View Full Version : How to treat a Woodlore knife handle?
No, I don't mean should I take it out for a meal or take it to the cinema! I was wondering if the handles on a Woodlore knfie need treating in any way. I read something about 'tung' oil somewhere????
Why does it need treating Mat? Is it one of the new WS ones? Or an Allan Wood one?
Well, when it arrives it will be the Alan Wood version! I'm just excited at having placed the order and thought I could help pass the time (flippin' 9 months!) by posting a general question. I'm new to this game and originally considered buying the WS version to save both time and money. However, having read the various problems people have posted in this forum I came to my senses and decided on the proper Alan Wood version. I was just wondering if there was anything you could\should do to ensure the knife is as good as it can be?
Mat, take it out of the packaging and use it! I have never had a problem with my Allan Wood / Woodlore knife. They need nothing done to them. The WS ones have had a problem which they are rectifying, but that has no reflection on the Allan Wood.
It's a great knife :biggthump
qweeg500
10-01-2004, 10:01
Mat,
My Alan Wood Woodlore has had hard use and a took a dunking when I fell in a lake last year. At the time I was very worried about the handle and the sheath but both have been fine despite my immediate paranoia that the handle had swollen. I've examined a couple of other knives since the for the sake of comparison and it's clearly unscathed.
I'd been using vegetable oil on he handle and aluminium oxide paste on the blade but since reading recommendations on another thread on this forum have moved over to using renaissance wax on the blade and handle.
When buffed to a shine the ren wax forms a very thin protective coat and despite being well used my knife's never looked better. In my opinion a well used knife has far more character than a pristine one. Collectors may disagree with me there.
I think the most important thing is to lavish your knife with lots of TLC and keep it clean and sharp. And possibly giving it a nice name :-) .
P.S. You can use the wax on your leather sheath aswell.
P.P.S The alu oxide paste is still usefull for cleaning.
Matt
Bagheera
10-01-2004, 20:47
Hello,
I've been trying to find Allan Wood's website but only found some links that didn't work anymore. Could somebody point me in the right direction please.
I'm trying to figure out how Allan Wood's hardening of the Woodlore blade is? as I read some mentions about it being relatively soft?
Best Scouting wishes,
Bagheera
Until recently, it used to be a subdirectory of http://www.bkcg.co.uk/ but it seems they have dumped em. I duuno where this leaves Alan, probably website-less at the moment.
Likewise http://www.alanwoodknives.co.uk/
Until recently, it used to be a subdirectory of http://www.bkcg.co.uk/ but it seems they have dumped em. I duuno where this leaves Alan, probably website-less at the moment.
Yeah, it's the same place, it's a sub web of bkcg - they had a couple of sites as sub-domains, but have dumped em by the looks of it.
http://www.bkcg.co.uk/subwebs/alanwood/
:-(
gurushaun
11-01-2004, 01:50
Piet
PM me and I'll give you Alans email Addy. It may take him a little while to get back to you but he's always been good with me.
Cheers
Shaun
Bagheera
11-01-2004, 14:13
Shaun,
I just wanted to see if I could read something about his heat treating of the Woodlore knife.
As of today I'm the owner of an original Woodlore knife and it's already on it's way to me :-D with necksheath etc.
Best Scouting wishes,
Bagheera
gurushaun
11-01-2004, 14:36
Hi Piet
I think it would still be worth dropping him an email, I'm shure he'll give you the info you want.
Cheers
Shaun
Colin KC
11-01-2004, 17:28
Alan Wood doesn't do his own heat treating, but he should have the info you require from his HT company Piet.
gurushaun
12-01-2004, 11:34
Hi Piet
I was looking through an old catalogue of Alan's and he quotes a hardness figure of 59c Rockwell if this is of any use to you.
Cheers
Shaun
Bagheera
12-01-2004, 12:12
Shaun,
Thanks a lot, I just don't know where the "rumors" started on some forum posts that Woodlore knives were really soft, 59 HrC is plenty hard, giving thoughness to the O1 while keeping a decent edge and ease of sharpening.
man, I'm getting happier every minute with my 1997 Woodlore knife :biggthump even if the necksheath is missing the firesteel holder.
