Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
JustinUtherdude
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:44 pm

Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#1

Post by JustinUtherdude »

Howdy guys.

First time poster here, so pardon my inexperience. I am looking to get some scales made from stabilized koa or stained stabilized quilted maple wood (something durable but gorgeous, for EDC). I'd like to get them for a spyderco dragonfly, and possibly a set for a spyderco endura and manix as well. I also would like to get the blade copper washed/coated, so I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for that as well. In a similar way I'd also like to find copper hardware (and a copper or copperwashable pocket clip). This is going to be a "welcome-to-the-family" give for my soon-to-be brother-in-law, so I'd like to do something special, and the copper and wood will go perfectly in the EDC lineup. I'd ideally like to be try to get this done by Christmas, but my timetables aren't set in stone. I thank you guys for any help that you might be able to give. Here are some references as to what sort of scales I am looking to get made.

I'm looking to get the kind of figure and look of the scales on the spyderco nilakka in picture here (albeit maybe a tad darker/redder)(bottom right):
https://external-preview.redd.it/GNJxip ... 8600e98fca

Thank you guys for your time. -Justin Utherdude.
TomAiello
Member
Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#2

Post by TomAiello »

I saw a guy on Bladeforums who does custom wood scales. Look over there in the for sale by knife maker ads section. He was selling complete knives but his web site advertised custom scales as well (website link was at the bottom of his ad).
User avatar
JustinB
Member
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:26 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#3

Post by JustinB »

Cuscadi and Suingab both make wood scales for various spydies and other makers aswell
Justin :spyder:
TomAiello
Member
Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#4

Post by TomAiello »

I have some Cuscadi G-10 scales and I'd definitely recommend their work. I haven't gotten wood from them though.
User avatar
anycal
Member
Posts: 2090
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:40 pm
Location: California

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#5

Post by anycal »

Cuscadi is good; have couple of scales from that shop - wood and CF.

That said, I feel like wood scales are not suited for all knives. Granted I only own a set for a PM2. Scales on the PM2 are pretty thin. So wood scales for PM2 are a bit too thin, in my opinion. Feels like if I drop the knife, they would crack. Makes for a nice gentleman's knife, but too delicate for some applications on a PM2.

Image
Peter
foofie
Member
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:23 pm

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#6

Post by foofie »

I believe Cuscadi recently started doing the frn dragonfly - just make sure to specify which one you are looking for (g10 vs frn). Also for a liner less knife, the wood alone may not be rigid enough and you may need to add g10 liners.

I have a set of koa scales from cuscadi for my ukpk. Very nice work, but I sanded them quite a bit to really make the grain pop.

Edit - added old pic
Image
User avatar
Buddafucco
Member
Posts: 3282
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:20 am
Location: Tampa Bay, USA

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#7

Post by Buddafucco »

Sorry, i know it's not what you asked for but just in case you didn't know... Knife Center has their Pakkawood/Hap40 Dragonfly, Endura, Delica, Ladybug and Police still in stk. That might be easier and cheaper for you.
•• Beau
User avatar
abbazaba
Member
Posts: 4674
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 3:40 pm
Location: New England

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#8

Post by abbazaba »

If you don't mind waiting a few weeks, Sunigab's scales are a good price and he has lots of examples on his website you can browse (by material) and request... https://g10.lt/ I've used him a few times.
w3tnz
Member
Posts: 893
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:21 pm
Location: NZL

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#9

Post by w3tnz »

Have a look here, might be up your alley
https://www.knivesplus.com/custom-spyde ... tions.html
Steeltoez83
Member
Posts: 389
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2020 8:51 am

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#10

Post by Steeltoez83 »

I went with a guy on Instagram when I got cocobolo scales for my manix. He works with 20 different wood types. Currently he only does the smock and the manix. Pm2 and para 3 are in his future. If your on Instagram search the user Match_Anderson. I am new to forums and I still don't know how to post pictures on here but there is a video of the cocobolo scales on YouTube. BJ Hill at the YouTube channel called HillTop knives and gear put the scales on along with a few other things.
"Nothing is built on stone; all is built on sand, but we must build as if the sand were stone."
User avatar
DSH007
Member
Posts: 1456
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:49 pm
Location: Holden, MA

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#11

Post by DSH007 »

^ +1 for Match Anderson. He did some monkeywood scales for my TRM Neutron that turned out absolutely fantastic! He does scales in pretty much any wood you can think of and everything I've seen posted online looks great! I know from his social media posts that he does Manix and Smock scales. I also know that he is working to expand his shop and add equipment for more complex machining (pocketed Atom scales). I connected with him through the TRM facebook group and he was great to work with.. seems like a really nice guy and his work is top notch! I have a pre-order in with him for a matching set for my Atom.. I know he's been keeping pretty busy lately with TRM orders, but it couldn't hurt to reach out and see if he could make what you're looking for.. https://www.facebook.com/matchandersoncustomworks/
Rick H.

..well, that escalated quickly..
foofie
Member
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:23 pm

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#12

Post by foofie »

Chris at Trifect Custom Shop just made me a set of Watu scales.

The thread is here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86849&p=1444362&hil ... s#p1444362
And his website is https://trifectcustom.shop/
TomAiello
Member
Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#13

Post by TomAiello »

My kids and I just made our first three sets of scales in my dad's shop (my dad has been doing custom high end woodwork for almost 50 years, but never knife scales). They turned out really well, for our first attempt. We're definitely going to make some more. It's a great family project, and I love having my kids do it with their grandfather, and create something they can keep.
User avatar
sal
Member
Posts: 16970
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:00 pm
Location: Golden, Colorado USA

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#14

Post by sal »

Hi JustinUtherdude,

Welcome to our forum.

sal
User avatar
Cambertree
Member
Posts: 1640
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:48 am
Location: Victoria, Australia

Re: Do y'all know where to get custom wood scales made?

#15

Post by Cambertree »

I actually have a Koa wood handled Dragonfly, which Cuscadi made for me about 5 or 6 years ago. It’s an FRN model.

Image
Image

The scales were drilled with a round hole at the pivot, rather than a D-shaped hole. I ended up having to glue the female side screw to the scales to tighten it properly. The backspacer was also machined out of Koa, and the seating for the backspring broke, being thin wood.

It looks great, but I wouldn’t repeat the experience. If I had to, I would choose a G10 Dragonfly to have custom scales fitted to.

Have you checked out the HAP40 Pakkawood Knifecenter exclusive?

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SP28WD ... -exclusive
Post Reply