# Working With Wenge and Other Dense Woods?



## HumbleHomeCook (Nov 10, 2022)

Okay, so assuming I conquer my intimidation of these very dense wenge blanks, anyone have tips or pointers?

No doubt fresh abrasives will be critical.

Do you fill the voids? If so, epoxy?


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## MSicardCutlery (Nov 10, 2022)

Shape then fill, but I suspect you already know that. CA glue works, epoxy works, multiple coats of BLO work, polyurethane too. You could even mix the last two.


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## tostadas (Nov 10, 2022)

If you want to fill, medium CA glue and sawdust works well. For wenge in particular, I actually like to go super coarse, like 120 or 180 finish with open grain.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Nov 10, 2022)

MSicardCutlery said:


> Shape then fill, but I suspect you already know that. CA glue works, epoxy works, multiple coats of BLO work, polyurethane too. You could even mix the last two.





tostadas said:


> If you want to fill, medium CA glue and sawdust works well. For wenge in particular, I actually like to go super coarse, like 120 or 180 finish with open grain.



Thanks much fellas. Do you prefer to fill? Down sides to leaving as is?


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## MSicardCutlery (Nov 10, 2022)

Filling makes for a more eve finish and fully seals the grain if you do it right.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Nov 10, 2022)

MSicardCutlery said:


> Filling makes for a more eve finish and fully seals the grain if you do it right.



No doubt on both counts Matt. It's interesting to ponder and I reckon I'll just have to decide at the time. I mean, as dense as it seems to be and given how we care for our knives, I have to guess it fare just fine as is.

Of course, I still gotta actually cut it, shape it, etc.


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## MSicardCutlery (Nov 10, 2022)

You'll be fine. I find ebony easy to deal with, though it is hard stuff. It's much harder to overshoot your lines with harder woods since they cut so much more slowly. Symmetry is easier to pin down if the wood is harder. A 40 grit disk just demolishes oak...ebony not so much.


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## tostadas (Nov 10, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Thanks much fellas. Do you prefer to fill? Down sides to leaving as is?


I did 220 on this one with no grain fill.





Thoughts on Generic Wenge Handles


I picked up a knife a little while back with one of those basic wenge/horn handles, similar to the recent batch of Myojin's at Homebutcher. It felt cheap and absolutely horrible. The finish on the facets looked and felt like plastic, similar to something that came straight off of a CNC...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com





It came out OK, but I still wasnt crazy about it. On one of my cleavers, I took it down to 120, then finish coated it and I liked that much better.


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## Troopah_Knives (Nov 10, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Thanks much fellas. Do you prefer to fill? Down sides to leaving as is?


I honestly wouldn't fill wenge. It has great texture as is.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Nov 10, 2022)

Troopah_Knives said:


> I honestly wouldn't fill wenge. It has great texture as is.



That's my inclination as well. Thank you.


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## Pie (Nov 10, 2022)

I have a fairly roughly finished stock wenge handle, the holes are… I have something against them. Double that with it being on a honesuki and sanitation becomes a consideration. My humble opinion, of course. 

That said I don’t have the seeds to man up and fill them.


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## M1k3 (Nov 10, 2022)

In my opinion, only fill the holes that may become a problem later down the road. I really like using wenge for a handle. @ian has some experience with it also.


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## ian (Nov 11, 2022)

I know nothing… just made a couple handles using it. Never felt the need to intentionally fill holes or anything. Finished with tung oil.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Nov 11, 2022)

Thanks all.

Did some reading last night and people were freaking out about splinters and festering.  

I'm honestly not that concerned as they were furniture builders but they sure had a lot to say about that.


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## Troopah_Knives (Nov 11, 2022)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Thanks all.
> 
> Did some reading last night and people were freaking out about splinters and festering.
> 
> I'm honestly not that concerned as they were furniture builders but they sure had a lot to say about that.


I've worked with it in instruments and everyone is very concerned about that. But I think that's because a lot of the woods used by instrument makers and furniture builders are pretty mild. We knife makers use the heck-a toxic stuff.


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## RonB (Nov 11, 2022)

This may be a bit late, but wenge can cause certain health issues - especially the dust and splinters:

Wenge | The Wood Database (Hardwood)


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## tostadas (Nov 11, 2022)

RonB said:


> This may be a bit late, but wenge can cause certain health issues - especially the dust and splinters:
> 
> Wenge | The Wood Database (Hardwood)


To be fair, a lot of the exotic hardwoods are really nasty to work with. For example all the dalbergia (ie. Ebony, rosewood, African blackwood, etc) can cause very bad allergic reactions. For any kind of woodwork it's in your best interest to use proper ppe and keep yourself healthy.


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## M1k3 (Nov 11, 2022)

I believe even less toxic woods can issues without using protection. Especially inhaling the dust.


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