When you use the firesteel a lot like I do it will probably drop out of the holder quiet quickly as it gets thinner, so I won't miss the Firesteel holder anyhow.
Cheers,
Baheera
When you use the firesteel a lot like I do it will probably drop out of the holder quiet quickly as it gets thinner, so I won't miss the Firesteel holder anyhow.
Cheers,
Baheera
That's not something I had thought of before but a very good point. I was going to encorporate a holder into the sheath for my new knife, but I don't think I will now (of course it's quite a way off yet - still need to give the knife a handle!)
Thanks for that.
It would be unusual for the whole steel to be worn away, there is usually some of the full diameter left near the grip. This is enough to hold the steel in place on a good fitting sheath.
My sheath has para cord round the main part and thin cord around the firesteel holder, this has never got loose enough to loose my steel.
Saying that I would not put my steel in from the bottom facing down :-D
Bagheera
12-01-2004, 13:36
Tony,
that could work, but I'd rather not loose my Firesteel and when you demonstrate firemaking on an country fair where our Scouting group had a "table" and start around 80 fires in one afternoon, the firesteel is really thinner, believe me :wink: and your fingers are a lot thicker!
Tony, Ray Mears shows the Firesteels always upside down :!: something I would not do, but if you carry it the other way around the thumbpiece could be in the way when trying to grab your knife, well at least in the Ray mears Woodlore neck/belt sheath.
Cheers,
Bagheera
I've never had a problem taking out my knife with the steel in from top down.
I do know where you are coming from though as it would not be as secure as having the whole length of the steel in the sheath.
Firesteels normally wear down on one face anyway, leaving the diameter the same for a very long time.
However, on my Bison I never put the firesteel in upside down and usually look the lanyard on the firesteel through the paracord of the baldrick .... just in case :oops:
How long do your firesteels last Bagheera? I normally pass mine down the family food chain yearly :-D
I remember reading about this too ... sounded like a few bad ones got out a while back. Rolling edges was a symptom I think?
However, I think it was pre-97 ... but just in case you are disappointed with your knife, feel free to send it to me for safe disposal :-D
Shaun,
Thanks a lot, I just don't know where the "rumors" started on some forum posts that Woodlore knives were really soft, 59 HrC is plenty hard, giving thoughness to the O1 while keeping a decent edge and ease of sharpening.
man, I'm getting happier every minute with my 1997 Woodlore knife :biggthump even if the necksheath is missing the firesteel holder.
When you use the firesteel a lot like I do it will probably drop out of the holder quiet quickly as it gets thinner, so I won't miss the Firesteel holder anyhow.
Cheers,
Baheera
Firesteels normally wear down on one face anyway, leaving the diameter the same for a very long time.
but surely that's only if you use it on one side, although I do agree with Tone that the very top bit should stay fairly unused.
Bagheera
12-01-2004, 14:23
Adi,
I try to rotate my Firesteel so not to flatten it on one side. I often use the back of an SAK sawblade to scrape sparks and that does hell of a job but also is aggressive on the firesteel.
Sofar I managed to use up 1 complete Firesteel and several quiet far but I gave those to some Scouts in need :-D
Cheers,
Bagheera
Normally I carry two firesteels with me anyway ... one backup on the sheath and one that I use a hacksaw blade on ... that combo creates sparks that you could lauch the space shuttle with!
I thought about this firesteel falling out under wear issue and came up with a simple solution. If you put a loop of cord through the firesteel, that is long enough to loop back over the holder in the sheath, but tight enough to hold it secure, I cant see there being a problem. See in this pic...
http://www.britishblades.com/pics/wswood/wswood4.jpg
You can just slip the loop off the sheath and then pull out the firesteel - dead easy, putting it back in is just the reverse. Even if the firesteel is well worn and loose in the holder, this loop should hold it securely in place.
Martyn - is that the bottom of the firesteel sticking out of the bottom of the loop for it? Looks pointy!
