Unique Handled Bowie

Billy Helton

Billy Helton

Well-Known Member
I got this off Pat Ankrom and it is pretty neat stuff. I think it is called Banski pod .That probably isn't spelled right but I tried any way.:58:
Thanks for the looks
Billy
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Billy, Thats amazing looking handle material.. was it OK to work with or a pain in the backside? The damascus looks awesome as well brother!
 
HHH Knives said:
Billy, Thats amazing looking handle material.. was it OK to work with or a pain in the backside? The damascus looks awesome as well brother!
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Na it wasn't to bad. The wood is a little light. I don't think it gets the traditional stabilizing . Pat told me something about the resin that fills the pods . What I did was before attaching the handle material I soaked it mini wax wood hardener for three days then let her dry for a little over a week. I hate doing that I have no patience but it did make it sand alot better on the final polish.

Thanks for the coments fellers.
 
Ausbrooks said:
Very interesting handle material. It's actually Banksia, and it's a seed pod. Was the blue part was filled in? Web pics have holes. Here is wiki link to Banksia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia
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Thanks for the info, that is pretty interesting. From what pat anakrom said it is one of his special mixes he uses to fill them in. I am probally putting words in his mouth, but that's the best I can remember.
Thanks Ausbrooks
 
Hey Billy, nice knife and good job with the handle material. Just to answer any potential questions, the pods were slabbed up, cleaned up and cast in a urethene resin to fill the voids. We don't stabilize this material because there can be warping issues during the heat cure that can cause seperation of the resin from the wood. The Minwax wood hardener was a good solution and is something I'm going to experiment with. Thanks for sharing........ this one's going in our photo gallery.
 
Ankrom Exotics said:
Hey Billy, nice knife and good job with the handle material. Just to answer any potential questions, the pods were slabbed up, cleaned up and cast in a urethene resin to fill the voids. We don't stabilize this material because there can be warping issues during the heat cure that can cause seperation of the resin from the wood. The Minwax wood hardener was a good solution and is something I'm going to experiment with. Thanks for sharing........ this one's going in our photo gallery.
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I've made a few shaving brushes from this seed pod and have yet to see one fail. The material feels much like the shell of a walnut or pecan and is very hard even when compared to the hardest of hardwoods. I tried to soak a piece once just to see how much water it would absorb, to my surprise, there was very little absorption and what ever did absorb evaporated quickly.

BTW, heck of a handle, I personally loathe working with this material on the lathe as even the sharpest of tools have a hard time cutting though it at any speed. The last time around, my forearms were peppered with pod shrapnel and the decision was made to stop working it.
 
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