Wood Stabilitation

J

Jwgriesser

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Sep 20, 2015
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I need some advice.

What vacuum chamber do you recommend for handle stabilizing?

Do you stable hardwood. I am making kitchen knifes and some people want to put them in a dishwasher.

I am new at this and would appreciate any advice

Thanks. Jay:)
 
I watched a video of a guy using a mason jar with a vacuum pump attached to the lid. When I attempt stabilizing I'll try that setup. I will follow this post for more info, I'm just learning.
 
Jwgriesser said:
I need some advice.

What vacuum chamber do you recommend for handle stabilizing?

Do you stable hardwood. I am making kitchen knifes and some people want to put them in a dishwasher.

I am new at this and would appreciate any advice

Thanks. Jay:)
Click to expand...

A dishwasher and the detergents used, will wreck any wood handle over time and even dull the edge in a few washings.

What I tell any customer that asks if they can put one of my customs in a dishes is, Its a dishwasher, not a knife washer

Use Micarta or other synthetics if the customer insists on using a dish washer
 
I would send the wood to a professional stabilizer like K&G or WSSI. IMO You're going to be money and time ahead doing that. Even then I would urge them not to put any knife in the dishwasher. Even stabilized wood will fail if put in a dishwasher.
 
To reiterate what rcetroy said. Sending it off is much easier and you get a substantially better product. I've used the cactus juice and other brands, it just isn't the same. And it lowers the price overall. You can pick up nice wood unstabilized and get it stabilized for roughly $5+/- a block. This route ensures a really quality piece that will be reliable time and time again.
 
Youtube is your friend on this. Go down the youtube tunnel for a couple hours and you will have a much better idea of what your options are.
 
a hand vacuum pump and mason jar isn't going to cut the mustard! You MUST be able to pull close to 30" of vacuum and hold it for a while. Check the cactus juice videos for good info: here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/nh28yly

Some woods will work just fine with cactus juice, but many woods really need a professional stabilization like K&G to really work. NO "good" knife should be put in a dishwasher for above mentioned reasons.

Ken H>
 
Most dishwashers will get hot enough to soften the epoxy used to bond the wood or micarta scales to the blade. Even if you are bolting the scales on, epoxy should be used as a sealant to keep water from getting between the blade and the scales. This water, over time, will cause rust, which over more time, can become thick enough to cause the scales to separate from the blade.

Tim
 
Some of the youtube methods are dangerous if not just plain crazy.
I did my own stabilizing for a few years and got "pretty good" at it.
It takes both vacuum and high pressure for good penetration. And you are limited by the chemicals that you use.
I tried everything that was available over the counter and finally settled on Resinol 90c.
But it did not get as good of results as I get from K&G. And the cost was about the same, what I paid for chemicals vs what K&G charges me for the stabilizing.

If the only woods that you will be stabilizing are ash, maple and box elder you might be able to get decent results doing it yourself. But you will need to spend a bunch of money on compressor, pressure tank, curing oven and chemicals just to try.

BTW: what the other guys said about dishwashers is correct. They will mess up even stabilized wood handles.
 
1) You and your customer will be more satisfied in the long run, if you turn down an
order that involves putting handled knives in a dishwasher.

2) Many of us have tried home stabilizing...and eventually realized that it's done batter by
folks like K & G, or WSSI, who have the proper equipment and know-how to do it as well as it can be done.
 
I agree with Burl Source. I have good equipment for stabilizing. A vacuum pump that has no trouble pulling close to 30", a pressure pot that will take high pressure, etc. I used Resinol 90c. I did this for a long time.
For those who think their home stabilizing is as good as K&G's, try taking two identical blocks of wood. Stabilize one yourself, send the other to K&G. Weigh them both before and after. The K&G block will be heavier and will finish better than the home stabilized block.
My home stabilizing wood will pick up buffing compound, the blocks K&G does will not.
After a lot of experience, I need to say K&G does a better job than I can do.
 
Jwgriesser said:
When you say block what size are you talking about?
Thanks Jay
Click to expand...

Standard knife handle block size it 5" long by 1&1/2" wide by 1" thick.
What actually gets used can vary depending on the knife style.
Stabilizing companies charge by the finished weight after stabilizing.
and......not all stabilizing companies produce the same results. For durability, ease of working and quality of finish I like K&G the best.
 
After you get the stabilized wood back and make the scales what finish works. Someone says beeswax. Others say line seed oil. Any advice?
Thanks
 
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