Bagheera
12-01-2004, 14:50
Sorry Double post
Bagheera
My main one looks like it's been ploughed! I'll try and get a pic of it later (need one for an article on my website anyway).
Adi,
I try to rotate my Firesteel so not to flatten it on one side. I often use the back of an SAK sawblade to scrape sparks and that does hell of a job but also is aggressive on the firesteel.
Sofar I managed to use up 1 complete Firesteel and several quiet far but I gave those to some Scouts in need :-D
Cheers,
Bagheera
Martyn - is that the bottom of the firesteel sticking out of the bottom of the loop for it? Looks pointy!
No, it's not the firesteel, but it does look like it doesnt it. It's the melted end of the cord loop poking out from behind, where the knot is.
I thought about this firesteel falling out under wear issue and came up with a simple solution. If you put a loop of cord through the firesteel, that is long enough to loop back over the holder in the sheath, but tight enough to hold it secure, I cant see there being a problem. See in this pic...
http://www.britishblades.com/pics/wswood/wswood4.jpg
You can just slip the loop off the sheath and then pull out the firesteel - dead easy, putting it back in is just the reverse. Even if the firesteel is well worn and loose in the holder, this loop should hold it securely in place.
I hope that your kit is going to look used at some time :rolmao:
Yeah, I was thinking how virgin it all looked :mrgreen:
:-P :-P :-P
It'll probably look used when I get to use it when the weather gets a bit warmer - sorry, no tough as nails woodlander here, just a pansy fair-weather camper. :-D . Besides, trust me when I say that the maple WS woodlore "don' look like that no mo'" :-D :-D
Either way it's good to have a picture of your kit "as it once was" ... :-D :rolmao:
The axe still looks good. :-?
Mine kinda still looks good ... :oops:
But it works! :lol:
The axe still looks good. :-?
bushtuckerman
15-01-2004, 15:31
You shouldn't have any problem if you attatch some velcro to the flat side of the f.steel handle and the sheath (I used superglue - I could equally have sewn it - on my HK34 Mora steel 5" knife sheath. I would have had serious problems by now if i had not - it is about 3mm in diameter at the centre after all the use!!).
good firestarting!
bushman.
Hey all,
I am a newcomer to this forum, and am already impressed. Someone mentioned that the Micarta Wilkinson sword woodlore knife has had a few problems, could anyone let me know what they were as i am wanting to buy one.
Thanks. Regards,
Jake Rollnick
Hey all,
I am a newcomer to this forum, and am already impressed. Someone mentioned that the Micarta Wilkinson sword woodlore knife has had a few problems, could anyone let me know what they were as i am wanting to buy one.
Thanks. Regards,
Jake Rollnick
Hi Jake, no problems really, just a few inconsistencies in the manufacture. They all can do what they claim out of the box, but many have found that some "extra work" is desireable to get the blade *just so*.
See..
http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=433&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=80
Oi I was just about to say that :f:
If there was an actual problem it was with the first batch of the maple handled knives. Which they are replacing http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=713
There has been some disappointment due to the fact that the Micarta knives are not finished to the same standard as the Maple, everyone thought that the blades would be exactly the same but they are generally not as well finished.
The bottom line is also that the markup on the micarta model must be a lot higher than on the maple handle (or the markup on the maple handle one is awful) because when you add up the poorer finish and the more inferior sheath, the maple handled ones are by far a better deal (unless you get them wet :lol: ...)
Anyone had a new, improved one yet and tried it?? :?: Hvae the handle issues been cured?
...and the more inferior sheath, the maple handled ones are by far a better deal (unless you get them wet :lol: ...)
Anyone had a new, improved one yet and tried it?? :?: Hvae the handle issues been cured?
The sheath's are identical for both the maple and micarta knives.
Still waiting on my replacement maple knife, I think there's a couple of weeks to go yet.
I thought the maple handled one had a sheath that held a firesteel ... a handmade sheath as opposed to a non-handmade one?
...and the more inferior sheath, the maple handled ones are by far a better deal (unless you get them wet :lol: ...)
