I guess I should have posted this here rather than Pow Wow
I guess you could say Im blessed with the amount of osage around our trad club.. I picked up 1 real nice chunk about 9" diam and a foot long. With lots more for the grabbing. Would make a TON of knife handles but Im not sure how and when to work the wood. Do I split it into small staves and let it cure or just jump on in split and work it then let it cure?
I would split it into quarters, and let it dry for a couple of months in a cool dry place. Have you sealed the ends? if not it has all ready started to check. After you split it out seal the ends with elmers white glue, or a few coats of shellach or whatever.
Thx Dano...will split it and seal tomorrow..this stuff should make a ton if knife handles
Split or rive it to make it "quarter sawn".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter-sawn
"because of the orientation of the growth rings, quarter-sawn wood is less prone to shrinkage, twisting, cupping and in many cases rot because sap wood is easier to isolate in manufacturing process"
thats some good info there Dustin, THX!
I would do as Dan said. You could also remove the bark and sapwood. It's easier done when the wood is green. Poly the back though or she'll split faster than a ballerina dancing the Nutcracker Suite. Jawge
Split it now to dry faster.