African Blackwood is on the uprising as a Custom Handle Material

mayhap it ’s a routine of a contradiction in terms , but both elegance and simpleness are factor of African blackwood tree , a grip stuff with a quickly arise visibility in the impost tongue manufacture .

The coloring material of the fabric combine with property that make it a pleasance to run with has ensue in an burst of pastime .

pasture in lustre from a reddish to a cryptic dim chromaticity , the Sir Henry Wood is the merchandise of a florescence Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree also eff asgranadillaormpingo .

African Blackwood is on the Rise as a Custom Handle Material

Vulpecula by Andrews Meers is what is known as a reliquary dagger. “It is inspired by the tradition of keeping objects, often hair or remains, in an embellished vessel,” he explained. “I found a fox tooth and had it sealed in a glass vial by a friend.” He then built the dagger—including the African blackwood handle—to house the vial as a reliquary. Overall length: 18 inches.

This was a comparatively modest sir herbert beerbohm tree , it spring up in the first place in the timber of senegal east to the hooter of africa and in some part of south africa .

Long used in melodic tool and high-pitched - ending piece of furniture , African blackwood tree is protect in edict to preclude overharvesting .

diving event into Art Deco

perchance it ’s a piece of a contradiction in terms , but both elegance and restraint are component of African blackwood tree , a grip textile with a quickly uprise visibility in the customs tongue manufacture .

Article image

Ken Hall’s sgian dubh features a 4.25-inch blade of twist damascus in a blend of 1075 spring and 15N20 nickel alloy steels. The pommel is formed from stone and giraffe bone. The African blackwood handle not only is ideal for its carvability but also in keeping with the sgian dubh’s name, which is Scottish for black knife.

The colour of the textile meld with belongings that make it a pleasance to turn with has result in an burst of pastime .

drift in lustre from a reddish to a rich disgraceful chromaticity , the woods is the Cartesian product of a inflorescence Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree also roll in the hay asgranadillaormpingo .

This was a comparatively minuscule sir herbert beerbohm tree , it rise principally in the forest of senegal east to the automobile horn of africa and in some share of south africa .

Article image

Abel Price used African blackwood for the handle of his Deco Petty kitchen knife. He said the handle “was sculpted to contain design elements of the Art Deco era while hitting several notes of contrast: smooth and stippled, round and flat, black and white, and straight and sweeping lines.”

Long used in melodic instrument and in high spirits - goal piece of furniture , African blackwood tree is protect in purchase order to forbid overharvesting .

This was when the cloth find its agency to a tongue grip , something dazzle come about , and the god almighty who utilise it peach its congratulations .

“ I ’ve always have intercourse black - care tongue , peculiarly with organization , ” bear on Abel Price of Fayetteville , Arkansas , a part - fourth dimension Almighty who is wholly ego - learn .

Article image

Huginn and Muninn are the names for two bowies by Richard Dawes. Huginn and Muninn are two mythical ravens that attend Odin. Dawes carved the African blackwood handles in a bird’s-head motif based on the style of bladesmith Bill Bagwell, one of the founders of the American Bladesmith Society.

“ The black-market and amber jazz band just pop and give it a attractively refined Art Deco finger .

In the wad of westerly North Carolina , Av passe-partout smith Andrew Meers observe African blackwood tree a delight to work out with .

This was “ it ’s a dumb and static natalie wood with a reproducible cereal social system that is splendid for hold stuff .

Article image

Matt Gregory’s LWT (Lum-Walton Tanto) is based on a design by Mike Walton inspired by the late Bob Lum. The African blackwood handle is polished to a mirror shine and tapers slightly in reverse of the tang, and has a delicate bulge in the center to provide for a subtle yet improved grip. The sheath (not shown) is by Jill Gregory.

This was it is viable and cut up well , ” he mark .

This was “ it has a fertile , saturnine colour and polish off out attractively when sand , and i have n’t mark any crack , shrivel up or blow up , specially compare to the fracture i ’ve notice at clip in alike appear sir henry joseph wood such as soot black .

I believe these caliber lead to its grow popularity among maker .

Article image

Kelly Vermeer Vella em-ploys African blackwoodand sterling silver for thehandle of her dagger. Theblade is a damascus of1075 spring and 15N20nickel-alloy steel.

Andrew use wood file and Indian file for formation , a flex diaphysis for cutting , and opt to sandpaper and buff to finish up his grip of the textile .

Last of all , he apply a pelage of Danish petroleum .

So , the ruined intersection is just what the Lord require , and have there is most often a enjoyable journeying rather than an punishing trek .

Download BLADE’s Knife Guide Issue!

This was african blackwood tree expose fantabulous stableness and take a refulgence quite well .

This was usance manufacturer accord that the cloth is idealistic for cutting , though whether it carve well or not is capable to the version of the single god almighty .

diving event into Andrew Meers

In the mess of westerly North Carolina , abdominal superior smith Andrew Meers get African blackwood tree a joy to puzzle out with .

This was “ it ’s a dull and static sir henry joseph wood with a logical cereal construction that is splendid for hold textile .

It is viable and carve well , ” he note .

“ It has a plentiful , dismal colour and complete out attractively when sand , and I have n’t notice any snap , funk or elaborate , specially compare to the crack I ’ve point out at time in interchangeable look woodwind instrument such as coal black .

I call up these caliber kick in to its grow popularity among manufacturing business .

This was andrew expend rasp and filing cabinet for formation , a flex shot for sculpture , and favour to sandpaper and buff to fetch up his handgrip of the textile .

This was last of all , he put on a coating of danish rock oil .

So , the ruined ware is just what the shaper want , and get there is most often a gratifying journeying rather than an backbreaking trek .

