Cherry wood

[Alden Cole]

Should unstabilized cherry wood be used as a knife handle? Basically I'm asking if it would get dented. I have an EDC I made with walnut, and it already has a few dents and stuff. I've been testing it pretty hard though . Thanks!

 

[John Wilson]

Cherry makes outstanding handles. It's not much to look at, but cherry wood is pretty great from a durability perspective. Any wood will get dented. But you can steam out dents for the most part. There is no reason to stabilize cherry. It can be done, but like maple it's pretty darn stable to begin with. I prefer maple unstabilized.

 

[Robert66]

I am allowed to enter our local crematorium woodland grounds to cut hazel for my country walking sticks.

They have asked me NOT to cut the walnut and 2 cherry trees but can take any of it already on the ground, I look regular but do not find any, the cherries are ace, lol/

There is also plenty of holly bushes, is holly good for scales?

 

[Alden Cole]

Thanks John! I had to look up how to steam out dents. Pretty cool! Thanks for the info!

Robert, I have no experience with holly as a knife handle, and most of what I see is invasive English holly here. I'm guessing that's what you have there. I've had a holly club that I cut and left outside for possibly years, and it is still pretty strong. That is a good sign. But like I said, I have no experience with it as a knife handle.

 

[Doug Lester]

From what I have read on wood supply sites it makes a difference what time of the year you harvest the holly. From what I recall the wood harvested in the winter is more white and can be used as an ivory substitute.

Robert, I might have second thoughts on eating the cherries from the crematorium woodland grounds is that's where they scatter the ashes.

Doug

 

[C Craft]

I am allowed to enter our local crematorium woodland grounds to cut hazel for my country walking sticks.

Robert I started to read this sentence, stopped backed up and re-read it to make sure I had just read it correctly! Had to read on then, as I wasn't exactly sure where you were going with this!!

Robert, I might have second thoughts on eating the cherries from the crematorium woodland grounds is that's where they scatter the ashes.

Doug the good book does say ashes to ashes and dust to dust,...………………………………………. however eating the cherries fertilized with human ashes, well I think the willies would get too me!! Ha Ha!

Not sure what the Holly over there looks like but was able to pull this pic up, it is supposed to be a wand! Not sure what wand means as some words to not translate from the UK to America. When I think of wand I think of Harry Potter!! I finally had to look up what a car boot meant in the UK. I now know you were talking about a flea market as we call it!!


If that wand is truly holly I would give it a try. The holly stateside like Doug was speaking of is a hard when dried and it is white enough to pass for ivory. I was advised on a historical piece to use holly as it will pass for Ivory and you don't get into trouble. I still had to put on it that it was Holly and not Ivory!

 

[Robert66]

Howdy folks..

The actual crematorium area is in the middle of approx 200 acres which I do not go into, I go either side of it.
The cherry trees probably get wind dust, did nnot think of that.

Our holly trees have loads of red berries which humans cannot eat eat but some birds do, the wood is white.

I will ask if I can saw a branch off next time I go there.

I know where there is a another walnut tree in a public area but would not touch it although it is really scraggy looking,

 

[C Craft]

I know where there is a another walnut tree in a public area but would not touch it although it is really scraggy looking,

There you go, "you know that walnut tree would really look much better if it had a trim, you know I could do that for you"!

 

[Robert66]

Being in a public area it more than likely has a preservation order on it in the UK which they are strict on, I would incur the wrath of the Peelers if caught.

I am too old for jail. lol

 

[Self Made Knives]

Cherry is one of my favorite woods for general wood working. It cuts and machines wonderfully! I've got a bunch of cherry lumber, but so far I've never tried it on knife. One thing I've done with woodworking cherry is to put the finished piece in bright sunlight for a couple weeks. It oxidizes in sunlight and gets that rich dark color that you expect from cherry. It looks a little boring when you first cut it.

 

[John Wilson]

I did a set of three matching hunters in black cherry as a special request. The cherry tree was special to the family as part of the family homestead. They made boards of it when the tree had to come down. The customer wanted to use the wood as handles to make heirlooms and the figure wasn’t important since the wood was special to them.

I used red liners as a play on cherry. I wish I’d known about Anthony’s tip for getting more color into the wood. Luckily the wood was already many years aged. Tru-Oil also darkened it enough to make the grain pop.