What's birdseye maple?

R

Ray Z

Joined
Jul 10, 2000
Messages
90
Just bought a bowie made by Chris Marks with a birdseye maple handle. The handle is the wrong shape for my hand and I want to modify it slightly.
How can I re-finish it after the reshaping to the original birdseye maple streak appearance? Thanks in advance.
 
Don't have any idea what was used for the original finish. I like to use nitric acid and heat to bring out the wood pattern and colors (like the gunsmiths did in the 1800's). This is followed by several coats of Tung oil.

BlacksmithRick@aol.com
 
Birds Eye Maple is just a species of maple that has tight little knots in the grain. The better the peice, the more knots or eyes there are. These knots are not the same as the ones you get where a limb grows out of the tree, they're part of the normal grain structure and don't pop out or anyhitng like that.
One good thing/bad thing about maple, is that it takes color very well. Some colors show the grain better than others. But if you don't know exactly how it was finished, and you don't take all of the old finish off, you'll have a real hard time getting colors matched.
I would either try and get ahold of the maker to find out what finish was used. Or plan on taking all the old finish off, which could be a pretty big job if it was some type of penetrating oil that was soaked/boiled in. You'll at least have to sand an even amount of it off.

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It'll feel better when it stops hurting.
 
Best thing to do is call Chris and find out how he treats it, if you want to keep the same finish.

If its the one that Nordic Knives had, its curly maple.

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"Never hit a man unless you must, but if you must, knock him down" Teddy Roosevelt.

www.lameyknives.com
 
Matt,

Damm you're good! It is the one that Nordic knives had. I was down in so cal and stopped by the store in Solvang. Marks made the knife when he was still a journymen smith with ABS and it has the JS marking. The grind lines are almost perfect, but what's more important, it cuts better than anything else I have. If I had any doubts before, this knife made me a believer of carbon steel and convex grinds. It's scary how well it cuts.

So if its curley maple, does that change anything on how to refinish it? Does anyone know how I can contact Chris Marks, tel#?

BTW, Matt I like the look of your knives. Are you ever going to come out to some of the west coast shows with your wares?

Thanks everyone for the help.
 
Nope curly maple would take the same process as birds eye maple. It just has a different grain.Check this out, it will help you tell the difference
Birds Eye Maple
And Curly Maple
The picture of the curly maple isn't real good but it gives you the idea. I would definitely try and get ahold of the maker to find out what kind of finish was used.

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It'll feel better when it stops hurting.
 
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