Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Speaking of scales..

How many of you fellas supply the knife maker with the scale material?

Do knife makers prefer when you do?

Just a general sort of question about how the choice of scale material is usually handled.

I have. Depends on who is making it. What level of wood they tell me they have. Just ordering can be a crap shoot. You might get a beautiful piece or you may get average.

Right. I guess I was wondering if knife collectors also collected scale material. I've bought a few pieces recently and it got me wondering. Thanks MCH

Tim,
Do you have a preference?

I am guessing maybe 5% of my customers for "ordered" knives furnish their own
handle material for whatever reason.....
That is OK with me, but I try to be a little more aware when using their material.

If I screw up my own material, no problem. Just back up and do over.
Not that easy with a unique material furnished for a specific knife.

I kinda stay away from "presentation" grade handle materials. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I try to make a pretty nice looking knife, but not a collector grade.
But if the customer has something he likes, that is ok with me.

Just my take on it.
Tim

I don't collect wood. But when I see a piece a like I will buy it. I am not a huge fan of wood handled knives. They look great but are not ideal in a working knife. Here is a piece I recently bought because I can get a set of handle scales and a duck call out of it.

That is a nice chunk of wood.
Anytime I find some really nice wood, etc at a reasonable price I buy it.
Can't always find it when you need some and I do not like to buy
without personal contact and perusal.

Thanks Tim, interesting.
MCH that's outstanding. What kind of wood? Also, who will make the call?

Desert Ironwood.

I would love to get Raggio but I believe his books are closed. So not sure yet.

Some koa I brought back from Hawaii and sent to Dale’s for a kitchen knife for the ol lady

I really like these scales. Knife was a gift to me from Fieldgrade. Would love to have another knife made with the same.

Pig sticker dale built me, bought some kuilla wood and shipped it to him for the project. Kuilla has been used for weapons, spears etc in Hawaii forever, dale said it was the hardest shiit he’s ever worked...
best image hosting

Here is a better picture

Real nice, fellas.
Jud that kitchen knife is sweet.
MCH that's an interesting blade. Amboyna burl?

I am guessing it is Amboyna Burl. But don't know for sure. It was a gift and i don't have the specs on it.

I like to supply the scales if they are wood. I think it adds a little more of a custom touch

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AAAAA-AMBOYNA-BURL-KNIFE-SCALES-0369/114062041384?hash=item1a8ea0a128:g:QVwAAOSw1V9eGg5D

You may be able to find a better price than this, but it does kinda look like the right wood

TxHunter80,
From a previous conversation I knew you collected some scale material.
I think it adds depth to the whole process to find the very specific piece you like. Tomorrow I'm meeting with a woodworker/ custom guitar builder friend of mine who thinks he may have a lot of pieces I might be interested in. Fingers crossed.

Longarm, headed down there in a month, if your lookin for something exotic let me know I’ll pick ya up something

No kidding? That would be awesome Jud, thanks. I'll PM ya here in a sec.