Spyderco Forums

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:05 am

Something free and all the sudden we have a bunch of first time posters :rolleyes:

Xplorer wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:39 am

WilliamMunny wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 01, 2021 3:56 pm

I’m in. But what I would really appreciate is a how to / learned lesson on making scales. If I can get a new mule I want to try and make wood scales for it. I have a beautiful piece of rough cut cherry I want to use.

That is indeed a beautiful piece of Cherry :) .

Of course, you could theoretically use that Cherry or any other wood in it's raw form and make a very nice handle. You could treat it with multiple coats of linseed oil like a walnut gun stock and you could periodically treat it with a good quality wood wax. Assuming the wood was dry enough when you began the project and it doesn't dry out and crack some time after mounting the handle, with proper care it should last for many years.

Here's a Lignum Vitae Mule I made for another forum member. It is not stabilized and it is treated with 4 applications of linseed oil applied over 4 days, then some Citrus Shield wood wax to finish.


However, like Standy99 said I would suggest stabilizing it if you want to use it as a knife handle. There are very few natural wood species that I would use without stabilization..Ironwood, Ebony, Lignum Vitae and maybe a few others have the extreme density and/or naturally oily makeup to be durable tool handles without additional help.
Cherry, Maple, Buckeye, Claro Walnut, even Koa should be stabilized.

Stabilizing pulls all of the air out of the grain and replaces it with resin, creating a wood grain structure that is now supported with a tough resin material. The result is dramatically increased impact resistance and most importantly water and oil resistance similar to a fully synthetic product. This way it will never crack, hand oils won't be absorbed and water won't make it swell (within limits).

You can do your own stabilizing if you want to invest in the equipment. It's about $600 to get started with a home set-up and about $100 for some Cactus Juice stabilizing resin.

Here's a good example of what stabilizing can do...I used black dyed resin to stabilize some cork oak. It was initially just an experiment to see if stabilizing resin could shore-up something as "airy" and "punky" as cork. To my surprise it came out extremely solid, and better looking than I expected as well. This one was a giveaway that went to another forum member here as well. Darby donated the Mule and I donated the handle and the sheath.


With stabilizing you can simply make the wood more resilient with clear resin and you also have the option to add color as well. Here's a set I did in Buckeye with green dye in the resin in an attempt to make a John Deer themed set for another forum member here.


Easiest bet is to cut your scales out of your piece of wood and send them to K&G (like Tom mentioned). Cut them extra thick just in case, and consider sending more than 1 set. They do a great job and will get more resin density into your wood than anyone else I could suggest.

If you have questions along the way, you should be able to get answers to whatever you need on this forum. There's lot's of helpful and knowledgeable Mule heads here :p :D :spyder: .

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:39 pm

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:05 am

Something free and all the sudden we have a bunch of first time posters :rolleyes:

Hi Rick,

They may come through the door for the opportunity, but they stay because of all of the great people here! Except for me and you. :p

Hi Mrs.Critter, MashBill, Rocketrider, Alexct, Catfish, Heriamu1,

Hi Youeatwaffles,

I thought I remembered welcoming you before, but just in case, welcome. ( you know how age and memories go :confused: )

Welcome to our forum.

Hey ArnAnders.

Looks llke you've been here for while, but I don't remember welcoming you, so welcome.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:39 pm

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:05 am

Something free and all the sudden we have a bunch of first time posters :rolleyes:

Hi Rick,

They may come through the door for the opportunity, but they stay because of all of the great people here! Except for me and you. :p

Hi Mrs.Critter, MashBill, Rocketrider, Alexct, Catfish, Heriamu1,

Hi Youeatwaffles,

I thought I remembered welcoming you before, but just in case, welcome. ( you know how age and memories go :confused: )

Welcome to our forum.

Hey ArnAnders.

Looks llke you've been here for while, but I don't remember welcoming you, so welcome.

sal