Thread: Extra nice handle wood.

I should also make mention on how I ripped the board into 2. Although I have a bandsaw at my disposal its only a medium sized unit with basic bearing guides and I was a little concerned that if I used this method, any blade drift may leave me short on the targeted handle wood thickness if additional flattening with the thicknesser was needed to rectify. The alternate method I chose was to utilize an 0.025 slitting blade mounted on my router table. This gave me a 25mm deep groove down the centre line of the board. Both sides and ends. Then I used a rip tooth handsaw to cut the board all the way through. This pre kerfing of the board helped to keep the panel saw teeth in a perfectly straight line. To stop the saw cut from closing up in the vise during hand sawing I used a steel rule of roughly equal thickness to the saw plate as a packer. It worked a charm, and the surface left will require under 0.5mm of flat sanding over plate glass with 150 grit to flatten this face after its been cut to handle shape on the scroll saw. Next time I need to rip a board in half I will try the pre kerfing method again but with the bandsaw. It should also serve to guide the blade straight and eliminate drift. Will have to wait till then to see if it works out that way.

Stewie;

What size teeth did you have on the ripsaw, Stewie?

I don't know if you've seen the tenon I cut with a 6-1/2ppi rip (5"x3" in pine), but with very little set the surface came out really very smooth.

That pre-kerfing is an excellent method ... did you also restart the cut from all 4 corners? or maybe it was going smoothly in 1 or 2 goes?

Thanks,
Paul

Originally Posted by pmcgee

What size teeth did you have on the ripsaw, Stewie?

I don't know if you've seen the tenon I cut with a 6-1/2ppi rip (5"x3" in pine), but with very little set the surface came out really very smooth.

That pre-kerfing is an excellent method ... did you also restart the cut from all 4 corners? or maybe it was going smoothly in 1 or 2 goes?

Thanks,
Paul

Hi Paul. The handsaw I used was around 7 tpi. I was very happy with the quality surface it left after ripping. I worked it from all 4 corners. With the pre kerf there is a very good chance I could achieve as good a result on the bandsaw and save the sweat. I just need to insure the slitting blade I select is the same or close too the same thickness as the bandsaw blades kerf for it to work effectively.

Stewie;

Hi Stewie
Been reading with a lot of interest
How long did you think it took to rip it with a handsaw


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Originally Posted by Simplicity

Hi Stewie
Been reading with a lot of interest
How long did you think it took to rip it with a handsaw


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Maybe 15 - 20 minutes Matt. I didn't rush in to it too much.

Thanks Stewie


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Hi Stewie,

I can see some nice figure in there, should make for a very nice handle, walnut is one of my favourites for saw handles, it looks good and is very durable, and takes detail exceptionally well.

I'm always confused by american walnut terms, is that "black walnut" or is it "claro walnut" The stuff I'm used to is "english walnut" which is grown around here as a graft onto black walnut stock.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Hi Stewie,

I can see some nice figure in there, should make for a very nice handle, walnut is one of my favourites for saw handles, it looks good and is very durable, and takes detail exceptionally well.

I'm always confused by american walnut terms, is that "black walnut" or is it "claro walnut" The stuff I'm used to is "english walnut" which is grown around here as a graft onto black walnut stock.

Ray

I prefer to call it black walnut. This may answer your general questions Ray with Walnut timber. Claro Walnut and Black Walnut Lumber, Figured Walnut, Burl Wood Slabs & Tabletops.

Stewie;

Hi Ray. This looks like the same species of Black Walnut I have.

Black Walnut | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwoods)