Decisions, decisions...

[Self Made Knives]

I think this is what I have the hardest time with, wood! I can decide on which g10 or micarta instantly, but when it comes to wood I just sit and stare. I've got a big collection of wood, but I have a terrible anxioty about how it will look in the end product. So, I dug out my stash, and narrowed it down to these, and here I sit staring.

 

[J. Hoffman]

Zebra! I know how you feel, I do the same thing.

 

[slatroni]

I like to pick a piece of wood that goes with the flow of the blank. When the grain of the wood flows down the length of the handle it gives it a longer look. OH! I love Zebra wood!

 

[C Craft]

I sometimes lay the wood against the knife I am working on and then back off a step or two and...............................! If that doesn't work then I go,..........................

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

:s12205:

Sorry I just like using that smile, it reminds me of my dog Boo!

 

[wmhammond]

Anthony,

You can't pick the wood unless it is for a specific knife. Remember this: the wood makes the knife. Show me the knife, I;ll help you pick the wood.

Wallace

 

[Jason Wernli]

Anthony, your problem is that you have too many great pieces. Send them all to me, I will find you a good one, and send it back to you. The rest will stay in my stash!
- J

 

[scott.livesey]

how about just make 7 more blades, then choose your favorite when done

 

[Jbh blades]

For that blade, I vote Zebra.

 

[Self Made Knives]

Sounds like the zebra is getting the vote. That's what my wife picked too. I was kind of leaning towards koa, but who knows. This one is going to etched and hopefully show some hamon in it. I just rough ground it today, haven't heat treated it yet.

 

[DBAR]

I like the Wenge, or the darker of the Koa's for that knife, but the Zebra wood will look great too. Looking good.

I'm a sucker for anything Ironwood, it doesn't have to be burl either.



Don

 

[BonhamBlades]

which ever one you pick will be the perfect one.

 

[TacticallySharp]

Wenge, the flow of the grain and dark color compliment the design.

 

[AJH_Knives]

Wenge with copper pins is nice.

 

[Self Made Knives]

While driving home from work today I was thinking about this topic and I remembered seeing someone (Nick Wheeler maybe) use a cut out to pick the best grain orientation. So I tried it, but I also found its a pretty good way of visualizing what the knife will look like. Check it out.

 

[BonhamBlades]

clever idea I may use that

 

[DBAR]

Good Idea. The Zebra wood looks better than I had thought it would have. How'd the Wenge look?

Looks like it's going to be another fine knife.



Don

 

[wall e]

The koa has similar lines to the knife if you rotate the scales from where it sits 90° left. But its just my pov. Keep us posted.

 

[Self Made Knives]

The wenge, zebra, and koa looks best to me. The zebra actually is more interesting that I thought it would be too, actually, you can angle the stripes in the wood to match the plunge lines.

 

[wall e]

That would be interesting to see.

 

[Self Made Knives]

All, right, finally decided today. Curly Koa it is. Just held on with temporary pins to profile the scales. These are from my first batch of Cactus Juice stabilizing too.