Camillus 23 with Stabilized Snakewood Handles

[Jeffinn]

The blades on this one were in pretty good shape when I purchased it so I left them in their "as found" condition.
I cleaned up the liners and bolsters and installed a set of stabilized snakewood handles. You don't see a lot of snakewood due to its rarity factor. The pieces used on this knife were pretty nice, great color and markings, and they polished up great!

Thanks for looking!
Jeff

[FRJ]

The covers look great, Jeff, on that desirable 23 short line? pattern.

[beresman]

Those look great!

[Jeffinn]

The covers look great, Jeff, on that desirable 23 short line? pattern.

Thanks!
This one is a long line model. I’ve got a short line model in my project box and may just do that one in snakewood as well. Make sort of a matched set of 23’s.
Jeff

[Reverand]

You really know how to turn a good knife into a great knife!

[orvet]

Nice work Jeff! That made a very good looking knife. I'm surprised that you found stabilized snakewood, it's so dense that it probably didn't take much of the stabilizing material. I was reading the other day that snakewood is so heavy it won't float, it's even heavier than lignum vitae.

Good work on the knife, it's a beauty!

[Dan In MI]

Make sort of a matched set of 23’s.

I like that idea! The snakewood sure is wonderful to look at.

[OSCAR]

Snakewood is indeed beautiful and looks great as scales. As a woodworker, I’ve turned a few items of snakewood on my lathe. Every one of them developed cracks within a few months. I’ve heard that this wood doesn’t take stabilization.
I’d be highly interested to know if it held up.
It is one of the best figured woods. Koa is also beautiful and it doesn’t develop cracks over time. I may have a knife re handled with it someday . It’s widely used in high end musical instruments.

[Jeffinn]

I’ve heard that this wood doesn’t take stabilization.

I stand behind the products that I use for my knife handles. The company I bought my snakewood from has developed their own process for stabilization.
Listed on their page:
“ A year in the making to process this Snakewood to produce an extremely stable product that will not check or crack over climate change.”
That’s good enough for me.
Jeff

[OSCAR]

I’ve heard that this wood doesn’t take stabilization.

I stand behind the products that I use for my knife handles. The company I bought my snakewood from has developed their own process for stabilization.
Listed on their page:
“ A year in the making to process this Snakewood to produce an extremely stable product that will not check or crack over climate change.”
That’s good enough for me.
Jeff

Hey Jeff. Sorry if you misinterpreted what I wrote. I don’t doubt your integrity. I haven’t heard of a process for stabilized snakewood. Must be fairly new. I’d love to get some to turn on the lathe. It’s a beautiful wood which up to now would self destruct. Is it available to the general public ? The pieces I need would have to be 3/4” x 3/4” x5” for pen making .
PS I collect knives but don’t know how to re-handle them. I’ve seen your work on your website and it’s excellent. I hope that you will be either posting knives with stabilized snakewood handles for sale or offer this service to re- handle a knife sent to you with this beautiful wood ! Thanks

[Jeffinn]

I’ve heard that this wood doesn’t take stabilization.

I stand behind the products that I use for my knife handles. The company I bought my snakewood from has developed their own process for stabilization.
Listed on their page:
“ A year in the making to process this Snakewood to produce an extremely stable product that will not check or crack over climate change.”
That’s good enough for me.
Jeff

Hey Jeff. Sorry if you misinterpreted what I wrote. I don’t doubt your integrity. I haven’t heard of a process for stabilized snakewood. Must be fairly new. I’d love to get some to turn on the lathe. It’s a beautiful wood which up to now would self destruct. Is it available to the general public ? The pieces I need would have to be 3/4” x 3/4” x5” for pen making .
PS I collect knives but don’t know how to re-handle them. I’ve seen your work on your website and it’s excellent. I hope that you will be either posting knives with stabilized snakewood handles for sale or offer this service to re- handle a knife sent to you with this beautiful wood ! Thanks

No worries Oscar.
The company I've been buying from is https://arizonaironwood.com, and they do sell to the public. I've purchased a number of different stabilized woods from them and so far their quality has been excellent! There's some pretty nice materials in the Clearance section too! They have a great selection of burls of all types and some pretty interesting dyed and stabilized wood products.
Their owner is semi-retired but he has other folks managing this business for him. From what I've read, he seems to have quite a bit of knowledge and experience in stabilizing woods of all types. "Robert worked as a chemical engineer for MARS Technologies and has experience with various stabilizing methods. He spares no expense on the best known woods and stabilizing processes. We have earned the reputation of being a go-to source for some of the best Ironwood burl and stabilized woods products online."
I just recently started using snakewood for knife handles. I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting materials and snakewood fits the bill. A little pricey for sure, but it looks great when polished up!
Thanks.
Jeff

[OSCAR]

I stand behind the products that I use for my knife handles. The company I bought my snakewood from has developed their own process for stabilization.
Listed on their page:
“ A year in the making to process this Snakewood to produce an extremely stable product that will not check or crack over climate change.”
That’s good enough for me.
Jeff

Hey Jeff. Sorry if you misinterpreted what I wrote. I don’t doubt your integrity. I haven’t heard of a process for stabilized snakewood. Must be fairly new. I’d love to get some to turn on the lathe. It’s a beautiful wood which up to now would self destruct. Is it available to the general public ? The pieces I need would have to be 3/4” x 3/4” x5” for pen making .
PS I collect knives but don’t know how to re-handle them. I’ve seen your work on your website and it’s excellent. I hope that you will be either posting knives with stabilized snakewood handles for sale or offer this service to re- handle a knife sent to you with this beautiful wood ! Thanks

No worries Oscar.
The company I've been buying from is https://arizonaironwood.com, and they do sell to the public. I've purchased a number of different stabilized woods from them and so far their quality has been excellent! There's some pretty nice materials in the Clearance section too! They have a great selection of burls of all types and some pretty interesting dyed and stabilized wood products.
Their owner is semi-retired but he has other folks managing this business for him. From what I've read, he seems to have quite a bit of knowledge and experience in stabilizing woods of all types. "Robert worked as a chemical engineer for MARS Technologies and has experience with various stabilizing methods. He spares no expense on the best known woods and stabilizing processes. We have earned the reputation of being a go-to source for some of the best Ironwood burl and stabilized woods products online."
I just recently started using snakewood for knife handles. I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting materials and snakewood fits the bill. A little pricey for sure, but it looks great when polished up!
Thanks.
Jeff

Thanks Jeff. It is pricey before it’s stabilized so I know it’s not cheap. I’ve been woodworking for nearly 40 years. So far, all the turning I’ve tried with snakewood has failed. It’s difficult to stabilize as it’s extremely dense. I’m glad someone figured out how to do it. I love this wood. I do hope you offer some knives or re-handle with it on customers knives sent to you. I’d like to add one to the collection.
Thanks for the information.

[glennbad]

Aother winner there, Jeff! Love the snakewood...I've done a couple with that wood.

[wlf]

GEC has been using snakewood for years.
Nice job Jeff.

[Nev52]

Great looking knife!! I really like a 23 to begin with. Those handles put it over the top.

Nev