# Anybody like maple?



## apicius9 (Jan 3, 2012)

Hi,

I just had some - well, 25 pounds - curly maple and some quilted maple stabilized - no photos, yet, but I will offer a few extras to offset costs, so you will see them soon. Now I was just offered this really unique block of tubular quilted maple for a high but not completely unreasonable price. The pic shows it rough, not even sanded or coated, and I am sure this will make outstanding handles with a great 3-D look. Not sure what to do - how popular is 'plain' maple with you guys? Not that this is in anyway like the ordinary stuff... Should I buy it and cut it up? Should I have some of it dyed? Pass on it? It's 13-11/16" x 4-15/16" x 4-15/16" thick - Marko, you want to share some and cut saya & handle sets? I like maple, but I may end up with much more than I can 'handle'... Any thoughts?





Stefan


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## Dave Martell (Jan 3, 2012)

That is awesome Stefan. I can't imagine this wouldn't work for someone.


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## HHH Knives (Jan 3, 2012)

Ummm... well..................................




HECK YEA!! I love curly maple, Its probably my all time favorite of curly woods. because of the ease of working with it, combined with the fact it always, and I mean always looks better as a finished knife then it did as a scale set or a block. 

If the price is right, You cant loose on a piece of this quality.. especially if the other side is as figured as this side. GO FOR IT!


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## ecchef (Jan 3, 2012)

If you stood that on end, it would look like a square shawarma. 
I say go for it.


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## apicius9 (Jan 3, 2012)

The front side in the pic is actually the 'bad' side, this piece has quilt on all 4 sides, it's quartersawn instrument quality material from a supplier for instrument makers, '97+% useable'. My other pieces are curly or a different type of quilt, that's what makes this one so interesting. I guess I'll take it then and go from there... Does it ever end?

Stefan


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## DwarvenChef (Jan 3, 2012)

Curly Maple and walnut are just one of those soft spot woods from my hard core shooting days. Finding old battle rifles in old growth walnut and maple was always a special thrill for me. Maybe thats why I like ironwood so much, reminds me of old walnut stocks lol...

Modern "common" maple would seem alot like Ho wood as far as looks, couldn't say as to density as I have not played with maple in years. 

Thats a beautiful piece of maple there and would make a most drool worthy handle


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## HHH Knives (Jan 3, 2012)

apicius9 said:


> Does it ever end?
> 
> Stefan



I sure hope not!


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## obtuse (Jan 3, 2012)

that's an amazing piece of maple.


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## Burl Source (Jan 3, 2012)

Beautiful maple Stefan.
Way better figure than you normally see even in the stuff they are calling 5A.
My experience dying the quilted maple is ask them to dye it dark because the quilted accepts the dye slower for some reason.
The areas with off color tend to resist the dye giving some really cool random patterns.
Brown, black and orange tend to be the best sellers in dyed quilted maple. Natural sells just as quickly.
Looks like a really good find to me. Congratulations.


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## Marko Tsourkan (Jan 3, 2012)

Cool find. What is the price? PM me. 
I might be interested in some, though I have a lot of maple myself, just a grade below this one.

I probably would just clear stabilize it, as 3D effect is likely disappear once dyed. 

M


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## jmforge (Jan 3, 2012)

The best "3D" effect with maple seems to come from "toasting" it with the old school acid solutions, but thin, spirit based stain like Fiebings leather dye does a good job too and because it doesn't soak in very deep, you can go back and fix it before you put the finish on. As for the comment about it being soft, that is likely because you are getting one of the softer maple species. IIRC, really curly wood is not that common anyway, but more rare in the hard "rock" maple.


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## Mingooch (Jan 3, 2012)

very nice maple for sure. Now u are making me want to order another handle from u. I am running out of knives to handle, might have to buy some....


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## apicius9 (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks guys, I will order it and keep you in the loop when it comes back from stabilizing. It is a softer West Coast maple, so stabilizing seems to be best although I have seen stunning pictures of guitar bodies from maple like this that were (acid?) treated to take on a brown tone. this won't likely be back before March/April, but I will offer a few nice curly ones pretty soon - need to recover from the last spending binge a bit...

Stefan


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## DwarvenChef (Jan 4, 2012)

The acid treated stuff looks soo nice  

When I get to my squirrel flinter I'll be after some wicked curly stuff, but that is in a decade or so


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