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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
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Wood for Handles
Has anyone checked out the local feed/fencing store?
New Zealand fencing dealers often carry a product called "Insultimber". It's used to hold the wires apart. This wood will not burn when in contact with charged fencing and does not rot. I bought a piece and sanded one side. It was red in color and had a very dense grain, very heavy wood. After a lot of looking, I contacted one of the manufacturers in New Zealand and asked what the wood is called. "Narrow Leaved Iron Bark" was the reply. Eucalyptus Crebra. The stuff comes in sticks 1" X 2.5" X 5' and 2" X 2" by 7', called a deer post. It's not real expensive, I paid just under 6 bucks for the stick I bought. The stores don't try to keep their stock dry, so plan on tossing it up in the rafters in your garage for a year or so, or vacuum drying it. I noticed a very slight shrinkage on the first piece I used for a knife, after a couple of months in the house. I vacuum dried the rest of it before use. It starts out kind of brick red when you first work it, then turns a nice brown. It's hard enough to take a nice polish, interesting grain that looks like it was braided. The dust is a bit nasty, so don't breathe it. JT |
#2
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Just goes to show ya, you never know what you'll find until you look. Sounds like interesting stuff but I think I'd have it stabilized before I put it on a real using knife.....
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#3
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Red Gum Eucalyptus
While I was down under last time I noticed a lot of carved craft boxes all polished to a high shine each showing a deep red and mottled yellow color on the lid, but the sides were grayed and weathered. When I asked what kind of wood it was, I was told it was old fence posts that had been "salvaged" and cut into sections and that the wood was Red Gum Eucalyptus. The outside was as weathered as could be, but the inside grain was tight and perfect. I have been looking for it ever since.
I have found a lot of Australian wood that is absolutely beautiful when finished, and most are different kinds of Eucalyptus. But they aren't easy to find up here in quantity. Ike |
#4
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Do you have a picture of this stuff? Would love to see some.
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#5
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I think I'd have it stabilized before I put it on a real using knife.....
Ray, I agree. The wood seems a bit resinous, but I prefer to use stabilized wood on any account. I haven't had the time to set up the vacuum pump again, but my next stabilizing batch will include some of this wood. Now, when I say slight shrinkage, I mean that a brass ferrule that was a tight push fit became an easy push fit and had to be glued. The lenght didn't seem to change at all. Ike, I'm experiencing travel envy. Polishguy, I'll snap a pic and try to show the grain. I just scored a 4X4X12 inch piece from my cousin. He bought some from a lumber yard on Vashon Island to build a new front porch. It feels like steel disguised as wood. He had some cut-offs left over and wondered what kind of wood it was. I couldn't believe my eyes. The Kiwi I corresponded with said pieces over 2X2 were rare where he was. I looked at some pictures of his area and it looked a lot like the Arizona highlands. If you didn't look real close, the trees looked like gnarly little scrub pines. JT |
#6
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Link to timber
Here is the link to what appears to be the distributor in US.
http://gallagherusa.com/postspermanent.htm I emailed them last night about the wood type and they confirmed that its Eucalyptus. Notice no prices on display anywhere..... I have a large finished bowl that I bought as a gift, and now want to cut up for scales :>, I can email it out but I can't post it as I don't have a host site. It has a great burl pattern and deep reds and yellows. Ike |
#7
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Ike:
Yup, that's it. There are holes drilled in the sticks, but they don't bother much. I resawed the wood so I could put it on a Japanese style kitchen knife. It cuts like Bakelite. Machines like it, too. I'm still working on the picture. JT |
#8
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Sorry, guys, I can't post a picture 'cause I don't have a web page. I'll send pictures to individuals via regular e-mail. Contact me with your address and I'll send pics along.
JT Last edited by JTS; 01-30-2004 at 09:49 PM. |
#9
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Hey there, JTS. If it's not too much trouble, please email a pic to doof236@netscape.net. Much obliged.
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#10
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Here is a link (hopefully) to the Queensland Department of Primary Industires
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/7680.html It has a number of woods listed and specifications for them. I have used Black Bean on a knife handle - like Narrow Leafed Red Iron Bark it is rated: Durability. Class 1 - Highly resistant to decay when in ground contact or in persistently damp or badly ventilated situations. The problem I have with trees is that they are sometimes called different names in different parts of the country. Black Bean is also Moreton Bay Chestnut. On the list in the link you can see we also have GreyBox, Grey Gum and Grey Ironbark but they are all different types of eucalyptus. Thats probably why they use the scientific names to describe them. Phantom23 |
#11
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Please send
Hey JTS,
Can you send a pic to me at, eichler35@hotmail.com BTW, I got a list of NC distributors for the wood, below, just email the folks at the link I posted before, they are quick to respond. Bailey Lawn and Garden Bailey, NC 27807 252 235 3907 Bass Brothers Inc. Nashville, NC 27856 252 235 3907 E.B.Harris Livestock Warrenton, NC 27589 252 257 2140 Thanks, Ike |
#12
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Phantom 23:
Thanks for the link. Yup, the common name thing seems to be the same all over the world. I prefer the use of botanical names for that reason. JT |
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