White Ceramic Santoku with Cholla and Red & Green Resin Handle

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Another knife that came out of the shop during the recent flurry of knife-making. This one has a handle of cholla with red and green resin which was poured by a friend of mine in Texas in exchange for me sending him a box of cholla canes. Seems like a good trade to me.

The blade is a 6 inch white ceramic santoku which used to be sold by WoodCraft, but was discontinued a few years back (before we moved to New Mexico, so three or four years ago). When I saw the bright colors of the handle, I remembered I had the white blade and thought it would be a good-looking combination. There are also layers or red and brown micarta between the scales and the knife tang to build up the thickness a little. It feels pretty good in the hand to me.

The handle was rough-cut on the bandsaw, then shaped with rasps and files. It was hand sanded with 80, 120, 180, 220, and 400 grit sandpaper, and a coat of tung oil applied before buffing it with the Beall Wood Buffing system. I’m pretty pleased with this one, and think I’ll be giving it to a friend as an early Christmas present.


May you have the day you deserve!

17 Comments

Nicely done!  Will make for a great gift.
This will be a great gift, a good sharp knife is always useful.
Thanks, Barb! I think I need to make a little box to hold it, but there’s still plenty of time.

Thanks, Tom! The gal it’ll be going to likes to cook, but I don’t remember what kind of knives she prefers. But it’ll be pretty!

May you have the day you deserve!

Any excuse to build a box ;)
very nice knife

-- Soli Deo gloria! ( To God alone be the Glory)

Exactly, Barb! ;-)

Thanks, Oldrivers!

May you have the day you deserve!

Beautiful looking knife. Are the ceramic blades prone to breaking all the time. Great job !!!   Mike
Very unique!!!

I love stories of partnerships, trading skills. 

Toxins Out, Nature In - body/mind/spirit

Thanks, Mike! They’re more brittle than steel, which is why WoodCraft discontinued them, I expect. And I’ve had a couple with manufacturing flaws I found while shaping the handle (with the blade held in the vise) that snapped, but if one survives all the way to a completed knife, I’ve found them to be pretty durable. And they can be sharpened with diamond stones.

Thanks, Debbie! 

May you have the day you deserve!

I really like that handle Dave. I was wondering what the finished project would look like, it never occurred to me that the the blanks would be cut that direction for a cross section. I have one ceramic knife, my wife loves it.
Thanks! The way the blank was shaped, this was really the only way it would’ve worked.

May you have the day you deserve!

sweet knife buddy.so glad to see you here as i may spend more time here myself.

working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Thanks, Pottz! Welcome!

May you have the day you deserve!

That's a one of a kind knife. Not only will it do the job but will be easy to find wherever it's stored. Resin and wood go together well. 
Thanks, D!

May you have the day you deserve!

A well-done Knife Dave can't wait to see the box you come up with.

Main Street to the Mountains

Thanks, Eric! The box is poplar sides, but some torrefied maple for the top and bottom, with a little walnut to bridge the gap. Got the first coat of oil on the inside today, and will start on the outside tomorrow morning, but I think it’ll be quite a looker.

May you have the day you deserve!