How do YOU choose which woods to use non-stabilized for handles?

[milkbaby]

I'm a newbie making kitchen knives and bought stabilized and non-stabilized wood for handles. So these knives won't see the kind of hard use other types will though they will come in contact with moisture. I'm just making practice knives and starting to make gifts now too.

It seems the general advice about woods to use that are not stabilized are ones that are oily and/or dense, which coincidentally matches up with woods that probably don't take up stabilizing resin very well. Ironwood, rosewood, cocobolo, lignum vitae, etcetera...

Since there's no comprehensive list of what's "acceptable" how do YOU personally choose which woods to use without stabilization? Do you stick with a certain list? Check the hardness with the fingernail test? Some other method?

 

[J. Hoffman]

I stabilize things that probably don't need it, just to be safe. With that said, I have used Cocobolo (never again), ironwood and paduak without stabilizing, and have had zero issues. It's really a case by case basis.

 

[Willie71]

I use a few woods without stabilization, after getting advice from others, and personal experience. Woods used untreated for decking or fences are usually good choices. Cocobolo, Paduak, wenge, Purple Heart, black walnut, and well seasoned zebrano are pretty stable. I have used Honduras mahogany, but it's a bit on the soft side, so I stabilize it now. Rock maple and white oak are typically fine.

 

[Jrmysell]

I haven't used all these, and many people may disagree with some of these, but from my research, this is the list I have come up with. Sorry, for the poor formatting, as I have an Excel spreadsheet and don't know an easy way to import it here.
Woods that NEED stabilizing:

Burl Woods
Spalted Woods
Acacia
Afzelia
Alder
Ash
Bamboo
Beech
Beefwood
Birch
Black and White Ebony
Box Elder
Buckeye
Carob
Chechen
Cherry
Coolibah
Cottonwood
Elm
Eucalyptus
Gum
Hickory
Hollywood
Jarrah
Koa
Locust
Madrone
Maidou
Mallee
Mango
Maple
Mesquite (Kitchen)*
Mohagany
Mulberry
Myrtle
Needlewood
Oak
Palm
Pear
Pecan
Pistachio
Poplar
Sandalwood
Sapele
Sheoak
Sycamore
Tambootie
Teak
Vitex
Willow

Woods that do NOT need stabilizng:

Blackwood
Bloodwood
Bubinga
Camel Thorn
Camphor
Cedar
Chakte Viga
Cocobolo
Dead Finish
Ebony
Gidgee
Greenheart
Grey Ironbark
Ipe
Ironwood
Juniper
Ligum Vitae
Limba
Marblewood
Merbau
Mesquite (Hunting/EDC)*
Osage Orange (Bois d'arc)
Pau Ferro
Redwood
Rosewoods
Sandalwood
Snakewood
Thuya
Wenge
Yew

Woods that can do either/or:

Amboyna Burl
Bocote
Canarywood
Katalox (sapwood needs stabilizing)
Kingwood
Lacewood
Maple
Mesquite*
Olive
Padauk
Pink Ivory
Purpleheart
Tigerwood
Tulipwood
Verawood
Walnut
Zebrawood
Ziricote

 

[Willie71]

I forgot about tiger wood. I've used it without stabilization.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Hey JRM, sounds like you read through my list.

I wrote a pretty long and reasonably in depth piece about wood, including my advice on stabilizing. You can find it here.


http://greenbergwoods.com/wood-information-and-identification/

 

[Greenberg Woods]

I haven't used all these, and many people may disagree with some of these, but from my research, this is the list I have come up with. Sorry, for the poor formatting, as I have an Excel spreadsheet and don't know an easy way to import it here.
Woods that NEED stabilizing:

