A ? for the wood stabilizers

[jdale]

Since i started looking into stabilizing my own wood i have been wondering if there is an industry standard for the size of a blank or scale? I started cutting blocks at 1.5x1.75"x5" which is the size a lot of the knife supply stores sell but there seems to be so much waste. Im trying to figure a good size to cut them at so i could sell any extra im not using but not waste a bunch of wood if i have to cut a lot away to finish a handle, especially when some of the emory oak burl was $15 a lb to purchase.

[Ray Rogers]

The majority of the blocks I buy are probably closer to 1" x 1.5" x 5" but I'd often like to have a slightly larger block. You might want to make the blocks slightly larger because the commercial stabilization process (or equivalent) is so extreme that it will warp a block of wood and you'll need the extra so that the block can be trued up without becoming too small.

A word about selling your stabilized wood: when you advertise that your wood is stabilized most knife makers will assume you mean the usual high pressure/vacuum acrylic process. That's what 'stabilized' means in our context. Anything else - any other process - should be carefully explained to avoid any confusion or disappointment. After a few years at this most of us learn that if you want stabilized wood you are far better off buying professionally stabilized product than any type of home brew.

Of course, you may be planning to send your wood out to K&G or WSSL to be stabilized, you didn't really make that clear, but it would probably be the smarter way to get it done....

[Jon Kennedy]

just about all the stabilizing i do i leave the blanks a little big and cut them to size after stabilizing, with the size of blanks that the knife makers use i see no need to apply presure to the chambers to get full penetration, currently im getting full penetration with no voids on 6"thick x 6"dia bowl blanks, I do dry vac first to get all the air out prior to placing resin in chambers.

Jon

[Ed Caffrey]

Personally, my preferred size for blocks is AT LEAST 1 1/4"X 1 3/4" X 5" (finished size). And optimally blocks that are 2" in height (top to bottom)......this allows me to create handles that fit a human hand, rather than it coming out like a "broom stick". If the handle material is large enough, I can always "take it off"....but I can never put it back on.