Sycamore for handles and scales

[kdnolin]

I just picked up a nice slab of sycamore at a yard sale. Has some nice figure to it. Is this a species that should (or needs) to be stabilized? Also how well does it dye, by Professionals?

 

[kdnolin]

 

[milkbaby]

It's probably too soft to make great handles. It will stabilize well and dyes nicely too. I have some dyed and clear stabilized from K&G that look nice.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Stabilize it and it is stunning. I dye a good bit of it, too. Brown is my favorite color for dying sycamore.

 

[Britmaker]

I bought two 48"x12"x1" planks with nice fiddleback grain. I proved to be too soft to use. A couple of years ago I got a vacuum set-up and the Cactus Juice hardens it sufficiently to be useful.

Obviously, a photo doesn't show chatoyance.

 

[kdnolin]

i looked up the Janka rating, only 770, roughly the same as big Leaf maple, so that confirms the need for stabilizing. also found some pics of it dyed and as Stacy said, stunning, so definitely have to get some in to K&G with the next batch.

Very nice blades Britmaker!

 

[DanF]

I like it stabalized and bare naked.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That sycamore looks familiar, Dan

 

[i4Marc]

It stabilizes well and looks very nice when cut to maximize the grain pattern.

 

[DanF]

That sycamore looks familiar, Dan

Thumb up

 

[Horsewright]

It stabilizes well and looks very nice when cut to maximize the grain pattern.

Beautiful! knife and sheath. Great leather work!

 

[i4Marc]

Thanks Dave. I posted that knife a long time ago but the Sycamore was a nice example of what it could look like. That piece and several more I got from that batch were acquired from Mark at Burl Source.

ETA the back side of the sheath, just for you Dave.

 

[Horsewright]

Thanks Dave. I posted that knife a long time ago but the Sycamore was a nice example of what it could look like. That piece and several more I got from that batch were acquired from Mark at Burl Source.

ETA the back side of the sheath, just for you Dave.

Yeah I used some of that sycamore from Mark years ago too. Very nice on the back side, just dang clean. I really like the rnage marks on the dark brown piece, just cool.

 

[Britmaker]

Didn't recognise the grain of this sycamore so looked it up.
Yours is American Sycamore, Platanus Occidentalis, specific gravity 0.58.
The stuff I showed above is English Sycamore, Acer Pseudoplatanus, specific gravity 0.61.
You learn something every day!!