Your Personal Favorite NON Burl Handle Wood...

[rustyrazor]

I'd have to say Desert Ironwood, Cocobolo(which I can no longer use),and Koa.

Jay

cocobolo can be hard on ya... I'm was lucky to get a free bunch of blocks years ago from a maker who couldn't use it anymore either. ironwood is also amazing

 

[Jack O'Neill]

no body mentioned Wenge .

 

[samuraistuart]

Two thumbs of for Russian Walnut.

 

[scott.vollmer.58]

I love zebra wood and snakewood

 

[Burl Source]

A type of wood that I really like but never can find is Afzelia with xylay figure. Also gets called gator skin. Sometimes the figure will look like 3 dimensional honeycomb. (If anyone knows a source where I can get several board feet please let me know).
Todd Davidson recently used some on a folder.

Other than that, I like anything with bold, tight figure. Not so much the species of wood but the quality of the figure.

 

[Burl Source]

Up until about 5 years ago I had never seen Mango used on a knife.
This is one Nick W made.

 

[colu41]

cocobolo can be hard on ya... I'm was lucky to get a free bunch of blocks years ago from a maker who couldn't use it anymore either. ironwood is also amazing

Excuse my total lack of knowledge, but how can it be hard on you? Chemicals in the oil while grinding? Not quite sure I understand.

 

[Busto]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-by-Cocobolo?highlight=Grinding+Cocobolo+Wood

Certain oils contained in the wood can cause a reaction not unlike poison ivy and depending on your system the toxicity may be extreme or not.....Wear nitrile gloves to keep the oil off your hands that will help keep the oils from migrating to other areas you may touch by accident. Before I grind Cocobolo I make sure my respirator is clean inside and out and that its functioning correctly don't want any nasty dust in due to a faulty exhaust valve, and I wear long sleeve shirt. I have a dust collector and I ensure its working correctly and having a fan blowing the dust away from you is always helpful...Many of the tropical species of woods seem to produce similar reactions.

 

[colu41]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-by-Cocobolo?highlight=Grinding+Cocobolo+Wood

Certain oils contained in the wood can cause a reaction not unlike poison ivy and depending on your system the toxicity may be extreme or not.....Wear nitrile gloves to keep the oil off your hands that will help keep the oils from migrating to other areas you may touch by accident. Before I grind Cocobolo I make sure my respirator is clean inside and out and that its functioning correctly don't want any nasty dust in due to a faulty exhaust valve, and I wear long sleeve shirt. I have a dust collector and I ensure its working correctly and having a fan blowing the dust away from you is always helpful...Many of the tropical species of woods seem to produce similar reactions.

Thats crazy! I'm not currently working with cocobolo but if I ever do in the future I will remember to take all precautions. Thanks

 

[Burl Source]

Cocobolo is one where the more you use it the more sensitive you get to it.
I am ok with cutting and sanding for a short time.
But if I am working with it all day I get flu like symptoms.

 

[Willie71]

I'm in the same boat as most here. I use Padauk and cocobolo for natural woods, and curly koa is my favorite period. I like all curly woods, including maple, anigree, poplar, mango, Koa, and gidgee. For furniture, and an understated handle, I like Honduras mahogany and saepele. It's hard to find figured pieces, but even with regular grain, it has a great chatoyance.

 

[colu41]

I'm in the same boat as most here. I use Padauk and cocobolo for natural woods, and curly koa is my favorite period. I like all curly woods, including maple, anigree, poplar, mango, Koa, and gidgee. For furniture, and an understated handle, I like Honduras mahogany and saepele. It's hard to find figured pieces, but even with regular grain, it has a great chatoyance.

I'm looking forward to using my first chunk of Padauk. It looks great with a nice shine.

 

[phorizt]

I really love working with African Blackwood and like the looks of the ancient bog oak. Ringed gidgee though is probably my favorite.

 

[andrewh2011]

no body mentioned Wenge .

i was about to say the same thing along with bocote and olivewood

 

[Patrice Lemée]

African blackwood of all colors for me, although a slight preference for black.

 

[Willie71]

I'm looking forward to using my first chunk of Padauk. It looks great with a nice shine.

Sand it to 2000g, Polish, and use a paste wax. In wet environments, use Danish oil, but very light coats, or it'll weep oil for the next 6 months.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I love blackwood too (who doesn't) Here's some left over fun

I kept picking up this bog oak up every time I layed it down. So much going on in a discrete package

But a good piece of olive wood can be beautiful as well:
(not my knife or pic)

 

[hagatha]

The patina on that blade is superb! How do you do that.... If I may ask?
Thanks
Lee Haag

I find the Blackwood with random striations far more appealing than all black -

 

[FL_Jimbo_K]

Pretty new user/smith here, just reading this thread is TONS of info for me. Thank You all for sharing. As far as the reaction to cocobolo, that was news to me, I had an apprentice who was alergic to nickel, copper and chrome. He had to wear tyvek suits in our shop, and nitrile gloves all the time.

 

[rustyrazor]

The patina on that blade is superb! How do you do that.... If I may ask?
Thanks
Lee Haag

that blade is made up of 3 different layers of steel.. assuming the outer layer is some sort of stainless and the core is carbon giving it that dramatic difference in colour. hope that helps. "san Mai" is a japanese term for sandwiched steel in this way