Woodlore Knives update
- Thread starter Marts
- Start date
Or spend less and pay another equally good maker to make you exactly the custom knife you want!gregorach said:
I have a Maple AW , a Curly Birch WS and a couple of micarta WS Woodlores.
I have owned and used many other buchcraft knives and the Woodlores are still my favourite user's.
I love Alans knives ,i own a few and have 4 more on order but the WS knife is definately not second best.
I was thinking about rescaling my AW version in micarta because i tend to use my micarta WS version most.
rb
I have owned and used many other buchcraft knives and the Woodlores are still my favourite user's.
I love Alans knives ,i own a few and have 4 more on order but the WS knife is definately not second best.
I was thinking about rescaling my AW version in micarta because i tend to use my micarta WS version most.
rb
Glad you like your knife, synthetics are really practical for a hard working knife, they don't crack, shrink, swell, rot or loosen and shrug off water, sun, cold and heat.
If I was choosing a handle made of natural materials, I would go for dense Sambar stag followed by a hard, dense wood like correctly seasoned cocobolo, African Blackwood or Desert Iron wood or a professionally stabilised wood and make the knife with vulcanised liners to cushion any movement.
I think unstabilised softwoods would suffer all the problems that synthetics aviod and also affects dense woods to a lesser degree.
If I was choosing a handle made of natural materials, I would go for dense Sambar stag followed by a hard, dense wood like correctly seasoned cocobolo, African Blackwood or Desert Iron wood or a professionally stabilised wood and make the knife with vulcanised liners to cushion any movement.
I think unstabilised softwoods would suffer all the problems that synthetics aviod and also affects dense woods to a lesser degree.
I guess linen Micarta is arguably as natural as stabilised wood? 
It's funny - when I bought my Micarta Woodlore I did so purely because at £95 delivered, it was much cheaper than the maple version (which was getting on for twice the price). Had the maple been the same price, I would have got that - I like traditional things.
Now, though, I like the Micarta Woodlore very much. It feels very well made and has never once let me down. It is easy to clean after gutting fish, etc - arguably more hygienic than wood.
I'm told some custom makers charge more for a Micarta handle, not less. The black hafted knife is traditional in Scottish culture (albeit being bog oak, not black micarta). With it's high quality chestnut brown deep leather sheath it is traditional enough for me. It has two very famous names marked deeply into the blade. This is also of practical use - it helps to make it clear to anyone reading it that it is designed for woodcraft and is not a weapon.
It is a good piece of kit - though as others have said, there are plenty of excellent alternatives.
It's funny - when I bought my Micarta Woodlore I did so purely because at £95 delivered, it was much cheaper than the maple version (which was getting on for twice the price). Had the maple been the same price, I would have got that - I like traditional things.
Now, though, I like the Micarta Woodlore very much. It feels very well made and has never once let me down. It is easy to clean after gutting fish, etc - arguably more hygienic than wood.
I'm told some custom makers charge more for a Micarta handle, not less. The black hafted knife is traditional in Scottish culture (albeit being bog oak, not black micarta). With it's high quality chestnut brown deep leather sheath it is traditional enough for me. It has two very famous names marked deeply into the blade. This is also of practical use - it helps to make it clear to anyone reading it that it is designed for woodcraft and is not a weapon.
It is a good piece of kit - though as others have said, there are plenty of excellent alternatives.
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