Stabilized Maple

[btrwtr]

People that know me understand that I love stabilized maple as a handle material. I have cut and sent out countless pieces of maple for stabilizing. The great thing about maple is that it takes the stabilizing process very well. Maple can be highly figured and at the same time is light and dry enough that it will absorb the stabilizing resins completely. K&G Finishing Supplies in Lakeside AZ. have always done a fantastic job of stabilizing maple for me. I have sent them some of the punkiest, funkiest wood imaginable only to have it come back looking like gemstone. The wood never loads with buffing compound and will finish out like glass. The beauty of selecting some of the best for my personal use has always been a big plus.

Here are some pictures of a fixed blade hunting knife I finished some time back that has maple handles that started out like punky cork. Without stabilizing the wood was pretty much useless unless you needed firewood. The finished results were much different after the K&G stabilizing. Almost looks like stone.

Wayne

[edge213]

Amazing

[djknife13]

That is beautiful. ___Dave

[glennbad]

Outstanding grain and contrast on that maple!

[orvet]

That is outstanding maple! Nice choice for handles.
I really like the overall build of your knife and the clean lines!
The black liner sets off the handle nicely.

[gmusic]

Very nice Wayne!

I'll be looking to acquire some of it for future projects!