Handle Material

[MT Pockets]

So I'm out trying to clean up the garage so that I can get started at making some knives and I run across this box of wood lath that I've been hanging onto. The wood came from an old 100 yr old house that was remodeled and is the wood lath from the lath and plaster walls. I originally was using it for kindling for the fire, but I had thoughts that it might be able to be re-purposed as knife scales?

I'm not sure what kind of wood it actually is, but it's rough sawn and it ranges between 1/4" and 3/8" I tried to sand up a section to see what it would look like and it wasn't bad, although I didn't pick the best piece for testing. I realize too that it hasn't been stabilized, unless of course you count the 100 years it been in the wall (tongue in cheek)

What's your opinions, possibly usable or firewood?

Gene

EDITED to fix images...

[Ray Rogers]

Any wood is usable. We choose wood because of its beauty and durability. If you think the lath is attractive and sturdy enough for knife scales then go for it. The general nature of the wood used for lath does not bode well for the beauty aspect and would likely be a bit on the soft side for good durability but you have it in hand so you have to decide.

Lots of attractive wood is available for very low prices so unless you have a real need to scrape pennies the lath is probably better used as kindling. And no, I don't count 100 years of drying as being stabilized, not even close ....

[Crex]

I'm with Ray on this. The lath appears to be cedar or fir which is very soft wood, that splits and dents easily. The expense of stabilizing for use as handle material will put you up in the price range of much better grade handle material with more "look" to it. Unless it's a sentimental thing I'd continue to use it as you have been, kindling.

[MT Pockets]

Thanks for the input everyone.

It's pretty much as I expected, but I figured it didn't hurt to ask. I don't have any emotional ties or anything to the wood, so I'll just stick to the original course of action and enjoy the warm glow as it turns to ashes. I also didn't want to burn it and find out later that I shouldn't have done that and regretted it...

[WBE]

A wise decision to ask before burning, but sadly, the above replies are very much the reallity. In the reverse situation, I had a customer send me a piece of Myrtle he got from a pile of firewood that had curl that would rival high grade curly maple. A tad soft, but made a beautiful grip. When in doubt, asking never hurts.

[jdale]

Sadily i wasnt in time to save countless burls. After informing my coworkers what a burl was i was informed that they always burn those first because they dont split or stack well. Sad how much wonderfull handle material has been turned to ash

[Crex]

I stay in trouble with the wife for "pulling" select pieces from the firewood rack and squirreling them away for handle material. Oak and hickory burls are very special and make beautiful handle material that will rival any import.

[GHEzell]

As a general rule, if you can indent it with a fingernail, it is really too soft to make a good knife handle... and it needs to be pretty. No one wants an ugly knife, or at least they don't sell as well as the pretty ones...

[MT Pockets]

Good tip about how to tell if it's soft or hard by being able to indent it with your finger nail.

Thanks!

[Imakethings]

I have a trick for soft woods that sometimes works pretty well.

Get a half gallon jar and add your wood, add a clear sealant that is thinned down to about the consistency of water and let it soak for a month or two. Then let cure for about a month.

It's not stabilizing, but it is kinda effective it it works pretty well if you're got more time than money.

[Doug Lester]

You can do the same thing with boiled linseed oil. It does harden it a bit, a heck of a lot better than Nelsonite, but I doubt that it beats sending it out for real stabilizing.

Doug

[ckluftinger]

Like Ray said, it's probably fir or cedar. You'd smell the cedar when you sand it, even after a hundred years. Fir tends to get very hard with age, and rivals oak once it's been in a wall for a few decades. Could be used for a knife, even if it's not stabilized. i'd seal it, though. The problem with the soft woods is that they "work" more than hard woods because of the coarser grain. Even a hundred year old plank will still swell or shrink with the seasons. I wouldn't burn your laths though. They would make interesting furniture.

[R. Yates]

old slats had a ton of pine it it yet they elder builders did use hard wood also . there is much better wood for your projects and knives .JIMO

Sam