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To all the knife makers and wood workers out there. What are the best native woods to use for handle scales. Have been happily making a few knives and like using native wood for the handles. So far have used mostly Rimu a bit of Matai and some Manuka. I have a knife with Puriri wood handle which is beautiful but what should be avoided and what other native timbers have the right properties?
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Couple of latest knives. Boning knife has a Rimu heartwood handle, Santoku chefs knife has a Manuka heartwood handle.
Looking good man, for timber the harder/denser the better.
I've used quite a bit of swamp. Kauri which is beautiful, but need stabilising.
Most native hardwoods will work, however with scales the timber will shrink/expand over time and end up leaving gaps around the tang. That why makers typically use stabilised timber for scales.
Hidden tang construction is a bit more forgiving as you don't have as many flush joins.
Maire is fairly popular for hidden tang as it's very hard.
Once you get into stabilised stuff you can use whatever. There's a super talented maker up north who's even used gorse as handle material. Looked surprisingly awesome
I have used Black Maire which is as hard as hell and has a nice grain.
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Pohutukawa if you can find it.
I have a shit load of pohutakawa if anyone wants any for knife handles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty Henry
I have used Rewa Rewa, its not the nicest stuff to work with but it comes up nice in the end
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I've got some matched pohutakawa scales - send me a pm and I'll give you a pair.
My favorite when I was making knives was Pohutukawa. Even when reasonably plain grained, it is quite nice looking. Its also hard as hell and stands up to use well. I made my personal hunting knife around 14 years ago and it has seen regular use and not a lot of care of the timber. Still looks near new.
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[QUOTE=SixtyTen;1632346]My favorite when I was making knives was Pohutukawa. Even when reasonably plain grained, it is quite nice looking. Its also hard as hell and stands up to use well. I made my personal hunting knife around 14 years ago and it has seen regular use and not a lot of care of the timber. Still looks near
Funny enough Sixty Ten I recognise that photo. The puriri wood handle knife I have is one of yours, still going strong and has had plenty of use. You make a great knife.
I would vote for Rewarewa as well, not that I have made knife handles with it but my bro just carved up a nice ladleQuote:
Originally Posted by makka
[QUOTE=DrYopnihc;1632475]That's fantastic to hear, thanks. If it ever needs a spruce up, or repairs you know where to find me. Warranty still applies.Quote:
Originally Posted by SixtyTen
Pururi was another of my favorites. I got my hands on a large amount of exceptionally nicely figured and flamed Pururi and made a number of knives with it.
Northern Rata was what I used to put new scales on a knife I have.
I've got a stack of pieces of Totara in Masterton if anyone wants bits for handlesQuote:
Originally Posted by McNotty
Very nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by makka
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A friend gave me a piece of Chatham island akeake.(olearia traversii) Used it on this kitchen knife. Hard and very resilient. From a post probably 100yrs old. So what is stabilized wood?
Stabilised wood is basically just infused with epoxy resin like this product. It'll make porous or soft woods more stable
https://www.resinart.nz/products/woo...r-knife-making
Totara would be a classic for needing stabilising as it's so splitty. That's why it's the best kindling wood having a good oil content as well. I always save old totara fence posts for this.Quote:
Originally Posted by 308
