Using natures harvest

[Bowland blades]

I like to use interesting natural woods and other natural for knife handles . Not all of us wants a knife with a bright orange plastic handle . Recently working with some cross cut natural spalted beech ( from my own land ) . It wont be ready for a good while yet but this is the look of some cross grain cut before it is fully dried ( it will after drying more fully yet then it will be pressure stabilized in a vacuum pressure pot ) This process renders the wood impervious and hygienic , very hard and tough
here it is ..

 

[weblyish]

spalted beech is my absolute favourite whittling wood

still have half a dozen rounds from a heavily patterned tree we took down in our scout campsite a few years back
I split them with the scouts into kindling and they each get to choose their own fave bit to turn into a tent peg or spoon some of them it looks like ancient writing