Curly Birch Handle Block, Extreme Grade

Curly Birch Knife Handle Block, Extreme Grade (Highest grade available)

Curly birch is a pale hardwood, growing in a narrow belt in the cold north of Scandinavia and Russia.

The "curly" in curly birch describes the twisted, curled grains.

Curly birch has a solid texture and easy to work, the twisted grain strucuture does not mean it will crack or split easily.

Traditionally considered an exclusive material and used for knife handles and other "show" pieces.

Curly birch comes in 3 grades, based on the level of play and twists in the wood.

This is the top "Extreme" grade, with lots of play and curls in the wood.

Each grade makes an amazing piece when sanded and sealed.

It is more a question of how figured you prefer the wood;

the Standard grade having more white birch and the Exctreme grade have more of the colored "curly" grains and imperfections that make the pieces unique.

 The blocks are about 30 x 40 x 120 mm in size.

 See CreativeMan.com.au for more projects kits and pieces

Another example by Åge Fjeldberg with extreme curly birch handle, blade by Steen Nielsen:

It can also be stained with leather or wood stain and then sanded again to better show off the contrasting colours. Chef knife by Bjorn Jacobsen, blade in 12c27 stainless steel and curly birch handle;