hello. i have three knives i need to make handles for. these were blanket prizes at few rendezvous out here in oregon.. the top knife is 12" long, the middle one is 9 3/4" long, and the bottom one is 5 3/4" long. i have a friend who does wood floors for a living, and he's going to let me look through the scrapes. he has hickory,cherry, oak and a few others. any suggestions about for look and durability?? these are the first handles i've tried.. no sense wasting the wood... i'm very thankful for this site and all the wisdom you can get!!!!(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/black%20powder%20knives%20and%20%20horns/blackpowderitems3-7-11009.jpg)
I use most any wood that strikes my fancy..
Tho I am partial to Walnut.
I've used oak, ash, hickory, walnut, purpleheart, zebrawood, teak, ironwood, briar... ad neauseum..
Walnut is nice and dense, looks good and is easy to work with. What works for flooring might not be the best choice for a knife handle though. Oasage orange always looks good IMO although I understand it can be difficult to work compared the other favorites. There is always maple, the more curl the better. If you can find a piece large enough, mesquite heartwood has deep, rich red-brown tones but is easy to split, take your time working it and always keep your tools sharp.
Walnut and cherry tend to be my favorites with curly maple being a close third. Apple wood makes nice handles, too. If you're just starting out, I'd suggest staying away from the really hard woods, ie ash, ebony, rosewood, etc.
And from my experience, hardwood flooring is a pain in the posterior. More work than it's usually worth to get it ready for use unless you get a one of a kind, too beautiful to pass up piece.
I have a few good pieces of wood that would make good handles for you to start with. PM me your address and I'll get a few pieces together to send your way.
thanks greatly. i'll send an email. tonight. flwa
Hey crazell you need a shovel handle for that big one. ROFL
Quote from: BrokenHawk on March 07, 2011
Hey crazell you need a shovel handle for that big one. ROFL
Yep that would make a Pike man Proud!
persimmon wood is my favorite looking and smelling when it is freshly skinned but there is no way i would ever cut down my persimmon tree cause i love them persimmons
don't blame you.. but we don't have that type around here.. flwa
Brought up some oak 1x4 from cali they were gonna throw away. This stuff should work, right ???
Quote from: BrokenHawk on March 13, 2011
Brought up some oak 1x4 from cali they were gonna throw away. This stuff should work, right ???
It will work, just keep in mind that oak isn't usually the first choice for making into knife handles (scales). Keep your tools sharp, buy a few extra sheets of sandpaper and watch out for splinters. Since oak is so hard it may not take up much stain so a dark walnut stain might come out light brown, almost tan, you may just want to use an oil finish. Post some step by step pics if you have to time.
I agree with what William said on the oak. The biggest problem is it's not always straight grained. That's what causes it to crack, chip, and splinter. It can be used, just take your time and go slow with it. Nothing worse than having time invested just to see it ruined at the end cause you got in a hurry.
i will keep that in mind. thanks william and dfoster. this is why i enjoy this site. thmbsup
Thanks for the info. thmbsup
i'm thinking of using hickory and cherry, and a black walnut. we're going to use hickory on the top one, hickory and cherry together on the the bottom one, and black walnut on the middle one... flwa
would cedar be a good wood to use for handles? i have an old jewelery box that's made of cedar. it's not in the best shape these days. pulling apart at the seams. flwa
It would not be my first choice.
William thanks for the reply. is it because it's soft and not very durable?
Quote from: crazell on April 01, 2011
William thanks for the reply. is it because it's soft and not very durable?
If it's the kind used for cedar trunks, the wood tends to split too easily plus the aromatic oils in the wood can cause skin irritation for some folks. If used for a knife handle it would need a heavy clear coat sealer which tends to looks kinda plastic, not very desirable in my opinion.
gotcha William.. see,ask a question and get an answer.. you gotta love this site !!! flwa
Quote from: crazell on April 01, 2011
gotcha William.. see,ask a question and get an answer.. you gotta love this site !!! flwa
It's a beautiful wood for making trunks and things with but not for something you are going to be in contact with a lot.
Knife handle wood?? Elm, walnut, curley maple...all work well..
Doug
Doug them are some nice knives. have one similar to the bottom one.. thmbsup
I have a couple of pieces of curly maple, be glad to send'em to ya. Just PM me.
Well after a long wait and time, the handles are 97% done. Need to seal the handles. I'm going to use linseed oil on them.Here are the pics.(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/Hole%20in%20the%20ground%20rondy/Holeintheground2011068.jpg),(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/Hole%20in%20the%20ground%20rondy/Holeintheground2011069.jpg).
I had the knife maker in our clan work on these and he did a wonderful job. I had to sand paper them down to where i wanted the finish. Then to seal them. I would love to take the credit for this work, but i can't. I messed up a set of handles , then decided to be smart about it and have him do it.I'd like to here what you think of these knives's now.
Well they are finished for now. Put some linseed oil on the handles. 4-5 coats with the oil. Here are a couple pics.(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/Hole%20in%20the%20ground%20rondy/Holeintheground2011077.jpg),(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/Hole%20in%20the%20ground%20rondy/Holeintheground2011078.jpg).
Thanks all of you for your insight and suggestions..
Ron
I dig the one in the middle the most and like the way the linseed oil has darkened the wood.
Here are the finished knives's and there sheath's.(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/black%20powder%20knives%20and%20%20horns/knives019.jpg),(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff462/yeazellphoto/black%20powder%20knives%20and%20%20horns/knives017.jpg).As soon as my wife decides where she wants her patch knive attached(on her possibles bag or strap) I'll post a picture.
Thank you for allowing me to share these projects from start to finish.
Ron