Recommendation? Wood for handle scales

[Dullhound]

I have at least 40 or 50 pieces of Black Walnut from a few trees on a local farm I had harvested and processed thinking id use it to make pistol grips for myself or potentially knife handles. They've been curing for about 10 years now in a closet and as I clear out space I had entertained the idea of selling some of it. Is there a market for it?

Most of it is 5 to 6" long and 2" x 2" square but some are larger or longer. Any advice is appreciated

 

[Tsujigiri]

Folding knife handles require such a small section of wood that it's much easier to find a highly figured piece than with most other things made of wood. Because of that, I don't think there would be a much demand for anything less premium than the usual suspects like ebony, desert ironwood, snakewood, etc, or a more common species with a really interesting grain.

For a fixed blade with really thick handles, it would make a lot more sense. I think a bunch of people sell handles for knives that didn't come with them like the ESEE Izula or came with really cheap handles like the Becker BK2.

 

[donnord]

Scale material is typically about 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 3/8 So your pieces are the right size. 2x2x5 1/2 blocks should yield at least 2 sets of scales. Walnut scales sell for about 12 bucks at Rockler I think. You have a few bucks worth of wood there, why not list them on the exchange and see what happens.

 

[navman]

I love walnut for knife handles and use figured walnut often. Well finished walnut has a warmth to it that I actually prefer over some of the more exotic species.

That pice elooks to have some decent curl to it.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I'm in the same boat... I cut, store, collect wood.
It's a problem. Haha....

I too love walnut. I'm experimenting with some outside, hopefully spalting.....idk?

I also have some nice trunks of Sumack? That I'm drying..... I plan on sending off for stabilizing

There is Always a market.....just might not be huge.

 

[edgelion]

Love me some black walnut. The house I grew up in is surrounded by five of the biggest black walnut trees you ever saw. I still have access to the walnuts that fall there, as well as any amount of loose wood I would need for small projects, I'm sure.

 

[Blue Sky]

Walnut makes good knife handles, I’m sure there would some interest. If you are going to list a lot of it here though you may want to be safe and verify with the staff you have the required membership level for bulk material sales.

 

[Horsewright]

As others have mentioned you seem to have some nice figure in those pics. I too use quite a bit of walnut, both Black and Turkish.

Black walnut with jasper:

By itself:

Turkish:

Anyhoo I've got a lifetime supply of both. I might suggest seeing if there are some knife makers near you that you could trade with. Most of my lifetime supply came from trading with a custom rifle maker for his stock cutoffs.

 

[J. Doyle]

Walnut carves really nicely.


But if it isn't carved or checkered, I'll echo the others....it needs to have great figure or curl or color banding to be much good to most makers.

 

[ShaiHulud]

I don't see a lot of hickory being used for knife handles and scales
That'd be interesting

 

[Mk-211]

I don't see a lot of hickory being used for knife handles and scales
That'd be interesting

 

[Dullhound]

Thank you all for the responses, I will be sorting it soon and hopefully able to find someone who can make use of it in trade

 

[jfk1110]

He was my idol growing up in the 70's and 80's.........Him and Al Bundy........