Knifemaker's Porn

[crashdive123]

I went on a road trip today to a knife supply warehouse (Sheffields) and an exotic wood outlet (Amazon Exotic Hardwoods). All I can say is wow! Here are a few pictures from the wood store.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/015.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/014.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/013-2.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/011-1.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/010-2.jpg

Here are some of the various woods in use. The first is a bowl that has been turned from a black palm, and the second is a petrified piece of black palm.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/018.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/016.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/019.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/020.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/022.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/crashdive123/Knife%20Making/021.jpg

Here’s the website for Amazon Exotic Hardwoods. http://www.amazonexotichardwoods.com/

[rebel]

That's pretty cool stuff! I would guess pricey too?

e: Well not too bad on the prices. Thanks for the link.

[gryffynklm]

Ooo! lacewood, bobinga, wenge, purple heart, zebra wood, vermillion, rose woods, ebony.......

Hey any one want to go in on some ebony?? I was thinking about making an ebony scabbard for my Sgian Dubh. I'll likely have leftovers when I buy in april.

[crashdive123]

That's pretty cool stuff! I would guess pricey too?

e: Well not too bad on the prices. Thanks for the link.

Some of it was, but some of it was quite reasonable. The big chunk in the last two pictures was $165. One of the guys bought it. He figured that he could get 16 sets of scales out of it, so under $11 per knife.

[Ken]

I've done a bit of woodworking over the years. No knives yet, 'cause they don't allow me to play with sharp objects. :innocent:

Generally speaking, the heavier a wood is, the harder it is. Here's a list of some woods that may be helpful when you select your stock:



Extremely Heavy (Seasoned) Wood
(Sinks In Water)
Olneya tesota
Desert Ironwood: 1.15
Guaiacum officinale)
Lignum Vitae: 1.37
Cercocarpus betuloides
Mountain Mahogany: 1.10
Diospyros ebenum)
Ebony: 1.12
Very Heavy Wood
Prunus ilicifolia
Hollyleaf Cherry: 0.98
Diospyros virginiana
Persimmon: 0.83
Quercus engelmannii
Engelmann Oak: 0.94
Carya ovata
Shagbark Hickory: 0.83
Acacia greggii
Cat's Claw Acacia: 0.85
Ostrya virginiana
Eastern Ironwood: 0.80
Quercus chrysolepis
Canyon Live Oak: 0.85
Lyonothamnus floribundus
Catalina Ironwood: 0.80
Quercus agrifolia
Coast Live Oak: 0.83
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Locust: 0.79
Prosopis glandulosa
Mesquite: 0.77
Maclura pomifera
Osage Orange: 0.77
Heavy Wood
Cornus nuttallii
Pacific Dogwood: 0.75
Carya illinoensis
Pecan: 0.72
Arbutus menziesii
Madrone: 0.71
Betula alleghaniensis
Yellow Birch: 0.69
Fraxinus velutina
Arizona Ash: 0.68
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet Oak: 0.67
Umbellularia californica
California Bay Tree: 0.65
Cercis canadensis
Redbud: 0.63
Quercus kelloggii
California Black Oak: 0.64
Tectona grandis
Teak: 0.63
Juglans californica
California Black Walnut: 0.63
Acer saccharum
Sugar Maple: 0.63
Medium Heavy Wood
Chilopsis linearis
Desert Willow: 0.59
Liquidambar styraciflua
Sweet Gum: 0.59
Cercidium floridum
Palo Verde: 0.55
Prunus serotina
Black Cherry: 0.56
Psorothamnus spinosus
Smoke Tree: 0.55
Acer saccharinum
Silver Maple: 0.53
Celtis reticulata
Western Hackberry: 0.53
Swietenia macrophylla
Honduras Mahogany: 0.51
Acer macrophyllum
Big-Leaf Maple: 0.50
Magnolia grandiflora
Southern Magnolia: 0.50
Soft Wood
Pinus ponderosa
Ponderosa Pine: 0.46
Sequoia sempervirens
Coast Redwood: 0.40
Calocedrus decurrens
Incense Cedar: 0.40
Picea engelmannii
Engelmann Spruce: 0.35
Pinus lambertiana
Sugar Pine: 0.36
Quercus suber
Cork Oak Bark: 0.24
Abies concolor
White Fir: 0.36
Ochroma pyramidale
Balsa: 0.17

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I didn't realize pecan was a heavy wood? Hmmm.... it sure burns quick!

