Black Walnut Burl!

[KandS_KNIVES]

Any idea on where to get some of this burl? I would like to get some in block size for full tang blades or would take a piece of lumber. Your time and help is appreciated.
Ken (wwjd)

[Mike Hull]

You might try here Ken.
http://www.ca-walnutdesigns.com/index.html

http://www.saw-online.com/Resource/Burl.htm

[KandS_KNIVES]

Thanks for the kewl sites MIke.
Ken (wwjd)

[JossDelage]

You can find walnut burl all over eBay. It's generally Claro, though

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1768386221

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1768201541 (I can vouch for those sellers)

JD

[Don Halter]

I find it fairly often down at a place in Houston. I find a lot of curly and "flame" designed pieces with a variety of color. Next time I go down there I'll shoot you an email and see what exactly you're looking for. these are "scraps" and come really cheap, but are perfect dimensions for knifemaking! It's not stabilized or anything, though!

[C L Wilkins]

Don,
Is that "that" wood place in the Heights that has all the burls stuff???

Craig

[Gary Mulkey]

Ken,

Here's another site that you might try: www.walnutwoods.net/

Gary

[KandS_KNIVES]

Thank you all for the help and Don please check on the burl for me, next time you go to Houston.
Ken (wwjd)

[Jason Cutter]

Greetings,

Sorry to be a bringer of doom, but I've had nothing but trouble with Black walnut burl. It is the most awesome looking stuff and I purchased a very large "plate" of it about 4x3foot square !!!$$$$$ !! It was quite old and apparently well seasoned, but when I put it on handles and did an oil finish, it would warp like crazy, peeling right off the handle despite the 2-ton epoxy. This seemed to happen over a 2-3month period. Another handle just had the entire rear 1/2 fall off - cracked right on the burl lines. Thought of stabilising it and was told that some natural oils in the walnut resist the polymerisation process. I've tried fillers, superglue, nothing worked. Ang again the stuff looks awesome.

have I just had bad luck or bad advice ? Please help. You guys seem quite happy with it.

PS.- this is not the larger figured gunstock stuff, this is quite fine swirly figured that I thought would be good on smaller pieces like knives.

[Gary Mulkey]

Jason,

I think you will find that the black walnut will stabilize but claro walnut will not. The main thing to remember is to get the wood as dry as possible (6-8%) and to seal it to keep it that way. Air drying will only bring the wood to 12% moisture at best. From there you must artificially dry it.

There are many ways of sealing the wood besides stabilizing. You might try super glue or rotted wood hardener if the stabilizing process is not satisfactory.


Gary

[Don Halter]

C.L.,
There are a couple. One is in the heights and is ok, but expensive...and customer service sucks for anyone not buying a "cabinet set's" worth of exotic. This place is Fine Woods of Houston on Upton Rd. Just on the other side of the beltway from the Texas Knifemaker Supply. He has stacks...and stacks of rippings and drops from large orders of various woods that are great for knife handles and other small projects.

Ken,
No problem, I'll give you a holler when I head down next.

Jason,
I've used it plain and soaked/cured with rotted wood hardener without any warping whatsoever. Plain waterproof carpenters glue works for gluing wood to wood, and epoxy or polyester resin seems to bond well to to it also.

[Jerry V]

What little I had...found while working at the little living history museum here in Williamsburg (NOT colonial Williamsburg, the other one)...

They brought it in as firewood.

Got a LOT of walnut...regular and burl...that way.

Don't have anymore of it, though, or I'd gladly give you some.

[C L Wilkins]

Originally posted by Don Halter
C.L.,
There are a couple. One is in the heights and is ok, but expensive...and customer service sucks for anyone not buying a "cabinet set's" worth of exotic. This place is Fine Woods of Houston on Upton Rd. Just on the other side of the beltway from the Texas Knifemaker Supply. He has stacks...and stacks of rippings and drops from large orders of various woods that are great for knife handles and other small projects.

Don,
I have had about the same experience as you, those guys are expensive! I thought I would ask before I jumped. I have been to Fine Woods but it has been a while. The next time you are in town, give me a holler.

Craig

[Jason Cutter]

Thank a heap for the suggestions. I'll pop down to the local woodworkers store and pick up some of those resins. I have some acrylic resin at home for use with fibreglass work and I'll give that a try. If it works it will look superb.

Cheers.