# best wood to get started on rehandling??



## gic (Apr 5, 2015)

I assume just as their are steels to that are best to learn freehanding on, there are types of wood that are best to learn handlemaking with. Can someone help me and tell me where the best places to pick them up are??

TIA


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## CPD (Apr 6, 2015)

Are you doing a western or WA handle? Experienced woodworker or more of a beginner? 

There are lots of vendors for materials from here on the forums, to online, can even name a few places in the Bay area for you. Happy to point you to a few, but as for which wood - What you plan to make, what tools you have available, and experience woodworking will all factor in.

If this is tied to your other thread on the Forgie remake and you're going to stay with its western scales and not do a significant reshaping/reprofile..... you have a pretty broad range of woods to play with. Exotics or rare grain patterns will be harder to work without experience but on a western handle, buying blanks precut for scales isn't going to set you back so much that it's not worth experimenting with something you like. 

My favorite woods to work with - for ease of use in carving/cutting etc - are walnut and cherry. Maple, if staying with domestic woods, is much harder to finish. For exotics, bubinga is pretty forgiving and great looking, as is pheasant wood. Rare exotics - rosewoods, ebonies, ziricote - all are very dense and challenging, not to mention significantly pricier. Similarly, really unusual grain patterns and burls can be tricky. 

If you go with something exotic before you start working it, cautionary advice - do a quick check on wood-database to see about allergy or toxicity issues. Cocobolo, as an example, is pretty nasty stuff for some people. Redwood dust, for others is brutal. 

This post probably ought to get moved to the Shop forum....but am glad to add more info for you when I have sense of what you're planning to make. Can send you few local suppliers as well.


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## gic (Apr 6, 2015)

pretty much a woodworking beginner, so walnut and cherry (and possibly bubinga) it is, As far as tools go: just bought a belt grinder and have a drill press, no band saw but have a rather cute Dremel Moto-Saw Variable Speed Compact Scroll Saw as well as a Dremel 

Thanks!


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## Castalia (Apr 6, 2015)

I have been making western handles for my own knives and as gifts. Stabilized wood from some of the site vendors is great to work with, $20-50 for some beautiful scales. 

http://burlsource.us/

http://dreamburls.com/index.php?route=common/home


Consider some Dymond/pakka wood scales to get started with as well. These are some websites with plenty of knife making supplies, that should give you some good ideas:

http://www.knifemaking.com/

http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php

https://www.knifeandgun.com/


This shop has all sorts of tools and great sanding gear:

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/


:knife:


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## CPD (Apr 6, 2015)

For making western handles an arsenal of tools isn't needed. You should be largely good to go with what you have mentioned ....and maybe a few hand tool additions. 

If you want to add any curvature or "coke bottle" elements to the handle, make sure you have some files/rasps. You can spend bucks on them or improvise with sandpaper and wood strips that flex. For shaping my personal go-to is called a curved milled tooth file. I have an antique flexible one but these are the non-flex modern version: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=56529&cat=1,42524 . They cut fast and relatively cleanly. Carving rasps are great too but can be expensive. 

Another favorite: I also like flexible backers made for autobody sanding (cheap harbor freight foam ones work fine) ...or take thin pieces of wood and put adhesive backed sandpaper on them. The flexibility allows you to bend the tool as you sand/shape/carve to create curved shapes. Those, your dremel with some flap sanding wheels and maybe a small block plane and you can pretty much carve any shape you want with wood by hand.


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## Castalia (Apr 6, 2015)

I just got two half round Iwasaki files from Woodcraft (now owners of Japan Woodworker) that carve into handle material surprisingly well as I had been using some cheaper Nicholson files. I have been using primarily handtools other than a Rigid 3X18 belt sander that I use on occasion. My projects don't go that quickly, but I don't mind taking the time as it is a hobby.

The Dymond/pakka wood is pretty forgiving for starting out for your first few handles. Soon you will want to try your skill at more natural wood. My attempts with some plain walnut scraps were passable with a tru-oil finish, but I find stabilized wood is the best for me.


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## Burl Source (May 12, 2015)

In my opinion the easiest wood for a beginner to practice with is plain old maple.
You can buy it cheap so when you throw away the mess ups it doesn't hurt so bad.
Then when you get better at the basics move to nicer woods.


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## HHH Knives (May 12, 2015)

I would second Maple. As a great starting wood. Easy to get a nice finish. pretty tough and durable. and quite beautiful!!


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## gic (May 13, 2015)

Maple is indeed pretty easy to get, what does one use 4/4, 5/4, 6/4??


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