# First try at a saya-



## Bert2368 (Feb 7, 2019)

165mm nakiri, came without a saya and blade is too deep to fit in my knife block.

I have looked at both a 3 layered method with a sawed out outline made in the center piece and the (apparently traditional?) 2 layered method with a pocket for the knife chiseled out of the inner faces of the layers. I don't have the cranked handle chisel but might make do with other tools...

What is recommended? The 3 layer method could come out a bit thick, the 2 layer method will be a lot more time.


----------



## milkbaby (Feb 7, 2019)

I've done both, but I prefer just doing the laminated style now because I prefer to use a softer wood for the middle that is kinder to the edge.

If you do the laminated 3 piece style, you can get the middle piece a thickness similar to or slightly thicker than the thickest part of the spine and then use whatever thickness on the outer boards to give you the overall thickness you desire.

It's definitely more work to chisel out the hollow for the blade in the two piece construction. If you have a router, it could be routed out.


----------



## Midsummer (Feb 7, 2019)

Looks like poplar. I use regular chisels with the two piece method. I have done both, but I enjoy the chiseling/ wasting the central area out. Really not that much work involved. I used to route it out, but chiseling is more peaceful.


----------



## Bert2368 (Feb 7, 2019)

That is a piece of 1/4" poplar, I also have some 1/4" red oak on hand.

I picked up a couple of decent looking pieces of 1/4" X 3 1/2" X 36" "hobby wood" from the building supply store last time I went there- After I dinged the edge of that poor nakiri by leaving it sitting on the granite counter top.



For that matter, I've got some white oak, sugar maple, cherry, even a bit of walnut stashed away.

Those species are in nominal 1X or thicker pieces, which would require re-sawing on the band saw and probably after that I'd need to sharpen knives and adjust jointer and thicknes planer which are woefully neglected right now.

Crap, gotta fix up the tools to make the stuff to keep the other tools all fixed up?

Getting recursive here. Screw writing, off to the shop!


----------