Burl Woods
Spalted Woods
Acacia
Afzelia
Alder
Ash
Bamboo
Beech
Beefwood
Birch
Black and White Ebony
Box Elder
Buckeye
Carob
Chechen
Cherry
Coolibah
Cottonwood
Elm
Eucalyptus
Gum
Hickory
Hollywood
Jarrah
Koa
Locust
Madrone
Maidou
Mallee
Mango
Maple
Mesquite (Kitchen)*
Mohagany
Mulberry
Myrtle
Needlewood
Oak
Palm
Pear
Pecan
Pistachio
Poplar
Sandalwood
Sapele
Sheoak
Sycamore
Tambootie
Teak
Vitex
Willow

Woods that do NOT need stabilizng:

Blackwood
Bloodwood
Bubinga
Camel Thorn
Camphor
Cedar
Chakte Viga
Cocobolo
Dead Finish
Ebony
Gidgee
Greenheart
Grey Ironbark
Ipe
Ironwood
Juniper
Ligum Vitae
Limba
Marblewood
Merbau
Mesquite (Hunting/EDC)*
Osage Orange (Bois d'arc)
Pau Ferro
Redwood
Rosewoods
Sandalwood
Snakewood
Thuya
Wenge
Yew

Woods that can do either/or:

Amboyna Burl
Bocote
Canarywood
Katalox (sapwood needs stabilizing)
Kingwood
Lacewood
Maple
Mesquite*
Olive
Padauk
Pink Ivory
Purpleheart
Tigerwood
Tulipwood
Verawood
Walnut
Zebrawood
Ziricote

Also kingwood can not be stabilzed.

 

[scott.livesey]

do you want wood or plastic? all stabilized wood i have seen or own has a plastic/resin feel, it does not feel like wood. it weighs 2 to 3 times as much as the same wood unstabilized. properly cared for a plain wood handle that has been finished with oils or varnish will last a long time. I have old knives(50+ years) with the original handle that were cared for and still look good. if you are making ultra-light knives(ex. a 4" paring knife that weighs 1.75oz or an 8" chef's knife that weighs 3.5 oz), plain wood is the way to go.
i would avoid spalted wood as it may have internal voids and weak spots.
scott

 

[HSC ///]

do you want wood or plastic? all stabilized wood i have seen or own has a plastic/resin feel, it does not feel like wood. it weighs 2 to 3 times as much as the same wood unstabilized. properly cared for a plain wood handle that has been finished with oils or varnish will last a long time. I have old knives(50+ years) with the original handle that were cared for and still look good. if you are making ultra-light knives(ex. a 4" paring knife that weighs 1.75oz or an 8" chef's knife that weighs 3.5 oz), plain wood is the way to go.
i would avoid spalted wood as it may have internal voids and weak spots.
scott

agreed on this about stabilized wood being plastic.
I'm liking stabilized wood less and less

and also discovered a void on a spalted maple burl knife I made

ironwood, what else do you need....
I think Phil wilson said it's natures gift to knifemakers.

 

[Jrmysell]

Also kingwood can not be stabilzed.

Good to know, I'll update that.

 

[jdm61]

If they have been used for centuries without stabilizing, then you are probably okay.

 

[LARRYZ10]

Try Amboyna, Cocobolo, and Arizona Desert Ironwood for hard, beautiful handles that don't need stabilizing. Larry

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The list is also on Bladeforums:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1331164-Woods-for-use-in-Knife-handles-*updated*

 

[Natlek]

If they have been used for centuries without stabilizing, then you are probably okay.

I have walnut handle on one small knive I made 30 years ago and wood is the same as when I made knife .

 

[john april]

if i can press and feel my thumbnail sink into the wood i consider it too soft for a handle.

 

[scott.livesey]

when choosing the wood for a handle, weight must be considered. on the light end you have maple, walnut, red cedar. on the heavy end ebony, ironwood, canarywood, locust, dogwood, persimmon. if your goal is a very light knife, maple or walnut would be the starting choices. if making a larger knife and want balance, an ironwood or locust handle can help make the finished knife less blade heavy.
scott