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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: el oso on April 12, 2008, 10:39:00 PM

Title: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: el oso on April 12, 2008, 10:39:00 PM

I was fixin to cut out some handles for a little necker. I have some purpleheart that I have been wanting to use. When I started cutting them out on the scrole saw it smoked and turned black. whenI say it smoked I mean it realy smoked. I tried a new blade with the same result. I tried sanding it on the belt sander and it terned black. Is it just me or is there some secret to working with this wood?  :confused:

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Mechslasher on April 12, 2008, 11:57:00 PM

purpleheart can be some dense stuff.  it takes a super sharp saw and a new belt to shape it without burning it.  when using a beltsander, you need to clean the belt often to prevent it from clogging.

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Leftieshot on April 13, 2008, 12:30:00 AM

P-heart is a VERY oily wood and obviously can burn easily using dull tools.  I reccomend a rather coarse saw blade 4-6 tpi and a brand new 60-80 grit belts.  Don't press and hold the wood to the belts for too long and work it slowly.  It can be a booger of a wood to work with but the results are quite nice sometimes.

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Leftieshot on April 13, 2008, 12:32:00 AM

One other tip about p-heart and even bloodwood.  Wipe them done with acetone before you epoxy them to anyting.  It helps get the oil off the wood.

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: el oso on April 13, 2008, 01:08:00 AM

thanks fellas. I was using a lot finer saw blade than that. A coarse blade makes sence, and the acetone tip probable saved me some greaf

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: owlbait on April 13, 2008, 05:26:00 PM

I lost my purpleheart knife in the woods last winter. Found it a week ago and it had turned black! Tried some light sanding but couldn't get much color back.

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Leftieshot on April 13, 2008, 10:26:00 PM

Haven't heard of p-heart turning black.  I know it will darken to a deep purple in natural sunlight.  I got me tempted to put a small block of it outside for a while just to see what it does over time.
It takes a good bit of hand sanding to get that outside aged layer off of purple heart.  It may have reacted with the steel blade being in the weather and all.  Wish I could help you out more, sounds interesting though.

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: el oso on April 13, 2008, 10:34:00 PM

I will let y'all know how it weathers a TEXAS somer becaus I just chucked the f@#$%^*# piece I had over the fence into a pasture!   :mad:

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!
Post by: LC on April 13, 2008, 10:59:00 PM

:biglaugh:  Now thats funny I don't care who you are!!