Anyone had a new, improved one yet and tried it?? :?: Hvae the handle issues been cured?
The sheath's are identical for both the maple and micarta knives.
Still waiting on my replacement maple knife, I think there's a couple of weeks to go yet.
I thought the maple handled one had a sheath that held a firesteel ... a handmade sheath as opposed to a non-handmade one?
No mate, they're both the same, you just get the standard slip sheath with both knives. The sheath with the firesteel holder is an optional extra for "both" knives. There also seems to be no difference in the construction method of each sheath (I bought the optional firesteel sheath), they both seem to be constructed in the same manner and of the same quality.
Thanks for that info Martyn!
How do folks feel about the handle size on their woodlore? I'm interested in hearing from people with large hands.
How do folks feel about the handle size on their woodlore? I'm interested in hearing from people with large hands.
The maple knife is perfect, but the micarta was a little thinner and it feels small in my grip. The difference is only a couple of mm in the thickness, but it feels significant.
I'm surprised the blade is thinner for the micarta. I wonder what the reasoning is behind that? The micarta is plenty thick for me.
Did I also notice in some pics that the sabre grind for the maple is slightly higher?
I'm surprised the blade is thinner for the micarta. I wonder what the reasoning is behind that? The micarta is plenty thick for me.
Did I also notice in some pics that the sabre grind for the maple is slightly higher?
Not sure if the steel is thinner on all of em, but it was on mine (the micarta slabs were thinner too). I'm wondering if it was a one off, maybe surface marks that were ground out or something - I dunno.
Re the higher grind - Yes, you noticed correctly, I attributed this to the thicker blade, although it could be due to a shallower edge angle also. My method of checking edge angles is very crude, so I cant be sure.
Joneszee
23-12-2006, 18:24
My name is Paul Jones and I have been trying to contact Mr. Alan Wood. I have registered alanwoodknives.co.uk and have been trying to contact hime in relation to creating a web site of his products. If anybody knows Mr.Wood, I would appreciate it if they could pass my contact details to him. My company website can be found at www.glts.co.uk or by typing www.alanwoodknives.co.uk. My telephone numbers are as follows: 07710036141 or 0870 8113606 or e-mail pauljones@glts.co.uk
My name is Paul Jones and I have been trying to contact Mr. Alan Wood. I have registered alanwoodknives.co.uk and have been trying to contact hime in relation to creating a web site of his products. If anybody knows Mr.Wood, I would appreciate it if they could pass my contact details to him. My company website can be found at www.glts.co.uk or by typing www.alanwoodknives.co.uk. My telephone numbers are as follows: 07710036141 or 0870 8113606 or e-mail pauljones@glts.co.uk
I have a feeling you may not actually get much help in reaching him. Domain prospecting is a questionable practice at best...
Joneszee
24-12-2006, 23:49
I can assure you that I have not registered the domain as a prospect. I have tried to contact Mr. Wood in relation to this. I am an admirer of his work and saw a reference to the domain in an airgun magazine. When I tried to view the site I became aware of that the domain had not been registered. As an IT Support company, it is highly unlikely that Mr. Wood would be in our target market. I am more than prepared to give the domain name for no charge. I would also be happy to host the site for no charge. I am sorry if my post gave the wrong impression. The above offers are made by an enthusiast and not a prospector. I once again appologise if it has been viewed in the wrong contex.
Joneszee
reading your first post I had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
Reading your second post put me straight.
The above offers are made by an enthusiast and not a prospector
I offer my apologies.
Welcome to BushcraftUK.
Have a happy Christmas.
Jon.
I jumped to conlusions about your actions, and I shouldn't have. Please accept my apologies.
Have a Merry Christmas one and all!
Cheers,
Dan
Joneszee
27-12-2006, 16:15
I can understand your initial sentiments in relation to this. I have attanded a bushcraft weekend with the guys at SAS survival which was brilliant (www.sassurvival.co.uk). I am also booked onto a 4 day course for next year. I am fascinated by the different techniques used for outdoor living. As an absolute beginner I would appreciate any tips or reference sites that you may have. :beerchug: