All About Pocket Knives

I am wanting to making a custom civil war era knife and I don't know what type of wood to use I was thinking. About hickory or oak

Up north I think you would use black walnut.
Dont know for sure but thats what a lot of gun stocks were made of.

I know gun stock was made of walnut because I have a ky longrifle and its walnut. I. Think in the south they might have used hickory

If you want to continue the use of the gunstock analogy, you could take a look at the stock woods used at the Confederate arsenals. In most cases it was walnut. Walnut was also used for much of the custom furniture made during the Confederacy (and before/after). A custom knife--a fine bespoke benchmade knife from a cutler--would have been using similar high-grade woods.

Walnut or Hickory stained with either chewing tobacco juice, or very strong tea. Once the woodis dried use lemmon oil to form a sealing barrier and natural sheen Satin type finish, or use any oil base finish on it.
Hope that this helps.
Curtis Wilson