keep branching out into different woods. Although, if you happen upon some nice ivory, stag, etc. along the way I don't think anyone will complain. It's just that you guys know wood.
 
Really sweet afzelia X-lay and super sick sheoak rays.

Oh, and VG10 flat bar would be SWEET! You did say hard to get...
 
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Asian Black Palm in a size that will allow angled cuts to obtain 5X1.25 to 6X1.5 scales. Email me for more info if this doesn't make sense.

One of my all time favorite woods seems pretty hard to find lately - Box elder Burl. Dyed and stabilized there are few woods to match it. I would love to be able to purchase this in bulk pieces. I used to find big chunks on ebay, but the supply has dried up. Dang those box elder bugs.
 
I was going to say Box Elder Burl, Amboyna burl would be pretty sweet too. I've never worked with it but it looks like it would make some nice looking handles. Although I honestly don't know much about it. I like the look of Madrone burl as well but again I'm not versed in it's effectiveness as handle material.
 
Really heavily figured ironwood burl. And maybe some of that super thin g10 that can be used as liners (like 0.03" thin).

--Nathan
 
Nebulae kangaroo leather is very strong for it's thickness but at 1.5 to 2 mm thick it's not thick enough for a sheath. Maby if you are interested in exotic skins from Australia try these blokes chameleonleatherau@yahoo.com.au they have cane toad, fish skins, emu, sting ray, snake and croc skins. Maby Mark could get into some of those things.
 
I think I am liking the idea of expanding the variety of woods and getting some exotic hides for sheath inserts and such. My boss was the one who brought up steels but I agree with Alan about sticking with the wood because that is what I know best.

As for the different leathers, when I was a kid, a friend of my dad was a leather worker, saddles and western style tooling. He taught my brothers and me for a couple years. As kids, we made good money doing leatherwork while we were growing up. Even though it has been years, I still look at good sheaths and think about how I would have made something like that and maybe what I would have done differently.

I will get in touch with the fellows that Adam mentioned for the exotic leathers. He hasn't steered me wrong yet.

If anyone knows someone in the Phillipines that I can talk to about importing Amboyna please let me know. The stuff is selling for really high prices over here.

I am working on more Ironwood, but my guy doesn't go back till September.
 
I'll echo Allen's post Mark. I think simply branching further out with the wood end of things is the way to go (horrific pun totally NOT intended :foot:).

Getting into steel and things is a whole new world and would suck up a huge amount of energy, time, focus, that I think would be better spent on your guys' wood business.

You already have a pretty darn big following here... expanding on the woods offered could only help that (as well as with some of your other customers I would think).

You rock Mark :)
 
gixxer said:
Really sweet afzelia X-lay and super sick sheoak rays.

Oh, and VG10 flat bar would be SWEET! You did say hard to get...
Click to expand...

Somebody forwarded my email address to another supplier, this time in Western Australia where they have different woods. The Sheoak is one of them. Who ever contacted them, Thank You.

I like the rays and no pore surface I have seen in their Hairy Oak, haven't had Sheoak yet but the photos sure look nice. I will try to get some real soon.

These are some of the photos they sent. Do you guys like this stuff?

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Stick with woods
stabilized blocks big enough for dagger and sword handles might be an option

-Page
 
I'd suggest not deviding yourself.

Stick with woods...perhaps finishing supplies.
 
Oh along with what others have said I would stick more with handle material, woods, bone, maybe imitation ivory, etc. maybe some cool looking acrylic kind of stuff. Steel we can get relatively easily, maybe something to do with sheaths might be an option.
 
You guys are telling me what I was hoping to hear. I had to ask about the other stuff because my boss brought it up.

Now I think I will just focus on getting some of the most unusual woods in the world. I know wood and leather working so I might try to get some unusual skins as well.

There were a couple posts mentioning Chinese Quince Burl. In searching I have not been able to find anyone selling it yet. There were some old posts that said it was really Amboyna burl under a different name. Not sure about that, but I will keep looking.

If anyone knows good wholesale sources of any Asian or African woods please let me know. Thanks everyone.
 
I agree with what Russ said. If you had some finishing supplies as well (since you can experiment with what's best better than most of all of us) I would sure love to know about what would be best to use
 
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