Thread: First rescale w found materials

I've got a couple nice blades needing scales, so I wanted to test my process before starting on them. The blade is an unmarked a $4 junk box find, but good steel. It looked wretched but cleaned up with minimal effort. The scale material is slightly spalted live oak from a log in my yard. I sealed it with 20 coats of pure tung oil. Spacer is aluminum from some odd stock I had lying around.

All it all, it turned out better than I expected. I just need to get a better peening hammer.

Nice work. Since you can't really mess up a blade during a rescale, there's no reason not to start on those nice blades. If, later, you decide you don't like the scales, it's easy to replace them again.

Thank you. I didn't want to break them out of the existing scales for a test. Also not spending money on nice materials if I am not able to make scales with my available tools. But with a 1x30 sander and small drill press, it was no problem.

I'd say you did well. Sometimes some of the best looking wood, comes from unexpected places. Your oak looks sweet. Great job.

Looks fantastic,I have found broken teak furniture in dumpsters (yes I am a diver) all great stuff.

I am going back to that log to pick a prime piece and cut a bunch of slabs for scales. I can get the finish much better, I did minimal sanding and buffing on this one.

Originally Posted by eod7

I am going back to that log to pick a prime piece and cut a bunch of slabs for scales. I can get the finish much better, I did minimal sanding and buffing on this one.

It looks good nonetheless. I like how the grain is oriented too. It gives it a different look. I actually grabbed a log off of a job site we were working on a while back. It was from a small tree of some sort. Stuck it in the garage for 6 months to dry. I recently cut a strip off to see what the grain looked like and to my surprise, its quite nice. I need to go back and ask the people what kind of a tree it was because I haven't the slightest what it is.

Super! All brilliant - easy. Very successful forms and materials.
I really liked it

Grains do not worry about, because is even more interesting
I recommend to hold a few samples in 1 hour ammonia vapor, I'm sure - you will like the result.