# Opinion on this Red Oak?



## kblankenship (Jan 11, 2018)

I was wondering what everyone thinks about this Red Oak wood that I salvaged from my neighbors wood pile. It was a tree that was taken out by a small tornado. I have a pretty large cross cut piece that these came from. What does everyone think... is it worth trying to finish cutting it up and making blanks?

Thanks,
Kevin

Reactions: Like 3


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## ripjack13 (Jan 11, 2018)

I moved this here...


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## ripjack13 (Jan 11, 2018)

Whoops...Wrong topic.
I moved it back.
Sorry.


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## kblankenship (Jan 11, 2018)

ripjack13 said:


> Whoops...Wrong topic.
> I moved it back.
> Sorry.


Thanks! I wasn't quite sure where to put it.


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## duncsuss (Jan 11, 2018)

I can seldom tell by looking at a square billet -- turn one of these pieces into a cylinder and it will be easier to see if it's worth the effort.

Reactions: Like 1


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## kblankenship (Jan 11, 2018)

duncsuss said:


> I can seldom tell by looking at a square billet -- turn one of these pieces into a cylinder and it will be easier to see if it's worth the effort.


I can do that.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Jan 11, 2018)

Looks promising to me! Tony

Reactions: Agree 3


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## phinds (Jan 11, 2018)

Nice rays, should show some good flakes at least hear and there where turned.


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## Karl_TN (Jan 11, 2018)

The ray patterns on the red oak blanks is cool, but I suspect the grain direction might not work so well for your knife blanks. Free wood always makes great practice if you own a lathe.

As far as value, there's always tons of free oak around here especially after storms so it's not normally worth shipping cost to me. Might be a different story for someone living in Arizona where's there not oak trees everywhere. 

-Karl

PS. Red oak can be darkened with a solution of steel wool dissolved in vinegar. If you want it even darker then try soaking in a strong tea solution to increase the _tannic_ acid content before dying.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## kblankenship (Jan 14, 2018)

Thanks guys!


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## Robert Baccus (Jan 15, 2018)

Sure looks like a white oak from here???


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## kblankenship (Jan 15, 2018)

It may be white oak. I was just told after it was down and cut up that it was a red oak. Around here we have a ton of blackjack and post oaks around here also. Thank you!


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