Wood Scales For Handles

J

jakeotter

Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
32
Hi everybody, where do you all get wood for your knife scales? Just curious as I use wood for all my handles (just enjoy working with wood). Thanks!
 
I have become somewhat of a wood collector, it is possible I like buying wood more than making knives.

When I first started I got a lot from fleabay, but mostly from the exchange here. I have a whole batch I plan to send to K&G, and will soon be to the point I have enough to last me for a very long time. I wont say I have 'too much," lol, it's a collection/investment.
 
I cut a lot of wood for heat and I am always on the lookout for interesting grain patterns in hardwoods. If I see that, I will slab that piece 2" thick, paint the ends and hang it up for a year per inch. I've been doing this for years even though I just started making knives to use on other projects.
 
I always look out for interesting wood on scraps found in my daily travels.
Pallets & dunnage. Is a usual source. Especially stuff shipped from tropics.
But see lots of carpentry scraps from my construction days. Thriftstore wooden knick-knackery crap yields alot of interesting wood also.

Btw, I seldom make scales. Virtually all my handles are on sticktangs...
 
Last edited:
I tend to buy exotic wood in bulk "100 bf of coco, 40 of ironwood, 250 old growth redwood burl and so on" and sometimes i will mill up a ton. several makers such as myself some some pieces when we have extra.
 
hellspawn415 said:
I tend to buy exotic wood in bulk "100 bf of coco, 40 of ironwood, 250 old growth redwood burl and so on" and sometimes i will mill up a ton. several makers such as myself some some pieces when we have extra.
Click to expand...

Do you buy locally? I've been looking for somewhere in the LA/OC/IE area to buy exotic wood in bulk...
 
well i've worked for several woodshops in the area so im pretty known as someone to buy rare wood. Im in college now, but when im in town id be happy to show you what i have.
 
hellspawn415 said:
well i've worked for several woodshops in the area so im pretty known as someone to buy rare wood. Im in college now, but when im in town id be happy to show you what i have.
Click to expand...

Hello Ben,
So you are settled in at school? I thought you were going for a website or ebay to sell some woods?

Guys. Ben does have some nice Ebony, Bocote and some really cool Kingwood that I wanted but can't use anymore because I became sensitized to Rosewoods. Kinda feels like I having a heart attack!:eek: No fun!

Stay in touch with Ben, he has cool stuff at good prices and Mark ty Burl source mentioned above, is someone I've purchased Stabilized woods from for over 15 years.
 
Thanks Laurence. My mom should b coming by with the sliced Palm soon

Yea, im up in Santa cruz. I did bring a box of wood milled up scales with me. I also got about 5 board feet of bias cut black palm, some ironwood and some new cocobolo waiting at home. Also got a new shipment of redwood burl and black and white ebony coming in.
 
Last edited:
I have a sawmill near my house that supplies numerous types of kiln dried local wood I would be interested in (Osage orange, walnut, hard maples, hickory...). If it is kiln dried would that be ok to use or would I still need to stabilize it? I figured the walnut would be ok but not sure about other woods. Thanks for the help
 
^ Osage orange can be used without being stabilized, though you should let it sit in your closet for a year or two after you receive it. The others would really benefit from being stabilized.
 
kdogmcg said:
My understanding is that hard maple does not need, and wont really take, stabilization.
Click to expand...

Nothing needs stabilization, people have used pine on knives. Stabilized wood is a relatively new concept, but people's expectations for fit and finish dictate it now.

Hard maple is not that hard or dense and is an ideal candidate for stabilization.
 
I published a piece about handle woods http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1331164-Woods-for-use-in-Knife-handles-*updated* and in it i touch on what needs stabilization. I separate woods into 4 catagories. Needs stabalization to be usable in knife, should have stabilization, could have stabilization and does not need.

Things like buckeyeburl, redwood burl and boxelder and koa really do need stabalization to be useable

Things like hard maple, Black palm, zebrawood and the like probably should have stabilization, but dont with out a doubt need it.

Things like Bocote, ziricote and satinwood could be stabalized, but its not really needed.

Then woods like rosewoods, irownood and Lignium Vitae simply cant be stabilized or it would serve no function.
 
hellspawn415 said:
Thanks Laurence. My mom should b coming by with the sliced Palm soon

Yea, im up in Santa cruz. I did bring a box of wood milled up scales with me. I also got about 5 board feet of bias cut black palm, some ironwood and some new cocobolo waiting at home. Also got a new shipment of redwood burl and black and white ebony coming in.
Click to expand...

Great,
Let me know when you're back in town and we'll meet up for some grinding and wood stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top