Handles for puukkos

B

BC Bushcraft

Joined
Jul 27, 2016
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So I have just found out about Laurin Metalli blanks and want to build a few. My dilemma right now is handle material. I would like to use material from the woods but really do not want to wait for seasoning. I'm an amateur, so let me know if this is possible. Go in woods harvest dead standing/ dead branches. Cut to size and throw in oven and slowly "cook" them. There was a YouTube video of someone doing this. I feel like they shouldn't warp much because they will be blocks not thin slabs. Proceed with making the knife via hidden tang, epoxy method. Give it a soak in boiled linseed oil when done.

So if I do this what should I look out for in potential problems with the knife? Any further recommendations on ways to go on this way would help.

Thanks
 
Spalted birch is popular for puukkos (Roselli) -- you can find sources on-line (Google). I use tung oil on mine as it lasts longer than linseed oil. Give us some pix when you're done.
 
The problem with cooking wood blocks isn't really warping or splitting as long as it's already most of the way dry, it's the checking. The water leaves the wood disproportionately through the ends versus along the grain, and that causes cracks at the ends. Coating the ends to slow down the wicking action will reduce the checking. Paraffin and beeswax won't survive the heating process, but a couple of coats of Boiled Linseed Oil on the ends might be enough. The big trick is to find the piece you want and give yourself at least a couple of inches on both ends so that if they do start to check they can just be cut off. Don't get in a rush and bake it off in an hour, take your time.

Found wood is the best for meaningful projects, but that's just me. Burls, knots, and trimmed-off branch areas make for interesting figuring, but depending on the wood can really reduce structural strength. It shouldn't really be a problem unless you are going for a heavier chopper, but most of those Metalli blanks aren't going to get batonned. If you do find the absolute perfect piece of wood that's one of a kind, send it out to be professionally stabilized and you will never again have to worry about humidity and water issues blowing apart your Preciousssss.

I make mostly walking sticks, tools and tool handles, furniture, and art projects--not specifically knife handles, but as long as you aren't using green wood, you're going to be golden.
 
Spalted pieces of wood need stabilizing before use.
The traditional wood in Northern Europe is Curly Birch.
It is more durable than regular Birch and way more beautiful.
International trade name is Karelian Birch and can be bought cutup into knifehandle blocks.
I treat my handles with a drop of boiled linseed oil every now and then. When new the wood will want a lot of thin layers, but this decreases as time goes by.

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Regards
Mikael
 
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I have a kellam falcon with artic curl birch and it looks very similar. It was the knife that started a puukko fascination because I like it so much. I then realized a lot of the puukkos were using Metalli blanks, and figured hey I can just design what I want with them.

I really want to keep the handles to local wood, and think I'll try Arbutus wood(madrone), and maybe big leaf maple.

I'll definitely over cut the blocks so if any checks happen I might be able to work around it. I'd try it with more blocks then needed and then use the best ones for the handles.

Maybe I'll let them dry inside for a month before putting them in the oven. And the oven process will be a low temp and long hours type thing
 
BC Bushcraft said:
I have a kellam falcon with artic curl birch and it looks very similar. It was the knife that started a puukko fascination because I like it so much. I then realized a lot of the puukkos were using Metalli blanks, and figured hey I can just design what I want with them.

I really want to keep the handles to local wood, and think I'll try Arbutus wood(madrone), and maybe big leaf maple.

I'll definitely over cut the blocks so if any checks happen I might be able to work around it. I'd try it with more blocks then needed and then use the best ones for the handles.

Maybe I'll let them dry inside for a month before putting them in the oven. And the oven process will be a low temp and long hours type thing
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I'm pretty sure of that the wood will develop fine cracks.
Madrone and Maple will work nicely, but my recommendation would be to use longtime airdried wood.
Or You could be better off by getting the right pieces from a knifemakers supply store.

Regards
Mikael
 
For long time air dried wood, would it be better to cut them in blocks to dry or to cut them after the drying process?
 
Provided we are talking about sawn wood, cut them after the drying process is done.
It will take around 3 years if properly stored.
There's no shortcuts in getting fine wood dry, unless You have access to a proffessional quickdry facility.
That process takes around 14 days, but there's no guarantee against cracks in at least some pieces.

