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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 10-07-2012, 09:29 PM
jdale jdale is offline
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Burl drying questions

I have been getting a lot of OT at work and have started buying items on my wish list of burls. The problem is many of them are not as dry as the sellers have made them out to be. Most of them are in the 14% range so i am relatively sure its safe to scrape off the protective wax to finish drying in the attic. However some of them are in the 18-24% moisture range.

What is the moisture at which the wax can be safely removed for final drying?

Is under 10% moisture the standard at which burl can be used for handles or is there a range for the different types of wood?

Should they be left in slab form to dry or would it be better to cut them to roughly a usable size then let them dry?
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Old 10-10-2012, 12:26 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I was hoping somebody who actually had some experience drying wood would repond to your question but since that hasn't happened I'll offer what I can.

I don't know much about drying wood but I have used a lot of burl - almost never use any other kind of wood. Burl wood of any type is potentially weak wood, it can come apart along some of those fancy curls. So, when drying or if you send it out for stabilizing (HIGHLY recommended) I would keep the pieces as large as possible. Small pieces warp more easily.

I have all my burl stabilized, either buy it that way or send it to K&G. Stabilizing makes burl woods much stronger. In 14 years of using stabilized burls I've had exactly one burl come apart after it was on the knife. I've had unstabilized burls crumble while I was trying to get it ready to be stabilized but only that one problem after the fact. Something to consider.....


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Old 10-10-2012, 09:17 PM
Jon Kennedy Jon Kennedy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdale View Post
I have been getting a lot of OT at work and have started buying items on my wish list of burls. The problem is many of them are not as dry as the sellers have made them out to be. Most of them are in the 14% range so i am relatively sure its safe to scrape off the protective wax to finish drying in the attic. However some of them are in the 18-24% moisture range.

What is the moisture at which the wax can be safely removed for final drying?

Is under 10% moisture the standard at which burl can be used for handles or is there a range for the different types of wood?

Should they be left in slab form to dry or would it be better to cut them to roughly a usable size then let them dry?
stabilize them! should be down to 2% to 6% dryer the better! then stabilize, you can dry them in convection oven prior to stabilizing, how big are they?
Jon
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Old 10-10-2012, 09:54 PM
jdale jdale is offline
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My question was mostly about my desert ironwood burl, i am very concerned about the checking. i cut a few pieces into blocks 1.5" x 1.5"x 4.75" and that's when i realized it was not dry, overnight it started developing cracks and for what i paid for it i will be really upset if it gets ruined.

since yesterday I have posted on a few other sites for ideas and have gotten some CA glue for the pieces showing cracks, covered the cracks with the glue than a thin layer over the entire block. the pieces that aren't showing cracking got a coat of wax or "anchor seal" than all of the ironwood has gone into a large storage tote and been completely covered with sawdust where they will sit for a few years......unless anyone has any other ideas?
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Old 10-10-2012, 10:03 PM
jdale jdale is offline
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stabilize them! should be down to 2% to 6% dryer the better! then stabilize, you can dry them in convection oven prior to stabilizing, how big are they?
Jon

And yes ive been stabilizing like a mad man. After stabilizing, box elder, cherry, amboya, koa, grey oak, black oak, emory oak, hickory, red oak, maple, sycamore, camfor, plum, manzantia, and buckeye burls ive about ran out of cash and types of burl i can get my hands on......yeah i like burl.
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Old 10-10-2012, 10:09 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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I would put the wood out of the way someplace dry but allow the air to circulate around it. It might not take years like it would of the wood was completely green but slow drying is better than pushing it or you might have a lot of shrinkage and checking.

Doug


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