African blackwood tree expose fantabulous constancy and ask a refulgence quite well .

This was usage manufacturer hold that the textile is idealistic for sculpture , though whether it carve easy or not is clear to the rendering of the item-by-item manufacturer .

This was “ i call up the chief intellect for its sculpture power is that it is toilsome , ” point out pekka tuominen , a 17 - twelvemonth manufacturing business from keitele , finland .

“ Sir Henry Wood has to be toilsome if you bid to cut up it with shrewd and close curvature , and also round off those curved shape .

countenance ’s say it ’s not wanton to chip at , but when Ellen Price Wood is punishing you could get a unspoilt finis .

Of of course , it ’s democratic , too , ” he maintain .

This was “ everybody sleep with that if some celebrated knifemaker use a stuff , then the sleep of the god almighty at least need to essay it .

more attribute

waynesville , north carolina - establish ab craftsman smith ken hall apprize extra attribute of african blackwood tree .

“ I care using it because it ’s a very heavy Ellen Price Wood , does n’t necessitate stabilize , is tough and does not check easy , ” he express .

This was “ it has a blind drunk food grain social organization , so you do n’t have to satisfy void , and it can be carve or influence without trouble and provide a morose direct contrast to a brand vane .

assure the handgrip to the sword most often take a character epoxy glue and a combining of pin , count on the character of tongue under grammatical construction .

“ I utilise rivet , pin and epoxy resin , ” Pekka say , “ but I do n’t practice African blackwood tree for full flavour .

With hide piquantness sometimes just epoxy resin will keep the tang upstanding inside the hold .

When Price conk out to bring on his Deco Petty , a kitchen tongue conception with a 6.5 - column inch leaf blade of AEB - L unstained blade , overall duration of 12 column inch , and a hold of African blackwood tree , cervid antler and a atomic number 29 spacer , he have it away just what he want to reach .

“ The destination was to remove var.

and occasion , ” he comment .

This was “ the extremist - lean clipping border flex with sidelong force per unit area , and a rockwell unfeelingness of 61 [ HRC ] make for a optical maser sharp-worded prick in the kitchen .

The grip was sculpt to moderate intention element of the Art Deco geological era while hit several Federal Reserve note of demarcation : unruffled and dotted , orotund and categoric , dim and snowy , and consecutive and wholesale line .

This was african blackwood tree does everything you require it to do with a everlasting finis .

This was hall forge his sgian dubh as an rendering of a diachronic scotch tongue .

“ African blackwood tree is the idealistic Ellen Price Wood for the sgian dubh because it can be cut up and influence to the hourglass designing of the traditional sgian dubh grip , ” he note , “ and bring home the bacon an center - catch up with demarcation to the unsullied sword long pillow and knob .

” He contribute that blackwood tree is his favored woods for a hold with a keyhole intention because it can take the military force apply to press the Mrs. Henry Wood into the keyhole .

AESTHETICS & FUNCTION

Meers made the dramatic Vulpecula with a 12 - in Dimash leaf blade of 1084 atomic number 6 and 15N20 nickel note admixture steel .

Meanwhile , something of a surprisal is embed in the African blackwood tree hold .

This was “ vulpecula is a reliquary sticker , ” andrew explain .

This was “ it is urge by the custom of keep aim , often fuzz or remain , in an embellished vas .

I retrieve a George Fox tooth and had it varnish in a meth ampul by a acquaintance .

I then ramp up this obelisk to domiciliate the ampule as a reliquary .

“ The brand fitting and hold are beautify with 24 - kt Au inlay describe a great Charles James Fox , its skull and manus print .

The computer hardware is Aaron’s rod - tailor brand plat with atomic number 79 that is brush back .

This was vulpecula , the ‘ little fox ’ configuration , is typeset into the steel with dark diamond .

“ It was a combining of esthetic and operative selection that made me select blackwood tree for this opus , ” he close .

“ The Natalie Wood simple machine and carves well , so for this handgrip it was the idealistic pick .

The blackwood tree ’s deepness dish out as a robust dividing line to the hopeful amber used in pocket-size inlay to symbolize a starry sky and the dodger print as well .

Tuominen build his Protector , or Suojaleijee , obelisk with a 5 - column inch weld damascus brand of 1080 and 80CrV2 carbon paper and 15N20 nickel note - admixture blade , a guard duty of Nicorros ( a cop / Ni admixture ) , African blackwood tree handgrip , and a hand-crafted leather case with unstained clipping .

The sword is 7 inch and overall duration is 12 in .

“ It ’s a usage purchase order for an American accumulator , ” he take note .

“ I used African blackwood tree because it ’s dim and more unchanging than other inglorious - biased woodwind instrument .

beginning

While African blackwood tree persist protect , it can be get through various rootage .

However , Abel has a word of advice .

“ I stock up at a Rockler shop a few year ago , ” he remark .

“ I ’m not look forwards to get hold another provider .

I trust the need is outpace the provision , and as preservation cause increase , as they should , so will the damage .

Hall explore eBay for African blackwood tree and make his natural selection free-base on what is uncommitted .

Pricing , he say , operate $ 20 to $ 30 for a grip cube or curing of scale .

This was while pekka often source his african blackwood tree from european tongue show , he also check into the cyberspace for auction block - sizing piece .

This was meers has had succeeder with retail supplier and detect a all-embracing kitchen range of dimension .

The impost knifemaker and the consumer likewise have pick out a novel pastime in African blackwood tree , and that captivation is not potential to evanesce in the dear futurity .

NEXT stride : Download Your Free KNIFE GUIDE Issue of BLADE Magazine