# Spalted birch and cedar for knife handels



## suntravel (Oct 27, 2019)

Got some cool wood from a friend an try to make it to knife handels...

I have not the right tools, but redneckstyle with chain and small tablesaw works 

Spalted birch needs stabilizing wich is running at the moment and the cedar must dry out more before use, hope its get well without cracking...





































Regards

Uwe


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## suntravel (Oct 27, 2019)

Cedar :




































Regards

Uwe


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## Carl Kotte (Oct 27, 2019)

Looks great Uwe! I hope the wood ends up working just the way you’ve planned.


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## riba (Oct 27, 2019)

That birch looks really good


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## Dendrobatez (Oct 28, 2019)

Very nice pieces.


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## inferno (Nov 1, 2019)

what plastic do you use to stabilize uwe? have you tried different ones?


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## suntravel (Nov 2, 2019)

I am using Imp-Resin 90, for me no need to try other resins, works very well and did not become soft from the heat of fast grinding.

First blocks of birch ready:





















Regards

Uwe


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## rocketman (Nov 3, 2019)

Beautiful wood. I am envious, as all I get here in Texas is spalted hornbeam.
If you really want the best stabilization, however take a look at this site;
https://www.turntex.com/product/cactus-juice-resin-and-dyes

You will note that the process is complex, involving several steps, but really worth
the effort. The hornbeam blanks I start with are around 50 grams before treatment
and after impregnation, around 150 g.. Not really a noticeable change in appearance, 
but the stability is just amazing.


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## suntravel (Nov 5, 2019)

rocketman said:


> If you really want the best stabilization, however take a look at this site;



Yes, thanks i know this site. I have also useds wood stabilized with cactus juce, was very fine, but not better than Imp Resin 90.

My Steps are:

24h drying in high vaccum bedded in Silica Gel to 0%

Dropping in resin, increasing vac till foaming stops in steps to almost zero, soak for 12h

Release to normal pressure and let soak for 24h

Wrap in alufoil put in an cold PID controlled oven and heat up slowly to 90°C hold for 2h and let cool to rt

Grind with 40, 120 and 240 grit an give them a quick polish with bufferwheel and medium paste

Brings the soft spalted birch to an weight and hardness comparable to ebony wood.

Regards

Uwe


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## rocketman (Nov 5, 2019)

Sounds like we are on the exact same page with the exception of the type of resin we use. Same exact 
procedure . Sometimes I find that the wood will not retain all of the resin as the pore structure is too
large. In cases like that I must do the process twice.... Your woods look just great.


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