Thread: Buckeye Burl

Does anyone have any experience working with this material?

I have some questions about it. Not looking to make scales but a holder for a kamisori. Something like this but not just a block with a few grooves routed in it.



I want to take a block like these and round off the corners and make a more wave shape concept to it with no corners or sharp edges. I have a rounded wave pattern in my head thats hard to describe.

My question is, does the stain run all the way through once its been stained and stabilized from the supplier so that I when I sand/carve the block it will retain the contrasting colors? Or will I need to restain it once I start removing material?

I have used Buckeye Burl for years but my experience has been only with scales. It is an absolutely beautiful burl and your stand will be superb if stabilized properly. Buckeye Burl is a very soft, porous burl and must be stabilized and I would also reinforce it with vulcanized fiber liner/spacer or even brass backing. I have my burl stabilized from a small LLC in Wisconsin, River Ridge Products, LLC at Turning Blanks | Pen Blanks | Available in AcryliWood and Dymondwood. It cut them to length, mark them and send them off. Takes about two weeks or so. But they come back ready to work. They are really the stabilization experts and are very reasonably priced. To answer your question, the stabilization is infused through the wood and I have never had to stain it but RRP can provide that service as well. I just use the clear stabilization. All you need to so is cut, sand and buff. Never needs polish or other coatings. Good luck with your stand. It should really turn out nice, the colors in Buckeye Burl...green, black, gold, yellows will just POP!

The Buckeye dyed dark like that would be the perfect compliment to Mastadon/Mammoth Ivory scales on a straight or a knife.

Thats one of the same companies I was googling on the net. Thanks for the information. When I get it done I will post some pics. I know what I want I just have trouble explaining it in words. But its something more like this one only rounded off and wavy with a flat bottom.

Originally Posted by ajkenne

I have used Buckeye Burl for years but my experience has been only with scales. It is an absolutely beautiful burl and your stand will be superb if stabilized properly. Buckeye Burl is a very soft, porous burl and must be stabilized and I would also reinforce it with vulcanized fiber liner/spacer or even brass backing. I have my burl stabilized from a small LLC in Wisconsin, River Ridge Products, LLC at Turning Blanks | Pen Blanks | Available in AcryliWood and Dymondwood. It cut them to length, mark them and send them off. Takes about two weeks or so. But they come back ready to work. They are really the stabilization experts and are very reasonably priced. To answer your question, the stabilization is infused through the wood and I have never had to stain it but RRP can provide that service as well. I just use the clear stabilization. All you need to so is cut, sand and buff. Never needs polish or other coatings. Good luck with your stand. It should really turn out nice, the colors in Buckeye Burl...green, black, gold, yellows will just POP!

This is whats going in it.

Originally Posted by Suticat

This is whats going in it.

The black in the Buckeye burl will look great with that bad boy! Believe I saw that or something very similar on Williams web site several weeks ago. Steve at RRP can fix you up. Don't know if he carries any Buckeye Burl. You may have to send him some. Just send him a block of it and he will fix you up. You will pay by the weight after stabilization. Send him some nice blanks (~6x3x1/4) of BB and you can make some nice BB scales. I normally send him several pounds to do at once. Stabilized wood especially BB can really dress up a blade. I'll try to post some BB scales that I worked on today. May not be till Saturday.

the stabilized burls I have played with the colour was solid as part of the resin
I think it is like working with a plastic more than a hard wood, similar to a micarta

Originally Posted by Substance

the stabilized burls I have played with the colour was solid as part of the resin
I think it is like working with a plastic more than a hard wood, similar to a micarta

It is very much like working with micarta or a real hard wood. Here is some examples of Buckeye Burl scales.
Great stuff and super easy to work with, but wear a mask when sanding.

Great advice and tips. Thanks guys.

I decided on this piece of burl. Not exactly what I was originally looking for but after studying it next to the blade, I think they will compliment each other rather well.






Im hoping for some really kewl inclusions that have yet to be uncovered.