Thread: F.W. Engels in Orange Osage

I don't like wood scales... Never understood why people like them... But this one has me rethinking that... Good work

Your brother will be very happy, good job

Nice, never thought of doing it one-piece. I have a couple i'm going to put into bodock. Have done a couple of knives with it, great, tough stuff.

Love the blade and LOVE Osage Orange !!

You did a wonderful job. He'll love it I'm sure!!!!

I think the scales look very good. There's no law against using adjustable pins - they would perhaps have suited a (non traditional) one piece scale better than that big washer. Use your own judgement as to what you like.

Nice work anyway.

Thanks all. Heespharm, I hope I can make a convert out of you. Bongo: love the Osage Orange too. It's got a great texture, almost oily. It polishes up really nicely. It also went well with the black Engels blade

Wade, bodock looks really cool. I've never seen it in the hardwood shops I frequent. The one piece wasn't all that hard. I cut the notch with a table saw and cleaned it up with a Japanese hand saw and some mini files I have. It would be a piece of cake if I had a belt grinder and a band saw. This video shows Mastro Livi making scales and I think that he's got the best method I've seen. Only problem is that not all of us have an entire knife making shop


I finished it with a Jnat and shaved with it (just to test it of course). Shaved just like Barbara...which is to say, like butter.

Originally Posted by PapaTony

Thanks all. Heespharm, I hope I can make a convert out of you. Bongo: love the Osage Orange too. It's got a great texture, almost oily. It polishes up really nicely. It also went well with the black Engels blade

Wade, bodock looks really cool. I've never seen it in the hardwood shops I frequent. ...

I have some I cut down and had sawed into slabs, 25 years ago. It's hell on power tools, but can be worked by hand no problem. Scaling a couple of knives and making a longrifle taught me a bunch about working wood (I was more of a metal head). But of course I'll learn much more re-scaling razors.

I love the dark red/orange/brown the wood will turn with enough exposure. And the polish that that wood will take... It doesn't actually grow up here on the rim, but i'm just minutes away from "take all you want". I'm hoping to score a big root or other such twisted section for curious grains. It's the ultimate wooden handle for anything where weight isn't an issue.

If you ever have some left over, feel free to send it my way! I'd love to make a set out of it.

I think Pixel made a brush or a loom strop out of some lignum vitae. I haven't been able to find any of that either, but I always have my eye out for it!