Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

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JD Spydo
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Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#1

Post by JD Spydo »

Here in the past few years it seems as though using wood for knife handles either on folders or fixed blades has lost it's traditional appeal. Even though there are more types of really beautiful exotic, tropical and several specialty woods to choose from than there ever has been. In spite of the vast availability it seems like wood handles are close to becoming obsolete.
Just the other night I was admiring a custom made fixed blade that had a "cocobolo" wood handle and it sure was pretty.

Also I've always liked the looks of exotic and specialty type woods. One of my personal favorites is African Bubinga wood. Two others I've always liked are Desert Ironwood and Pecan.

What I've always found to be curious is that most of the old guys I've met and talked to at gun & knife shows that tend to gravitate toward wood handles are also the same guys who still insist that only carbon steel blades are any good at all for cutlery ( yeah it's almost comical to try to convince them otherwise).

But with the huge variety of different exotic woods on the market I just don't understand why wood handles have seemingly fallen out of favor. OK let's chat about wood knife handles.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#2

Post by TkoK83Spy »

I like them, they tend to be a little slick and maybe more prone to chipping if dropped. I've always loved the classic look for various types of wood handles or even inlays. You see quite a few of them in the fixed blade world I've noticed.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#3

Post by standy99 »

Ringed Gidgee
Australian hardwood and probably the in the top 5 hardest woods in the world

Image

Image



viewtopic.php?f=15&t=89711

As you can see I’m enjoying wood handles and Australian hardwoods have so many exotic woods to offer that don’t need to be stabilised…
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#4

Post by TomAiello »

I've used some really good hardwoods. Ironwood is a favorite, but I did some Ringed Gidgee after learning about it here (from Standy).

I haven't been pleased with Ebony--it tends to crack on me when I'm working it thin, and the dust makes a coal miner look clean. On the other hand, African Blackwood has been much more stable for me (without stabilizing). So far my favorite black colored wood (which I have been using for contrast) is Bog Oak, though. I bought a good sized chunk of it from the Ukraine and I've been stabilizing it with good results.

I've used both Cocobolo and Bubinga with fairly good results, as well. JD, if you like those, check out Wenge. Even the 'cheap' blocks of it have great natural character. I'd definitely recommend stabilizing it though.

Honestly, I like the looks of wood, but lots of it isn't exactly ideal for working knife handles. Which is why I've gone so deep into stabilizing in the last year or so. Stabilizing is a great way to use beautiful natural materials without so many of the downsides (especially over time).


Standy, do you have any more recommendations for Australian hardwoods to try?
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#5

Post by Pokey »

In the past few decades the importation of more and more exotic woods has become illegal in the US. There are certain treaties that a bunch of countries sign on to to restrict the shipping and importation of woods. I believe it's now illegal to import Cocobolo in the US under one of those treaties. It's legal to possess the lumber if it's already in the US, but don't take it in or out of the country.

One wood that the importation of was made illegal years ago is Brazilian Rosewood. Don't try to take a guitar made of it in or out of the US, otherwise it will likely be seized by Customs and you will be charged with violating that law. (You may have jumped through all the hoops to cross international borders, but it may not be worth the hassle due to misinterpretations of the law.)

As sources of exotic woods dry up here in the US there will be less and less demand for it. So, us old guys can reminisce about the exotic woods that were once common, but with it in the marketplace less and less the young guys have just never seen it.

Here's a website that has a lot of info on wood. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-arti ... d-species/
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#6

Post by JD Spydo »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:21 am
I like them, they tend to be a little slick and maybe more prone to chipping if dropped. I've always loved the classic look for various types of wood handles or even inlays. You see quite a few of them in the fixed blade world I've noticed.
Yeah I was kind of thinking the same thing when I considered this thread. But there are so many different finishes a guy can use now a days and there are tacky finishes that can get around that problem.

Also there are so many different oils with a wide range of different properties. For instance you could use these same synthetic oils like they are using on gun stocks and so forth. I've even given thought to just using bare wood. You could take a wood like "Osage Orange" ( hedgeapple trees) which have their own preservative built right in. There are options now that didn't exist 20 years ago.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#7

Post by JD Spydo »

Pokey wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:57 am
In the past few decades the importation of more and more exotic woods has become illegal in the US. There are certain treaties that a bunch of countries sign on to to restrict the shipping and importation of woods. I believe it's now illegal to import Cocobolo in the US under one of those treaties. It's legal to possess the lumber if it's already in the US, but don't take it in or out of the country.

One wood that the importation of was made illegal years ago is Brazilian Rosewood. Don't try to take a guitar made of it in or out of the US, otherwise it will likely be seized by Customs and you will be charged with violating that law. (You may have jumped through all the hoops to cross international borders, but it may not be worth the hassle due to misinterpretations of the law.)

As sources of exotic woods dry up here in the US there will be less and less demand for it. So, us old guys can reminisce about the exotic woods that were once common, but with it in the marketplace less and less the young guys have just never seen it.

Here's a website that has a lot of info on wood. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-arti ... d-species/
I do completely agree that there are potential legal problems with some of the exotic woods from South America and Africa and even South-east Asia as well. A friend of mine who is really into guitars told me recently that the Gibson Company who makes excellent guitars and other string instruments is fighting a lot of problems in that arena. The continent of Africa currently has a moratorium on cutting and harvesting African Bubinga wood. Which is a favorite of mine.

Here in Kansas City, we have a supplier known as Frank Paxton Lumber who has many of those great exotic woods in stock and ready to sell depending on what you're looking for. Also there are people with hobbies that own exotic woods that they bought but ended up not using it that would be willing to sell what they have. There are ways around that problem.

There are many other materials like Ivory, Animal horns and other animal parts that are illegal so you have to be up to speed on what the laws are at this time here in the USA and other countries as well.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#8

Post by skeeg11 »

Can't do squat anymore these days. Future generations of knife afi's will never know the beauty of knives made with many traditional natural materials for handles. Such a shame. I'm a sucker for stag, myself.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#9

Post by standy99 »

TomAiello wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:53 am
I've used some really good hardwoods. Ironwood is a favorite, but I did some Ringed Gidgee after learning about it here (from Standy).

Standy, do you have any more recommendations for Australian hardwoods to try?
White Box is a lighter coloured hardwood
Ironbark says it all
Jarrah is a great wood with hints of cherry red

Tasmanian Timbers are some of the nicest looking

Blackheart Sassafras, Tasmanian Sassafras
Huon pine, being one of the most beautiful and sought after
( although not logged anymore there is plenty around as knife blanks and for craft uses )


I always include this link to give people a idea of the colours of Australian Timbers.

https://www.brisbanesfinestfloors.com.a ... pecies/amp
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#10

Post by The Deacon »

Well JD, as an one old guy who loves knives with wood handles and stainless blades, I guess I'm one of the exceptions. :smlling-eyes As for your question, I'm guessing there are three primary reasons why we don't see more wood on production knives.

One is "political correctness" that puts an onus on the use of exotic woods and a lot of exotic materials.

Dimensional stability is another. Of course there are two ways to solve that issue. The first is simply to use naturally oily woods, like desert ironwood, cocobolo, or lignum vitae. The second is properly vacuum stabilizing non-oily wood with resin. Dymondwood and Pakawood are two laminated plywood products made that way, but just about any non-oily wood can also be stabilized as can things like pine cones and mushrooms. I find it odd that, while the folks making handgun grips and long gun stocks have embraced laminated wood and CNC machining has allowed them to embellish their products with checkering and other forms of carving, few knife companies have ever tried that.

The final one, an arguably the largest, is that a large portion of the knife market today is "tactical" knives and wood is not seen as a proper material by many people in that group.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

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Post by The Mastiff »

I'll always be a fan of Ebony, Blackwood, Cocobolo and a few others. I've gone out of my way to get these in GEC and Queen knives when possible and have a bunch.

Purple heart and Bloodwood can look good on pistol grips but I don't think they would be my choices for knife scales. I do really like antique Rosewood furniture and Mahogany can be really nice or plain ugly IMO. I made a nightstick out of some left over mahogany probably 30 years ago and it is a beautiful deep reddish color. Heavy enough to make a thumper of a nightstick too.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#12

Post by James Y »

Not an exotic wood, but I wonder how hickory would work as a knife handle? It’s used for axe handles, for example, and the 51” walking stick I like to carry on my walks is hickory. At least in those applications, hickory is very strong and durable. I don’t know how it would work as a knife handle material, though.

I like some wood handled knives. My favorite Buck pocketknives have wood handles. But for me, wood isn’t a favored handle material on knives. Mostly because I’m concerned about it warping, breaking, etc. Similar to how I feel about bone and stag handles.

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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#13

Post by TomAiello »

Hickory works great if it's stabilized. Not so great if it's left in it's natural, raw state.

In general, I've been very impressed with stabilized wood handles. I prefer them to most synthetic materials for aesthetic reasons, and I've found their durability more than sufficient. Plus, if they do get beat up, it just gives me an excuse to tear them off and try something else. :)
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#14

Post by TomAiello »

The Mastiff wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 9:20 am
Purple heart and Bloodwood can look good on pistol grips but I don't think they would be my choices for knife scales.
I have had negative experiences with Purple Heart losing it's coloration over time when exposed to sunlight. I tend to stabilize it with a dye that's as close to the original color as possible to try to prevent that. So far, so good, but it's too early to say for sure if that's a real long term solution.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#15

Post by benben »

standy posted that link to some Australian timbers that included Gum, how would Gum wood hold up as a knife handle? As a kid / teenager who cut and busted wood (everyday) to heat our house, every now and then some Gum got mixed in with Oak and Hickory. That wood is just ridiculously tough to split without a hydraulic splitter, which we didn’t have, I was the splitter so why buy one! Just me, an axe, a maul, and a sledgehammer and go-devil.

Just curious if anyone has ever used Gum, I’ve personally always hated it, but solely from how insane it was to bust, bad memories!
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

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Post by TomAiello »

I've never used it but I see stabilized gum for sale on several knife sites, so I think it probably works. Someone should totally buy some and make some mule scales from it. :)
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

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Post by standy99 »

TomAiello wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 11:26 am
I've never used it but I see stabilized gum for sale on several knife sites, so I think it probably works. Someone should totally buy some and make some mule scales from it. :)
80% of Australian trees are Gum

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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

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Post by Pokey »

TomAiello wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 11:26 am
I've never used it but I see stabilized gum for sale on several knife sites, so I think it probably works. Someone should totally buy some and make some mule scales from it. :)

I've been wondering if someone could make some scales for my Mules if I supplied the wood.
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#19

Post by TomAiello »

Pokey wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 12:16 pm
TomAiello wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 11:26 am
I've never used it but I see stabilized gum for sale on several knife sites, so I think it probably works. Someone should totally buy some and make some mule scales from it. :)

I've been wondering if someone could make some scales for my Mules if I supplied the wood.
I think tons of people can do that. I see custom scales on Etsy all the time. I bet it would be easy to ask someone there to do it.

Do you have a specific wood with sentimental value you want to use?
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Re: Exotic Woods For Knife Handles?

#20

Post by SpyderNut »

Image

I love exotic hardwoods—especially Snakewood. Here’s a Trapper with Snakewood I made several years ago.
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