Thread: Scales material - best wood?

That's true though, some woods are very hard yet brittle, some beautiful yet brittle or rot easy, some flexible yet warp and are soft. The list goes on.
It's great, the variety, and challenge in finding and learning to work with them..

I had a Mastro Livi with Poplar scales and really liked the look. Have a Mastro Livi Club Member razor on order with poplar scales. I do prefer bone or antler scales, makes a really special razor.

In my humble opinion I think lignum vitae is my go-to wood that I love the most it used to be that I loved and use Ironwood for anything handles, and tools that iwanted strong and last and if one,uses Ironwood Roots it's much stronger and less brittle by far than Ironwood tree itself lignum Vitae is hard it is natural oil it takes a shinet like nothing else , I haven't had anything break I've ever made out of lignum vitae. Long ago and far away thay used to make bearings for boat propellers out of it. For what it's worth that's my opinion
Dan

After seeing all the good stuff about lignum vitae on this thread i thought i need to give it a go!

I found this stuff thats very closely related called verawood or Argentina lignum vitae. Its got pretty much the same characteristics as lignum vitae but a little lighter and Greenish in colour.

And i reckon its pretty close to bomb proof! It really does take a shine like nothing else and has a beautiful feathery grain! perfect for straight Razor scales id say...

Both will change color over time, if you want to increase the change, leave the wood in the sun

Just got this Jerry Stark razor with Birch scales. Haven't seen this wood used but it rally looks great.

So far I've enjoyed working with rosewood, bocote, cocobolo and ebony-I love the tropical, oily hardwoods for workability and the ease with which they polish up. I'd love to try some lignum, and horn is awesome in the non-wood category obviously.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Both will change color over time, if you want to increase the change, leave the wood in the sun

Before treating/sealing? Or does it not matter?

If you use a finish with UV inhibitors it will slow the change down some. I've worked with purpleheart that sat around for awhile that changed to a brownish color and I let it sit in the sun for awhile and it returned to a deep purple. The reason it changed back wasn't because of UV though, but rather from the heat. Some woods darken from heat while some it restores it. If your looking to darken woods oil finishes have tendency to darken woods while a water based finish doesn't. Check out The Wood Database it has a lot of info.

Originally Posted by mainaman

I like cocobolo or the different rosewood types.
Very oily and easy to work with.

so mainman, do you normally stabilize your cocobolo scales? or how do you finish them? do you put any lien oil on them? or just buff?

thanks a lot!