Look what I found!

**Scottishsmith24** · 09-02-2013, 05:37 PM

So last night I was roving on Craig's List and stumbled across a gem. I called up the guy (near the Wisconsin border) and after a couple of hours I was driving through the country side with a heavy load in my SUV. I had found a 200 lb white oak burl for $100. Now I just need to find a good chainsaw...

If the blocks come out well would anyone here be interested in grabbing some? I've never seen oak burl before so I'm not sure how it will look...any ideas?

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**Winter** · 09-02-2013, 06:17 PM

Wow, I can't wait to see the innards.

**randallss7** · 09-02-2013, 06:49 PM

I found some in the arbuckle mountians once, I still have some, I didn't like it for knife handle it was a little to soft. It was howerver very nice looking wood, I hope it turns out good for you, maybe it will be harder than what I found.

**crashdive123** · 09-02-2013, 07:56 PM

Make you a deal --- send me a box that is cut to size for scales and I'll stabilize them (dyed if you like) and send em back. 50/50 split of what you send?

**Buckman95** · 09-02-2013, 08:08 PM

I'm interested.How much would you want for some?

**Scottishsmith24** · 09-02-2013, 08:25 PM

Crash I'm definitely interested in doing that for some of them so after I cut into it I'll probably be sending you a message and Buckman95 I'm not sure yet I've been unable to find any sort of baseline as to what it goes for I don't want to over charge anyone nor give it away. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.

**crashdive123** · 09-02-2013, 08:30 PM

Cool. When I say stabilize (I know there's a lot of talk on the web and youtube on how others do it) here's the process I use (friend's equipment).

place the wood in pressure chamber (tractor hydraulic cylinder) and draw a vacuum. Hold the vacuum for a few hours and introduce the stabilizing fluid without breaking the vacuum. Once that is done, put it under 3500 pounds of pressure. Let dry and voila - done.

**Batch** · 09-02-2013, 10:10 PM

Why is a burl desirable? The mixed grain angles?

**Rick** · 09-02-2013, 10:50 PM

Yes, you will get swirls and all sorts of geometric designs. Some can be quite complex. I've seen wood grain that looked like beehives, flames, weird concentric circles and many different colors within the same burl. It's pretty amazing what nature can do and no two pieces are the same. Each burl and often each cut in a burl is a unique pattern with no other in nature. Or...it can be a big load of crap too. Hopefully, his will be the former.

**randallss7** · 09-02-2013, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

Cool. When I say stabilize (I know there's a lot of talk on the web and youtube on how others do it) here's the process I use (friend's equipment).

place the wood in pressure chamber (tractor hydraulic cylinder) and draw a vacuum. Hold the vacuum for a few hours and introduce the stabilizing fluid without breaking the vacuum. Once that is done, put it under 3500 pounds of pressure. Let dry and voila - done.

I'm no expert on making stabilized wood, I faild at it greatly. I have however used a ton of it from different sources, I have got my hands on some real crap and some very good. It sound like Crash has it figured out, I know first hand soaking it in stabilization fluid in a mason jar does not work...lol. I have stoped getting it from all but a few sources and I pay 25-50.00 for a set of scales. Check out www.arizonaironwood.com and www,knifemaker.com both have good stabilized wood and you can check out the prices.