Looking for a little input/reasurance

wall e

wall e

Well-Known Member
Here is the start of the ironwood handle I want to put on moms knife. My quandry is to waste over half of this set by getting the character in the grain or
Just go with my idea and try to match the curves of wood and the hanle.

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My idea


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Go with the character of the wood. You will be happier when you are finished with the knife. In the back of your mind you will be wondering what it would have been. Just my opinion. Do what makes it look the best.
 
Thanks Ty. Is a valid point but then again there is the, "what if it looks horrid and I just wasted a set of book matched Ironwood scales!"
 
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ACLakey said:
Just send those scales to me... That way you won't have to fret about it.
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Now thats not the support or input I'm after. Lol
Come by the house when your up north again an I may be able to set you up with some wood scales or blocks.
 
A buddy and I are experimenting with making micarta,he's pretty good at it! I'll send you some samples. I really like Iron wood, incredible stuff.
 
They don't look big enough to do more than one knife out of anyway so pick the best parts for your scales, regardless of how much waste there is.
 
Sounds like a plan. Thanks. In return I'll send you some nuisance hardwood, Hawthorne. It has blonde,carmel,tan to brown colorings in the grain.
 
J. Doyle said:
They don't look big enough to do more than one knife out of anyway so pick the best parts for your scales, regardless of how much waste there is.
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Words of wisdom from one of the makers who has so graciously helped me on this journey. Thanks John.
The drop there would be could be used later as a bolster type mabbe.
I'm not gonna lie I just don't like wasting materials. True it will happen where I do.
 
it's not waste if there's no good use for it. waste is losing the best character of the wood by trying to get two mediocre pieces out of it. may as well buy your handle material at Home Depot if the figure doesn't matter.

It's so easy to ruin ALL of the wood trying to save some of it. now that's waste...


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My honest dillema is how to display the most character in the wood and not have it ruined by a pinhole in the center of the character.
To me that seems like poop planning.
In order to best utilise these it is virtually going to be angled or opposite of how I have it in the picture.
 
Well now my dillema is reaolved, Mom realized I had the live oak my grampa cut down and had sawn up so handle wood has changed to the Live Oak
Right side of block
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Left side of block
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Walt, it's hard sometimes to not let the cheap side of our character to rise to the surface. In general I believe that we should always use the best cut, from the best block, to make the best knife we can. Shouldn't matter if your using the Iron Wood or live oak. You'll save the fall off for other things like bolsters, caps, etc... I have a scrap box I'm always digging through for projects.

Erik
 
So true Erik. I too have a bits an chunks box for left over pieces. I am going to try and find the uber curly piece this weekend.
 
Looks like your predicament is solved for the time being with the oak, but I wanted to give you an idea of how to get the best out of a scale. Use the old woodworking technique of making a window cutout of the tang in a piece of cardboard or paper. With the actual tang shape cut out of the center, you can move the window around on the wood to get the very best looking section of the scale. It works really well.
 
BrandantR said:
Looks like your predicament is solved for the time being with the oak, but I wanted to give you an idea of how to get the best out of a scale. Use the old woodworking technique of making a window cutout of the tang in a piece of cardboard or paper. With the actual tang shape cut out of the center, you can move the window around on the wood to get the very best looking section of the scale. It works really well.
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For this knife it is.
Thanks for the tip about the paper cut out.
 
hmmm waste over half on your MOM's knife ???
regardless of waste , for your mom bro , pick the finest area and make a cool grip for her......
 
Ruger4 said:
hmmm waste over half on your MOM's knife ???
regardless of waste , for your mom bro , pick the finest area and make a cool grip for her......
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No not waste as in not able to use half of a scale, waste as in lose the character in the scale.
I presented her with two options and she chose the one with family ties.
I do have a good idea now of how it is going to turn out.
 
Maybe this tip that was given to me by a very good knife maker. Make a plexiglass template the exact same size as your handle. Then hold it over the scale and find the "perfect" portion to use for the scale. With the plexiglass being clear, it is very easy to see the grain underneath.
 
Jim Moenck said:
Maybe this tip that was given to me by a very good knife maker. Make a plexiglass template the exact same size as your handle. Then hold it over the scale and find the "perfect" portion to use for the scale. With the plexiglass being clear, it is very easy to see the grain underneath.
Click to expand...

True, I just am cursed with frosted plexiglass at the moment.
 
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