Mahogany for knife handles????

mahogany for knife handles is very very nice.
Stable and dense.
It can be oiled and treated as you wish. I prefer it for knives that will work in saltwater environment, beacuse caring is minimal.
Cheers.
 
mosto said:
mahogany for knife handles is very very nice.
Stable and dense.
It can be oiled and treated as you wish. I prefer it for knives that will work in saltwater environment, beacuse caring is minimal.
Cheers.
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Thanks for your comments, I think with all the choces of burls and the such Mahogany has fallen by the wayside, even though it doesn't (always) have the beauty of a Walnut Burl or Buckeye Burl, it is still a good utility wood, the strength of it, with it's natural beauty, of colors and hues, is still very pretty, but not on the level of a burl, or my favorite walnut. I'm still planning on using some for one of mine, just to see how well it works, and looks in the end product, thanks again for your comments, Rex
 
Please also notice that there is chance that you find some Pommelèe Mahogany, that is a rare mahogany with burls and swirls. The same density plus a very good looking aspect. I found it thanks to my brother-in-love because we share the lab and he is a luthier.
Me is lucku, plenty of fancy and nice woods!
 
mosto said:
I found it thanks to my brother-in-love because we share the lab and he is a luthier.
Me is lucku, plenty of fancy and nice woods!
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mosto raises a very good point; luthiers (instrument makers) like quality wood as much or more than knifemakers do, and prize figured woods of various exotic species. Check around online for luthier-supply places. A slab big enough to carve a guitar neck out of would yield a LOT of handles!
 
james terrio said:
mosto raises a very good point; luthiers (instrument makers) like quality wood as much or more than knifemakers do, and prize figured woods of various exotic species. Check around online for luthier-supply places. A slab big enough to carve a guitar neck out of would yield a LOT of handles!
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Way ahead of you James, I've got a connection in B-ham, Al. right by my favorite restaunt there, we went there a few weeks ago, I noticed it over there, and went in because my son is also interested in guitars, we stopped in and I struck a conversation about wood, I simply asked him what did he do with his scrap pieces, he puled out 3 of the most beautiful Claro Walnut I have ever seen, he said if you will use them, their yours,I couldn't throw them away!! My mouth fell open, I have seen beautiful Claro walnut before but the black lines in this stuff is deep, the colors are awesome, what you would expect from a person that makes guitars! I've got it set up, all he has to do is send me an email, and I'll send him the shipping, he'll send me all he gets! Hows that sound!? Keep in mind I don't go to the big city a lot, very dangerous for us little fellers, but I'll be stopping by there every chance I get! I'm planning on making him a knife, if I can find the time , and it's not Black flag weather! But a great idea, for all!
Rex
 
Heck yeah, make him a nice knife and I'm sure he'll set aside nice pieces for you! That's a great connection 2thumbs
 
Nice score man. I was a Paiting Restorer in another life and that is my other source of fine woods.
By the way you can consider other than luthiers also the scraps from furnitures (that seems to discard small burls), shipping yards and old farms.

But I prefer luthier and restorer woodies because only the most premium dryed woods can be used, better when they are striped, veneered, curlied or swirled etc. And also we can hand pick

Cheers!
 
mosto said:
Nice score man. I was a Paiting Restorer in another life and that is my other source of fine woods.
By the way you can consider other than luthiers also the scraps from furnitures (that seems to discard small burls), shipping yards and old farms.

But I prefer luthier and restorer woodies because only the most premium dryed woods can be used, better when they are striped, veneered, curlied or swirled etc. And also we can hand pick

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Mosto,
Those are great tips, and I have thought of them, after getting the luthier idea, being that the city I was in when I came up with the idea is a long way from my own, I thought about looking around here to find some others, not that easy! The first one was a fluke, I think. I have a line on a guy I know, that is a family friend who makes awesome guitars, banjo's, mandalin's(sp), and has made several violins, all that I've seen were beautiful! I'm going to give him a call this weekend. Amazing what a free knife will do to grease the wheels for something like that, AND I don't usually go all out, I do keep the details like all of mine, but I don't make them a big chopper that seems to be my trademark blade. I ask a few questions that'll give me an idea of what they would like, the best one is, "What kind of knife would you like?" If I can get the time and a break in the heat I'm planning on making several of my skinners, (and a few other choice blades) in the hopes of being able to make a local gun/knife show in the fall, it's more gun show than knife show, but the last few years I've been, the knife makers are coming out more and more, and it could be the advertisment that I've been looking for to boost my sales, to at least start making some profit, well not really a profit, not when you include all the cash out going against the cash incoming, but getting closer to breaking even would be really nice. Thanks for the great tips, I thought of furniture makers, but have been unable to locate any locally, I might see what I can find in B-ham, as that is the largest city in Alabama, which is one of the smaller states over here in the U.S. Have a great day, Rex
 
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