Crafting Cholla Cactus Cast Resin Knife Handles | Berg Knife Making Tutorial

Crafting Cholla Cactus Cast Resin Knife Handles | Berg Knife Making Tutorial
Welcome to Berg Knife Making! In this concise and informative video, Dan Berg from www.Bergknifemaking.com shares his expertise on creating unique and captivating Cholla Cactus cast resin knife handles.
Join Dan as he takes you through the step-by-step process of casting Cholla Cactus using TotalBoat Thick Set resin, resulting in one-of-a-kind knife scales. These handles are not only visually striking but also possess the natural beauty and texture of Cholla wood.
Discover how Dan achieves remarkable results without the use of a pressure pot. Watch as he stabilizes the Cholla wood using cactus juice and a vacuum chamber, ensuring durability and longevity for your knife handles.
Witness the transformative power of TotalBoat Thick Set resin as it encapsulates the Cholla wood, preserving its unique characteristics while adding a glossy finish. Learn valuable techniques and tips from Dan to achieve optimal results in your own cast resin projects.
Whether you're a knife enthusiast, a lover of unique materials, or simply seeking to add a touch of nature to your collection, this tutorial is for you.
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated with more exciting knife making projects and tutorials. Visit www.Bergknifemaking.com for additional resources, tools, and supplies to enhance your knife making journey.
Get ready to embark on a creative endeavor as you learn how to make Cholla Cactus cast resin knife handles. Let the natural beauty of Cholla wood shine through, adding a touch of uniqueness and elegance to your knives. Let's get started! 🌵🔪
Totalboat Thick set epoxy was used in this video. www.totalboat.com/product/tot...
Note if your interested in trying Totalboat resin direct from totalboat.com you can use the code DanBerg15 and save 15% on your first purchase
Check out Dan's custom knives www.Bergknifemaking.com

[@Kebekwoodcraft7375]

That cactus is everywhere here around my house !😊

[@emmkaa2099]

Wow!! These are absolutely gorgeous! I've always loved the cholla cacuts... it has such character and if you really look, no two pieces are the same. I live in the desert north of Palm Springs in California and have more cholla just outside my front door than you can shake a stick at... no pun intended... 😏 well, maybe a little pun. 🤭🙄
I enjoy picking up dead cholla on my property and bringing it back and cleaning it. Thought I did a pretty good job but you sure did school me! ...and cactus juice? Never heard of it.
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your appreciating this beautiful wood. When cholla is alive we call it "jumping cactus" because man oh man, it'll leap tall buildings in a single bound just to latch onto your leg. Gorgeous when it's dead tho, and I've made some beautiful wall hangings with it.
Thank you for sharing your talents,
Mary Kay

[@TotalBoat]

We love how these came out. So much character - awesome work!!! 😎🔥🙌

[@jimmiecrowe520]

I do enjoy your constant devotion to expanding your knife making skills! Keep up the wonderful content.

[@DIYeasycrafts]

Thanks Jimmie, really appreciate the feedback

[@rexwillmer759]

Thanks for posting this vlog it really interesting seeing how others are stabilising handle material, especially the range of abundant softwoods you have available. We here in Australia are blessed with some of the hardest timber’s in the world that don’t really need stabilising but many are not only iron hard but have little in the was of figure, your maple burls and others are really detailed and make some beautiful handles when fixed in resin. I alway take pleasure in watching your work and the techniques you use. Keep more vids coming. Thanks from Melbourne DownUnder. Regards Rex

[@DIYeasycrafts]

Thank you really appreciate the feedback

[@thomasblair7151]

Love the content of your UA-cam videos. Helping me to learn a lot and try new things. Also have your book that has become my primary source for information. Thanks!

[@DIYeasycrafts]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@kevincalm]

Nice video. After adding resin, maybe you could place it back into the vacuum unit to pull out bubbles. The transformer industry does this for potted units since bubble will cause high voltage corona arcing.

[@DIYeasycrafts]

A pressure pot would be perfect but I was trying to show knife makers could get nice results without the additional expense.

[@MrCharlesO1960]

Excellent video. What stabilizing rig is that? Thanks

[@bwell6863]

What do you use to polish the scales to get the color to pop?

[@page76metalcraft19]

Hey buddy great video thumbs up! I don't know how much you paid at Michaels for 6 in of Cholla but I can get unlimited quantities of it here and probably sell it to you for way cheaper than you bought that for. Let me know. Also, try another batch without all the cactus juice and vacuuming and stuff. My understanding is you only need to do that if the wood is going to be exposed to the elements but because you're basically sealing the whole thing in epoxy I don't think those steps are necessary. Maybe if you try it let me know how they come out without all those extra steps. Thanks again keep up the great videos.

[@DIYeasycrafts]

Might have to give that a try

[@kevincalm]

I think he is doing the cactus juice to only make it harder......easier to sand and split etc. (?) . The cured epoxy may be tough enough so cholla doesn't have to be hardened for durability (?).

[@dmitryk754]

Why bake them at 275? I thought the recommended temperature was 200.

[@DIYeasycrafts]

My little toaster oven is off a bit. I like to bake at 250 but on this oven I have to set it at 275 to get actual temp of 250

[@dmitryk754]

@@DIYeasycrafts thank you for your reply, is there an advantage to 250 F. Their directions say 200 F, that’s why I am asking.