Suitable handle scales?

[Scruffylookingnerfherder]

I am trying to put a handle on a knife and maybe a chisel that I made, and I am looking for an inexpensive way to do that. In general, would oak from the local Home Depot work for handle scales? Thanks for your time!

Scruffy

[Latticino]

Red and White Oak make good, functional knife handles, though they aren't all that aesthetic IMHO.  I'm not sure how well they will hold up for a chisel, but that is all dependent on how the chisel tang or socket is designed and how you plan on using it.  For a real budget source of oak for scales consider looking at old wooden pallets.  The heavier ones are sometimes made of oak or similar hardwood.

[lanternnate]

Another cheap source of wood "scales" is hardwood floor excess. If you can find an installer or a seller you can check if you can acquire their scrap pieces and shorts. That can get the classic oak, but also sometimes some of the more interesting stuff.

[Scruffylookingnerfherder]

Thanks!

Scruffy

 

[Lou L]

I've heard it said a number of times that pallets are an excellent and free source of a number of hardwoods.  Businesses of all types store piles of them they give away for free.  I have yet to inspect a pallet for the quality of the wood, I usually end up burning them or using them to store stuff in the shed.

[ThomasPowers]

Find a place selling solid hardwood flooring and ask them for "samples".

Places that sell things like wallboard, sheet metal, etc often have large strong pallets that they will give away---I used to have a sign company across the alleyway and I ended up getting a lot of 12' long 4x4's from their sheet metal and plastic sheet deliveries.  (to remove the twisted nails I would first try with a crowbar and then if the tops popped off I'd heat the nail with a propane torch and then pull out with a large set of vise grips and a block of wood.)