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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 12-20-2013, 10:33 PM
humminboid humminboid is offline
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Question Wood, scales, and other items of interest?

O.K., not sure if this is the proper place for this...if not, please move it.

!. I find my self needing thicker wood for my knife scales, and an occasional set of revolver grips, and I like highly-figured wood It it is almost impossible to find scales thicker than 3/8in. and 2-21/2 in. wide for a reasonable price on da Bay. Can anyone suggest a source ?

2. I've seen YouTube demonstrations on stabilization, using some pretty primitive equipment...a Ball canning jar, and an automotive (I presume) brake vacuum pump. I won't use enough stabilized wood to make an investment in one of the expensive set-ups cost-effective. So, has anyone tried the YouTube way, and how did it work?

3. What is Cactus Juice?

4. Drilling the hole the long way through the handle for a hidden-tang knife: I don't think I want to free-hand it. I figure if I mark the centers of both ends of the handle block, then square everything up in my drill press vise, and raise the table when I get to the end of the press' 2 inch throw, I should eventually get the holes to meet somewhere in the middle without too much off-center. Am I an optimist? Is there a better way?

I'm going to practice on a block of Basswood before I even think of trying to drill a good block of handle material.

Thanks.
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  #2  
Old 12-20-2013, 10:50 PM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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Quote:
4. Drilling the hole the long way through the handle for a hidden-tang knife: I don't think I want to free-hand it. I figure if I mark the centers of both ends of the handle block, then square everything up in my drill press vise, and raise the table when I get to the end of the press' 2 inch throw, I should eventually get the holes to meet somewhere in the middle without too much off-center. Am I an optimist? Is there a better way?

I'm going to practice on a block of Basswood before I even think of trying to drill a good block of handle material.
Yeah, that's the method I used for a long time.... but these days, I use a 6" long drill bit and a over-sized block and eyeball it. The long drill bit makes it fairly easy to line things up. I even use a hand drill. Now if I was using a $300 piece of muskox horn that was barely big enough, I might go back to the old way of doing it...

Using the drill from both ends method, you should be able to get very close.

If I'm going to use stabilized wood, I want it to be stabilized right, so no back-yard method is adequate IMO. KMG does it well.


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Old 12-20-2013, 11:43 PM
Hurley Hurley is offline
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"If I'm going to use stabilized wood, I want it to be stabilized right, so no back-yard method is adequate IMO. KMG does it well."

I'm glad to hear others say this, we recently had a very heated discussion about "home brew" methods on the facebook group. Several knifemakers from here (including myself) were on the side of sending it to a pro. I admitted to doing the home grown method myself, but not for blades I was going to sell.


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  #4  
Old 12-21-2013, 07:31 AM
jmccustomknives jmccustomknives is offline
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Buy your wood in blocks and cut your scales to fit. You can usually get better deals on fleabay that way. Look for that thread "you wanna trade". There may be someone there that has some.
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Old 12-21-2013, 08:00 AM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hurley View Post
"If I'm going to use stabilized wood, I want it to be stabilized right, so no back-yard method is adequate IMO. KMG does it well."

I'm glad to hear others say this, we recently had a very heated discussion about "home brew" methods on the facebook group. Several knifemakers from here (including myself) were on the side of sending it to a pro. I admitted to doing the home grown method myself, but not for blades I was going to sell.
I figure my time is better spent buying stabilized wood than trying to do it myself, with all the trial and error involved. I'm sure it is possible for an individual to do a quality job of it, but expect it to be a steep learning curve and a massive time expenditure to get anywhere near the quality of the professionals, time I'd rather spend making knives. Most of the wood I use isn't stabilized, anyway, the stabilized stuff is for the kitchen, swamp, or battlefield... and it's out of place on the historic pieces I primarily make.

Yeah, buy the blocks and cut them into scales... blocks are usually 1 inch thick or more.


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Old 12-21-2013, 08:20 AM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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I take it that you have a way to re-saw a block of wood. I use a band saw with a 1/2" blade. Go to some of the wood turning sites on line and see if they have any spindle stock in a wood that you are interested in. I usually get something in 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 or 2 X 2. Smaller bowl blanks might also be a possibility.

I use the same method for drilling holes. If you mark the centers on both ends then you have two points which determine a straight line. I clamp a board that has the end of a screw sticking out of it to the stage of my drill and line the chuck up on it with a straight rod and then clamp everything down tight.

Cactus Juice is a wood hardening product that some people on these board like for stabilizing wood. I would rather send my wood out to an outfit that has real equipment and the expertise to do the job right. BTW, I've had a few "heated" discussions about wood stabilization and a couple of other things on these sites. The knack is learning when to drop it. Remember, never get into an argument with an idiot. You'll confuse the by-standers and they won't be able to tell who's who.

Doug


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Old 12-21-2013, 09:33 AM
Hurley Hurley is offline
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You are 100% correct in my opinion Doug.


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  #8  
Old 12-21-2013, 09:57 AM
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DanCom DanCom is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Lester View Post
Remember, never get into an argument with an idiot. You'll confuse the by-standers and they won't be able to tell who's who.

Doug

"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience"

Mark Twain

:-)
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Old 12-21-2013, 04:33 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Dan, I like that version too.

Doug


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  #10  
Old 12-23-2013, 10:41 PM
humminboid humminboid is offline
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Thanks for the replies, all.

300 Musk Ox Horn??? Not quite my speed, yet!

Also. who or what is KMG?

I had some stabilization done by someone, whose name I can't recall, and it came back really lumpy and rough. I think I might be able to sand it down to useful flatness, but am not sure. I figured I could do at least as well with DIY stabilization, but maybe not.

Is a dust mask required for sanding stabilized woods?

Unfortunately, I have no way to resaw lumber. My shop does not have space for even a small band saw, and still leave room enough on the workbenches for woodcarving, reloading, and just general puttering.

I'll figure it out. Again, Thanx for the help and suggestions.
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  #11  
Old 12-24-2013, 05:47 AM
jmccustomknives jmccustomknives is offline
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Wear your dust mask. I don't have a band saw. A jig saw and hand saw is all I use.
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  #12  
Old 12-24-2013, 08:48 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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KMG is the brand name of the most popular 2x72" grinder used by many knife makers.

Do as the others have suggested and send any wood you want stabilized out to a pro outfit like K&G Finishing in Lakewood, AZ. At this stage of your knife making journey you don't need to waste time and money with side projects that will just eat up your resources. Spend the money on the tools and materials you need instead.

Not a dust mask - a respirator. That's a half face mask with two canister cartridges AND dust filters. Pretty much required for any knife maker who doesn't have a spare set of lungs ...


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Old 12-24-2013, 07:54 PM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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My apologies, I ment K&G, not KMG...


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A good friend told me one time about forging "What is there not to like, you get to break all the rules you were told as a kid, don't play with that it is sharp, don't play with fire, and don't beat on that"
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See some of my work.
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Old 12-24-2013, 09:07 PM
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Drac Drac is offline
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You might consider Wood Stabilizing Specialist (WSSI). They were the first ones I started with for stabilized wood and have always been a favorite of mine for both wood supply and having my wood stabilized.

He has also done specialized cuts for me such as when I needed a couple handles for straight razors. There is a delay but I feel it is worth the wait and I've never been disappointed by his selection of wood.

Jim


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