[rebel]

Good list Ken. Thanks!

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Great pics Crash! Makes one not wanna use this big pile of maple! LOL! and it was a good list Ken provided.

[Ken]

Good list Ken. Thanks!

My pleasure!

My kid brother (a banker by profession) is an avid and highly accomplished wood-worker. Over the year's, he's built up a workshop that most men would kill for. Mostly industrial grade tools, like a table saw with an 8' x 12' roller surface and a lathe that weighs about 1,400 lbs. A few hundred hand files, about 200 assorted clamps, stuff like that. His tool cabinets themselves (all made by him) are premium furniture quality.

Sooooo, I had this piece of wood I had picked up somewhere years ago. It was stained, so I'm not sure what it was, but it was about 4" x 8" x 54" long and weighed well over 100 lbs. It was beautiful stock, and there was no way I could have done it justice, so I gave it to my brother. Can't wait to see what it becomes!

[Ken]

Here's another wood density chart: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-density-d_40.html

[Rick]

I was surprised to see Hickory and Pecan separated out. Virtually the same in my book. Depending on where you get either of the woods it can be hard or impossible to tell them apart.

[klkak]

Ken, if that piece of wood was a little more uniformly square I would have said it was your head.

[Rick]

Well ouch. Someone must have been left behind again today.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I do know that Maple is special in that it has open cells and more readily excepts paint, stain, and finishes than other hardwoods.

[Ken]

Ken, if that piece of wood was a little more uniformly square I would have said it was your head.


Well ouch. Someone must have been left behind again today.

No kiddin', huh, Rick? Can you imagine if Kevin WASN'T my friend? :sneaky2:

[Ted]

Great pics Crash! Thanks!

Ken, thank you for the list. Did you start typing it yesterday? LOL

[your_comforting_company]

Not sure what the numbers are, but thats a great list. tried to give you some rep, but I gotta do the butter thing.. Thanks!

[klkak]

Really, with frieds like me who needs eminies.

[klkak]

So Crash did you find any nice pieces of steel?

[crashdive123]

So Crash did you find any nice pieces of steel?

Oh ------- happened to come across a stick of 1095 that's 3/16" thick and 1-1/2" wide. Got any ideas?:innocent:

[Ken]

Great pics Crash! Thanks!

Ken, thank you for the list. Did you start typing it yesterday? LOL

Came from a website in "My Favorites."


Not sure what the numbers are, but thats a great list. tried to give you some rep, but I gotta do the butter thing.. Thanks!

YCC, the numbers are the specific gravity of the wood. Water is 1.00

[klkak]

Came from a website in "My Favorites."



YCC, the numbers are the specific gravity of the wood. Water is 1.00

So that piece of Rhode Island Rock Wood you set your hat on is like what? 8.0!

[klkak]

Man do I amuse the heck out of myself sometimes.:clap:

[Ken]

So that piece of Rhode Island Rock Wood you set your hat on is like what? 8.0!

I don't wear a hat. :sneaky2:

[Ken]

Man do I abuse the heck out of myself sometimes.:clap:

Yes, we know. :innocent:

[Rick]

I was so tempted to change that post. Soooooo tempted. But I have scrupples, you know.

[Ken]

I was so tempted to change that post. Soooooo tempted. But I have scrupples, you know.

So what are you implying about me. :sneaky2:

[crashdive123]

So what are you implying about me. :sneaky2:

That you are a lawyer?:innocent:

[klkak]

Here ken ken ken..........Blam!!! hehehe

Here rick rick rick..........Blam!!! hehehe

Anyone else?

[gryffynklm]

Thanks Ken for me that that info is very useful.

[Ken]

That you are a lawyer?:innocent:

Well, yeah, but.........wait a minute here! :sneaky2: