Lignum vitae

[warthog1981]

I was looking for a little advice im looking to make a wooden handle for a stainless full tang blade that i have. I was wondering if lignum vitae would be a good choice for use around water ???

 

[Kepis]

wouldn't have thought so as Lignum doesn't float, it's one of the few woods that goes straight to the bottom

 

[warthog1981]

I dont mined it not floating the blade would sink to

 

[jake trg]

i do a lot of woodturning and i personally think lignum would be very good because it is a very greasey tropical hardwood i think the grease would help to keep the handle stable and repel water,

 

[Mantic]

It's a lovely wood to work with (though very dense) and is great for water use (highly resistant to moisture damage). For those who don't know, it's one of the hardest woods around (several times harder than oak for example).

 

[Tadpole]

It's a lovely wood to work with (though very dense) and is great for water use (highly resistant to moisture damage). For those who don't know, it's one of the hardest woods around (several times harder than oak for example).

Back in the mid 80’s I made the bearing surface of thrust bearing for the water turbine at Bridport water mill out of four six inch blocks of end grain lignum vitae. It was to replace the original lignum vitae bearings that had worn out, they had been first installed some time in 1910. The wearing action of the wood had shortened the case steel shaft end by several inches. To say the wood is hard wearing is a slight understatement.

 

[cod12ie]

Lignum is a great choice for knife handles, pleasant to the touch, very hard wearing and as moisture resistant as you can get. Although readily available it is getting harder to get.
I've just got back from a Hammer-in / knife show at Marcus Balbach's place in Germany and sold a shed load of lignum handles there.

 

[leon-1]

Yep, I have a Fox river with Lignum scales, the material is pretty good. So the answer is yes it does make good handles.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Heavy Man!

 

[Shinken]

Oh Yes!

Very hard and oily