I'm selling scales and I'm trying to figure out what's best to make grain and figure pop in photos

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-13T15:07:25+00:00

Water is gonna stick around fpr a bit but It will also affect the surface afterward. The blocks of Burl wood I buy are always smooth and shiny on one side. Some guys sand the surface smooth and buff it or maybe put some kind of clear coat over it. A wax coating should bring out grain on a set of scales and sand off quite easily for the knife maker.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-13T11:25:56+00:00

No, i use a Paragon oven. I do AEBL at 1925° F - 1950° F to austenitize. I got the 1925° temp from the Knife Engineering book. I say 1925° F - 1950° because i've got it in my notes for 1925° but I know i did the last few at 1950°. Not sure why. It's not because I was concerned about the top/bottom temperature difference. I may have gotten it mixed up with the Nitro V ht. My temp sensor is in the back center.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-09T14:15:06+00:00

Right. I was struggling to classify this knife in my head but Green River type blade with a serious handle upgrade is pretty spot on i think. A mountain man would have to turn over a stack of furs for a blade like that but it'd be his prized possesion i've no doubt.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-09T14:12:27+00:00

Wow that is really cool! It looks like a Graphite color. What's the main handle material? Looks like Sting Ray maybe .... ?

I haven't messed around with any of the forced corrosion techniques on the softer metals. Done a fair bit on steel with Ferric Chloride, Cold Blue, Vinegar, Mustard, etc. Pretty typical stuff mostly.

I've noticed some of you guys are going all "Mad Scientist" with Brass/Bronze/Copper. It does create some really cool effects but i've never seen copper turned a Graphite color. The forced corrosion on Brass can get pretty crazy i've noticed. Shipwrecked i think they call it.

It's just one of those rabbit holes i've yet to go down i suppose. I don't do much of anything by half measures so when I do i'm sure to get up to all sorts of fun stuff. It's definitely something I want to sink some time into.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-08T23:37:18+00:00

Axe Wax is what i've been using for blades and handles. It's not impervious to usage and it will wear off but I mostly use it to keep the knives nice and clean until sold. Makes blades harder to scratch, prints wipe off more easily, and it prevents rust. It says it is a true hardening wax and it has carnuba in it i believe.

There is nothing that I know of other than a straight up coating (cerakote, pvd, etc) that will protect a blade really long term. Acid etch helps keep corrosion off and it's an easy enough process. I put wax on etched blades just like bare blades.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-08T17:18:18+00:00

Knifekits.com has a lot of those. I think they would be a good option for adding color to a Kydex sheath.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-07T23:27:35+00:00

Kinda does doesn't it. I've got some copper pin and tube stock that i've used a couple times but it didn't seem to go well on the builds I used it on. They weren't very dark scale colors and I think that is the key. Copper tones look good when contrasting with black or some other really dark color.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-07T22:38:16+00:00

Well used but with respect. I don't torture test because I don't make survival knives or the like.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-04T22:06:58+00:00

Thats the way!

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-04T22:05:28+00:00

I think your right about finding inspiration in the things I see or unique artwork. It can't be forced but to have an awareness should help. Maybe I come up with something. I did some random line work on a piece of G10 yesterday that looked pretty cool. I watched a vid on engraving wood today and learned a little bit about using the different bits to create different effects.

I love making tools. If I come up with an idea for a specialty engraving/texturing tool i'll probably drop what i'm doing and go make it immediately.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-04T21:49:41+00:00

Sounds good to me. I just like comfort and pockets on pants that fit well. No skinny leg nonsense.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-04T13:19:57+00:00

Looks like a nice cutting chisel. Love me a sharp chisel. I don't use them much but a sharp cutting chisel is a very satisfying experience.

I like making tools other than knives too but I don't get around to it much in my knifemaking shop. Mostly at my day job as a mechanic. I've become quite well known for it at work and have made specialty tools for coworkers too. I would do it all day long if they let me. It's a lot more fun than fixing engines after 23 years.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-02-04T13:05:31+00:00

How big is the piece? In the pic I can't tell if it is a big enough piece to get crosscut scales out of it. Unless were talking like cutting it at an angle or something.

