# Homemade scales - wood ID, please.



## RavenMad (Feb 4, 2014)

So, after the relative success of my first project (sinkbridge), I've decided to have a crack at rehandling a really cheap petty/utility (you know, those crappy, plastic handled, 54HRC POS you get at the supermarket). The knife itself is worthless but, for that very reason, it doesn't matter if I **** it up - this is more an exercise in just trying to get the basics sorted before moving on to nicer knives and fancier handles.

I've got a bunch of firewood that's been sitting in my covered woodstore air-drying for several years. Found a gnarly piece and decided to cut it up and use it for my scales. I don't know what the wood is but wondered if any of you clever people might be able to ID it. I'm pretty sure it's a native Australian hardwood (found it on my block at a previous house). Given it's very seasoned, will it matter that it's not stabilised? Obviously, I'll oil/wax it when it's done.

Hope you can make it out in the photos (I've included raw and oiled for comparison). Note, this is not the actual scales, it's just some offcuts from the same piece:

Cut along the grain (raw):




Cut along the grain (oiled):




Bark side:




Cross-cut showing endgrain:




Also planning to make my own mosaic pins - man, this stuff is addictive! 

Thanks for your help!


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## Stumblinman (Feb 4, 2014)

I have a spat from there that looks just like it. It's red iron bark. But I would think there would be more grooves on the bark side?


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