Wood Scale Advice Needed

[BarryHalls]

So, I'm looking a different scales for my bush knife. I know some about black walnut and hickory and have some of that as much as 20 years old lying around and can go out and cut for free practically any tree which grows in Alabama, including holly, maple, poplar, and a friend is going to bush hog a stand of acacia and mixed hardwoods this summer.

I know 0 about stabilizing but am very keen to learn.

I know hickory is very sturdy, walnut is beautiful, long lasting, and very hard, but I worry about cracking.

I'm very curious about acacia. I see it for sale often.

I'm wide open to any suggestions about any woods ore better plastic blanks than the pearly white cutting boards I have on hand.

Thanks!

 

[GHEzell]

Black walnut or hickory both make for a good handle, though hickory can be a little plain it makes up for it in toughness. As a loose rule, any wood you can dent with your fingernail is too soft for a knife handle, IMO. Stabilizing is best left to professionals, again IMO. Another local wood to consider is black locust, it is very dense and hard. Regardless, the wood need to be dry before it is used, the general rule of thumb is 1 year drying for each inch of thickness, in case you're wanting to harvest it yourself. I have used white and red oak, both make nice handles when finished properly. I consider maple to be too soft unless it is sugar/rock maple, which makes a great handle. Not sure about acacia, again it depends on the primarily on the hardness. If the handle is properly installed, cracking is unlikely.

After installing the handle, be sure to seal it with a good oil (I use boiled linseed) and maybe wax too. This will help prevent the handle taking on moisture.

A massive red oak just fell at my Granddad's old place (it was largely hollow), and it has a nice burly area I intend to collect as soon as the weather improves. Burl is less likely to split than straight-grained wood (after it dries anyway), and is prettier to boot.

 

[BarryHalls]

Excellent info. Thanks!

I think there is some black and white locusts in that stand of acacia that's destined for the bush hog. Getting the burly bits may be a challenge, but I have chainsaws, tractors, chains, shovels, and gun powder at my disposal I think I have a fun weekend coming up in the springtime!

I'll start planing blanks out of that hickory and walnut.

 

[Patrickknives]

Be aware that the wood will need to dry for a long time, typically a year. You can speed up the process but you need to make sure it is dry to prevent shrinking and cracking. I cut the wood into 2" thick slabs about 2 1/2 feet long (fits into my drying cabinet, fancy talk for a old cabnet with holes in the back set in the sun). I leave it in the cabiner for about 6 months. I then cut my slabs, 1" x 1 1/2" x 7" and put them in the bottom wood drawer. They may set there another 3 months , I look and see if they have cracked and try to guess if they are ready to use. Typically I will not use this wood for over a year.

If you want to get started you could look and see if there is some nice wood in the wood pile, or cut offs from the lumber yard.