I'm aware it's easy to come by in some areas. I tried to get a nice piece for a gun stocking project (quite) a few years ago. Being budget limited, it didn't happen. Cured, it ain't cheap, and way less so if it has to be shipped any distance. If I'd had the ability at the time (and a place to put it for a few years) I would have bought a batch and gone into curing it properly. Lost interest in the whole deal after that one try.
Excellent work as always Bear. The walnut look great and has got to be in my top 3 favourite woods. I think leather for the sheath was a good choice as it compliments the walnut. Im sure Mule will love this axe for sure.
A couple years ago a buddy of ours lent us his billy goat for about a month to breed our goats so I cut him out a slab that would make two stocks. It wasn't cured but it was a nice piece of wood none the less. BWM
I picked up some nice chunks of this stuff when I ran across it a few years back... and my buddy sent me some along with some W2 steel I was also picking up.... Not large enough for a stock ... Ghrit... if you ever need a piece or just wanna do a small project... let me know...
Thanks, Bear. Not yet, and the stock won't ever get done, lost the ambition. But I have a chunk that I think is about big enough for a set of 1911 grips, that's on the project list for next winter. It's at least 20 years old, solid as an anvil, and I'm not sure how I'm going to cut it. Probably going to need a set of graver's tools to checker it, harder than the hinges of hell. Someday, after I get the yard work (and the walnut work) done, I need to find a thin slab of ebony, another set of grips. Gotta think those would be nice. Drat. More projects than time.
Let me know if you ever need any.... I can get my hands on some nice ebony as well... don't usually work that stuff... hard as nails... maybe even harder I know all about the yard work and chores... seems between work, family and the house... there's very little time for the "important" stuff... like doing these projects....
