Wood for handle

B

Broken Eye

Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
52
So, I'm thinkin hard about making a custom order 16.5-17" ASTK with a handle of a wood that I could ship to Yangdu, and thus to the kamis. However, it's hard finding a wood that is hard, can stand up to use, is crack/rot resistant, and looks great to boot.
I was thinking along the lines of some type of ebony, whether it be gabon, black and white, massacar, or mun, but it's hard to find a 4" x 4" x 10" block of wood for the handle and karda/chakmak to be made from while not being too pricy. I'm trying to get enough so that I can give HI another handle to be made for the DOTD for you all to have fun sharking over and to help HI in the process.

Anyone got any suggestions on woods? Preferably very dark, very light, or contrasting woods (jobillo, black and white ebony, or padauk for example)? Thanks
 
Ipe, teak, cocobola, osage orange (hedgeapple/bois d'arc) or wenge get my vote.
 
As my woodworking dad put it, "If they can figure out teak, they can figure out anything." Just send what looks cool.
 
NoahL said:
Ipe, teak, cocobola, osage orange (hedgeapple/bois d'arc) or wenge get my vote.
Click to expand...

any of these would do the trick, they are all up to the task of chopping, quite durable and look beautiful.
Cocobolo is my favorite wood of all but one warning, for some this is a wood that can really cause some respiratory distress to work with, it is chock full of esters that many folks are allergic to so the dust really eats them up. There are a few others like this but Cocobolo seems to be the #1 wood to cause these issues.

So, as much as I do love the way it would look, it is perhaps better not to send it and find out no one is able to work it there. Next issue is many countries, including our own USA, have some pretty strict rules about the importation of agricultural products like wood. This is a pretty good idea but it may or moat not be possible to do, again depending on the wood and the importation laws of Nepal.

If it is possible, may I suggest sending them a "Turning Square" of the chosen wood?
That should provide ample wood for your ideas and maybe even some for the smaller knives too like an R-3 etc.
 
I emailed Yangdu and she said she needed a 4" thick and 10" in length, height...idk. Anyone know of any places with something roughly 2" X 4" X 10"+? All the turning squares I find arent 4" thick unfortuantely.
 
Kingwood is a beautiful, stable wood and is as hard and strong as cocobolo. I wouldn't send cocobolo because of the possibility of skin allergies and respiratory problems.
I can also recommend Purpleheart. It is not as heavy but is an easy wood to work. It makes for a pretty handle. I have used it for this. Argentine Lignum Vitae is really strong, but isn't very pretty, at least to my eyes. Ipe is also likely to produce "toxic" splinters.
Most places are going to have pretty wet wood if you get a real exotic, like Kingwood. Check to see that the wood is kiln dried if at all possible.
Some woods are wet when they arrive and take months to airdry.
I would not go with ebonies - They tend to crack and need to be very carefully dried.
I have gotten lots of woods from West Penn Hardwoods. They are good to work with, but many of the exotic woods are going to be air dried and wet. In addition to the sources previously mentioned, Rockler sells exotic woods.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. At this time, without calling anyone, I can only find osage orange and australian blackheart (dont know how good it would be) in the sizes necessary at this time, but I'll surely be emailing/calling to see if I can get some wood cut appropriately. Thanks! Also, anyone know anything about zebrawood, narra, or desert ironwood (Mr Mike was quite right, btw) and how it turns out?
 
Narra is a good, hard wood, but it's protected most places, so I don't know how easy it would be to get some. How about palmwood?
 
Desert Ironwood is obviously, by the name, some good strong stuff but it is usually pretty expensive for a chunk with decent figuring.
Probably one of the more expensive woods you have wondered about so far.
Burls are always pretty but unless they are stabilized correctly, are not for a heavy duty chopper type blade. Too fragile.

Best thing for you to d now is to decide from what you know now or this runs the risk of being thought to death.
I guess at least, that is what happens with me, too many options make me seize up. ;)
 
Take a look here:
http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=1435
African Blackwood is excellent, but expensive.
I don't think that Zebra is all that stable - it can warp, and the same goes for Padauk.
Many cutlers use Bacote, but it is not as pretty as the Rosewoods.
Be sure to call any vendor to find out about the wood they carry and how it is dried.
I have some Tulipwood, but it does tend to splinter.
 
Becote is a nice wood, here is a nice David Farmer Tribal Utility made with a Becote handle
main.php
 
So, I've narrowed it down to orange osage, which I can get pretty cheaply and will probably get in addition to another; jobillo but i've heard its hard to glue; jicarillo in the snakewood family; ironwood; african blackwood (DANG it's expensive, 4"X4"X12" for $230 on one website!, prolly not happening); maybe olivewood but i'm guessing it's too soft; narra; or marblewood.
Heading to a retailer here in oklahoma city today to see the wood in person and if I can get a custom order made if they don't have what I want in stock. Wish me luck and thanks for all the help and advice guys!
 
I'd like to see HI make a traditional Japanese, non-folding straight razor. I could shave with a true one-of-a-kind.
 
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