Regards
Mikael
 
There are lots of online dealers that sell curly birch blocks, just google Scandinavian or Nortic knives. Also I like Lauri blades, in my opinion the Lauri PT are the best. Also check out the Helle laminated blades. Really good for stainless blades. Both Lauri PT and Helle are great blades, I've crafted several knives using both.
Rich
 
Rich S said:
There are lots of online dealers that sell curly birch blocks, just google Scandinavian or Nortic knives. Also I like Lauri blades, in my opinion the Lauri PT are the best. Also check out the Helle laminated blades. Really good for stainless blades. Both Lauri PT and Helle are great blades, I've crafted several knives using both.
Rich
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I am definitely getting some of the PT blades and I will get some of the regular carbon steel as well as a stainless. The Helle blanks are a little more per blade but I'll keep that in mind after I get into a groove with puukko making. I haven't made a puukko yet but what I gather it looks straight forward.
 
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I just saw some knives my buddy rehandled with manzanita. It's a difficult material to work with in that it's very hard, but the result is pretty fantastic; dark, interesting figure, very cool.

At any rate, I had success with taking a block of black walnut firewood, dimensioning it to 3x3x6 block, and microwaving it for a few seconds at a time until a moisture meter read < 10% and I could no longer see moisture bubbling out of the wood. It split a bit, and checked on the ends, but after I cut it to size the middle of it was unchecked and stable. I broached it, fit the tang, epoxied it in place, and peened the end over a washer. I finished it with CA glue down to 2000 grit sandpaper. Half the people that use it complain about the slick handle, the other half love it.

The right knife is the one I was just talking about, it was the second blade I put a handle on. The left knife was my first; black walnut and bradford pear cut on a bias finished with BLO.

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I think I might be tempted to find my wood in the great blade forums exchange Forrest where people have all sorts of stabilized wood. Or if particularly adventurous I might venture into that howling wilderness known as eBay. That or get a lot more patient...
 
NapalmCheese said:
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microwaving it for a few seconds at a time until a moisture meter read < 10% and I could no longer see moisture bubbling out of the wood.
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Hehe, well You can't blame the members here for lack of creativity! :thumbsup:
I would have wanted the moisture down to 8% at least, but the CA treatment solved any future shrinking.
Nice knife!

Regards
Mikael
 
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What about some old baseball bats from a thrift store ? Some of these will be maple, maybe not curly pretty stuff though.

Home Depot had some walnut the other day that looks pretty good.
1.5 square 3 ft for 10 buck I think.
I may but some and let it sit for a bit.
 
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How are you guys detecting moisture level? What is this CA treatment you are talking about? I love the baseball bat idea and that opens up to old furniture and other old used wood items. Great idea. I thought about home depot too.

I honestly don't want to buy online for this project, but in the future I probably will to make unique handles
 
BC Bushcraft said:
How are you guys detecting moisture level? What is this CA treatment you are talking about? I love the baseball bat idea and that opens up to old furniture and other old used wood items. Great idea. I thought about home depot too.

I honestly don't want to buy online for this project, but in the future I probably will to make unique handles
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You can pick up a Pin Moisture Meter for about $60 from a woodworking store. Rockler is a good chain where I live, but any dedicated woodworking store will sell you one live or online. The other way to be sure is to wax, or otherwise seal the ends, put it in a dry place, and walk away for a while. I live in a desert, my garage has no AC, so wood I put up is usually good in a year. High temperatures and no humidity really work. If I want wood to be ready in less than a year, I leave it out just off the ground on my driveway. The concrete acts like an oven. You can also build a hotbox, or a small "greenhouse" to capture sunlight and bake your wood.

Any piece of old furniture might have some good wood, but it is often not hardwood and far less prime. They paint and lacquer the wood not only for aesthetics, but to hide crappy grain and defects. Expensive, quality wood furniture is usually worth repairing and won't be found for cheap. Most of the wood from big box hardware stores is farmed wood, so it's encouraged to grow as quickly as possible. The growth rings are absolutely enormous compared to naturally grown wood. I picked up an Ash tool handle once that had maybe 3 rings an inch, where an Ash tree I cut down from my yard had too many to easily count. That handle broke because it had so few laminating layers--no strength--which is why I try and make my own now. Find an exotic wood store and you'll be much happier, and they are still out there. Every time I go through Albuquerque, for instance, I make it a point to stop in the wood shop there. Use the google, see if there is any place local.
 
BC Bushcraft said:
How are you guys detecting moisture level? What is this CA treatment you are talking about? I love the baseball bat idea and that opens up to old furniture and other old used wood items. Great idea. I thought about home depot too.

I honestly don't want to buy online for this project, but in the future I probably will to make unique handles
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It's measured with an electronic little box with two pins held to the wood, wich give the moisture content in %.
CA is Superglue and it gives a watertight seal to the wood, but it's very messy to do.
After wetsanding and polishing, it gives a very glossy finish.

Regards
Mikael
 
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