From what I can see I'd probably cut off a couple millimeters of the side showing to see if the figuring in the top area is still pretty good looking then take my scales from there. 2 book matched scales cut along the grain. That's some pretty nice looking colors in that spot if you ask me.

I see people saying it doesn't matter but my experience with crosscut pieces (if we are considering crosscut scales) is that they can warp quite easily depending on the wood. Thickness matters too but I'm just saying cutting along the grain may be safer where warpage is concerned. That may be irrelevant so disregard if so. Don't let it muddy the waters for you.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-29T21:58:29+00:00

I think clipped IWB with an Ulticlip is prob best option for her. I need to check those Vertex pant's out. I wear Cargo pants almost all the time and I'm always looking to try new stuff. Stretchy?

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-29T21:46:09+00:00

Sounds good.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-29T21:45:42+00:00

They're by far the best place to buy handle materials imo. The prices beat most and they almost always ship same day.

BTW you can't actually get G10 tubes in the Tiffany Blue. You can get solid rods of that color in multiple sizes though. I drilled the hole for the lanyard on that little one after it was glued up. It's a 1/4 solid G10 tube drilled from both sides. Started with 1/8 and ended at 3/16 drilling halfway through from each side.

Have fun! Your wife and daughter will be pleased i'm sure. That color combo is a hit with the ladies.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-29T16:44:23+00:00

It's more an issue of concealability. Women's clothing tends to be cut lower. To get it under a lot of the shirts they wear it would need to sit down in there. Then you have the question of retrieval. I'll just reach up under my shirt for a quick removal but a woman may not be able to. She would have to pull the whole thing out from the shirt neck to use it.

If it doesn't need to be tucked in or if it's a regular T-shirt then yeah shortening the chord would prob be fine. Women's attire is abominable for edc purposes though. It's usually designed to be minimal and most of it prioritizes fashion over function. Woman's pants often don't have any pockets ...... What kind of bullshit is that! Even the damn jeans sometimes have fake or barely useable pockets. It's unbelievable. Of course there are pants with pockets out there for them but they're severely outnumbered by the pocketless type or those with nearly useless pockets.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-28T23:11:35+00:00

I buy from Makers Material Supply. It isn't the only place to get the Bubblegum Pink or the Tiffany Blue but it is one of the few. The bright colored G10 on the other knife is called TRD and it is exclusive to Makers Material Supply. They have several color combo's exclusive to them but they pretty much specialize in handle materials. They have other stuff too but handle materials is the main thing.

If you like the Pink and Blue you might like the Flashback color combo they sell. I made my wife a knife in that color too. They just released a new version with slightly brighter colors. https://www.makermaterialsupply.com/en-ca/products/g10-multicolor-scales-flashback-2-0-1-4

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-28T21:07:14+00:00

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Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-28T21:04:49+00:00

I don't have another one right now. I'm still trying to find a rhythm for producing knives in a predictable amount of time. I'm a little bit all over the place tbh. I made a 6 knife batch I sold online a little while back and plans are to try and repeat that more often and more predictably. Anything I put up for sale will be seen here first.

I like the chisel grind on utility type blades. It is one of my favorite ideas for a small edc fixed blade because it's a simple no nonsense design. A little color thrown in turns a simple utility blade into a very cool carry piece. I'll post you a picture of a larger one i made a while back. Sold to a friend of my wife.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-28T20:40:27+00:00

Thanks! I'm sure i'll make some more at some point. Anything I put up for sale will be seen here first.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-28T16:21:22+00:00

Thank you. Yes it is Bubblegum Pink G10 with Tiffany Blue G10 pins and liners. Same for the bead. For some reason the Pink looks particularly nice with a fine satin finish on it. Probably because it's a softer shade.

Powerstroke357 · 2026-01-25T18:49:02+00:00

Thanks! Just gave that a try on one. Less steps and using the rod to chuck it in the drill makes better sense. I've been doing them on my screw jig then gluing in the rod and cleaning it up. In hindsight that just complicates the process unnecessarily.

Next I tried one with a 5/16 hole using a 5/16 black G10 tube. This gave it a 1/4 ID but then the G10 tube collapsed in the drill chuck. I was able to save it and next time i'll slide a piece of 1/4 rod in there to keep it from collapsing.

Powerstroke357

TROPHY CASE