Introduction to Florida Wood Series
Welcome to our Florida Wood Series: Part 1 that tells about our custom knife handles at GreBec Knives! In this series, we explore the unique woods used in our custom knives. In Part 1 we’re starting with Florida Pignut Hickory, Spalted Pecan and South Florida Black Olive knife handles. Let’s dive into the beauty and craftsmanship of these bookend matched custom knife handles!
About Our Florida Woods
Our Florida Wood Series custom knives feature woods are mostly from North Central Florida. None of the woods used in this series are commercially raised. I source these woods from trees felled by storms—like Red Maple and Southern Magnolia—or removed due to driveway or home issues, such as Palatka Holly and Bur Oak. A landscaper friend often trims trees for his customers and he provides some unique woods, like Crepe Myrtle. Other times customers provide logs, branches, or stumps.
I start the process with a chain saw and bug spray (my wife insisted I mention that!). You can watch Shorts of me cutting tree trunks on our YouTube channel. My goal is to find the best-looking wood for knife handles, and sometimes, I get lucky with truly unique pieces. All photos in this series showcase custom high carbon steel knives I’ve crafted.
Crafting Florida Series Knife Handles
After sourcing the wood, I square it into knife-block sizes. Then, I dry and stabilize the blocks using Turn Tex Cactus Juice to ensure durability. Once stabilized, the wood joins my inventory. When designing a new custom knife, I envision which wood will suit the blade best. I select a block from my inventory, and if it fits the handle perfectly, it moves forward in the crafting process. Now, let’s explore some woods from this series!
Florida Wood Series – Pignut Hickory
Pictured above are several stabilized Pignut Hickory custom knife handles. This strong, heavy wood played a key role in America’s history—Trees of Grey Tower (opens in a new tab) offers a great overview of its uses. A friend removed a Pignut Hickory tree and gifted me several chunks. Several of these pieces boast visible chatoyance, a shimmering effect that makes it unique and beautiful. Not all Pignut Hickory pieces have this trait, but it often reveals itself during the final shaping. It’s light color makes it a great material for bolsters of darker color.
Florida Wood Series – Spalted Pecan
The wood shown above is stabilized Spalted Pecan, featuring a striking patterns from fungal or bacterial spalting. Vermont Wildwood explains the science behind this effect in a fascinating article. I sourced this wood from an old local tree removed to avoid falling on cars or houses. The spalted sapwood creates stunning knife handles. One recent piece, with bookend-matched scales, surprised me—one side showed heavy spalting, while the other had almost none. These figured handles sell quickly at the DeLand Artisans Market!
Florida Wood Series – Black Olive
Two of the handles above are crafted from stabilized Black Olive wood sourced from South Florida. The remaining handle features Black Olive wood as a bolster, paired with Spalted Pecan for striking contrast. Native to the Keys but now growing as far north as Broward County, this wood caught my attention when I rescued it from the roadside in Fort Lauderdale, saving it from the landfill. After allowing the rescued wood to dry in my workshop for several years, it transformed into usable pieces through careful cutting. Years later, testing revealed its stunning potential for knife handles. With a limited supply, I use it sparingly. Black Olive trees offer shade but can be messy, with fruit notorious for cracking car windows!
More Florida Wood Series Knife Handles to Explore
Check out Part 2 and Part 3 of our Florida Wood Series to discover more wood types crafted into custom high carbon steel knives at GreBec Knives & More, featuring unique bookend-matched handle materials. Explore our online shop and filter by Florida Woods to browse knives in stock, showcasing these distinctive materials. Stay tuned for future releases as we expand the series over time!