Wood Scraps for Cutlery: Origins and Value

Wood scraps refer to the leftover pieces resulting from the sawing and cutting of planks or blocks processed in the workshop. As part of a rigorous artisanal process, these pieces are not discarded: they are sorted, inspected, and offered in batches to cutlers. At Mercorne, the offcuts come exclusively from our own stock of wood species—stabilized wood, raw wood, burls, and exotic woods—cut in our workshop in France. The benefit is twofold: reducing material waste and enabling every knife maker, whether a beginner or an experienced craftsman, to access premium wood species at an affordable price.

Properties and Characteristics of Wood Scrap Lots

A batch of Mercorne wood scraps is, by definition, not uniform—and that is precisely what makes it so valuable. Each batch may contain several different wood species, with dimensions varying depending on available stock. The pieces are generally suitable for:

• Handles for small knives (kitchen knives, lightweight folding knives, pocket knives)
• Decorative inlays and bolts
• Side plates
• Marquetry or inlay pieces
• Prototypes and finish testing before investing in a larger size

The available wood species vary depending on current shipments and ongoing production. They generally include stabilized woods (colored or natural), fine-grained raw woods, and exotic woods of varying densities. The color, grain, and grain direction differ from one piece to another—a variety that many knife makers deliberately seek out to create unique pieces.

How to Choose Wood Scraps for Your Knife?

Before purchasing a batch, it’s helpful to determine the intended use. The main criteria to consider are:

• The size of the pieces: scraps are generally smaller than a standard 125 × 25 × 6 mm block. They are better suited for small sizes than for large handles.
• Wood species: Stabilized woods are easier to work with and resistant to moisture; raw woods require more care during finishing.
• Skill level: For a beginner, woods with a regular grain (birch, maple) are easier to work with than woods with an irregular grain (burl, curly grain).
• Desired aesthetic: Offcuts often reveal unexpected patterns—flamed, wavy, burl—that are absent from standard boards.

Experienced knife makers appreciate lots of offcuts for their controlled unpredictability: you know what you’re getting in terms of quality, but each piece reveals something unique during machining. It’s a good way to test a wood species before investing in a larger size.

Mercorne and Wood Offcuts: 34 Years of Curation

Since 1992, Mercorne has been cutting and distributing premium materials for artisanal cutlery. The wood scrap lots come directly from this French workshop—no piece comes from an uncontrolled external stock. Each batch is hand-selected, with the same high standards as our standard boards and blocks. Our standard guarantees apply in full: same-day shipping (D+0), returns accepted within 15 days, and free shipping on orders of €90 or more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wood Scraps

What types of wood can be found in a scrap wood lot?

The composition of the lots varies depending on current production in our workshop. They generally include stabilized woods (maple, birch, poplar), exotic woods (ebony, rosewood, padauk), and French woods (walnut, ash, service tree). The exact list cannot be guaranteed for each batch, but the quality of the pieces is guaranteed.

Are the offcuts of the same quality as the standard boards?

Yes. At Mercorne, a wood scrap is a piece made from the same material as our selected boards—it’s simply shorter or narrower in size. No piece with a deal-breaking defect (deep crack, rot, open knot) is included in our lots.

Can I order a batch with a specific wood species?

Offcut lots are assorted collections and cannot be customized by wood species. If you’re looking for a specific species in a small size, check the individual product listings in each category: some species are available as pieces or small blocks outside of the lots.

Do stabilized wood scraps have the same properties as whole blocks?

Yes. Scrap pieces made from stabilized wood have undergone the same vacuum and resin stabilization process as whole blocks. They offer the same properties: moisture resistance, dimensional stability, and ease of polishing.

What finish should be applied to a wood scrap used as a handle?

It depends on the wood species. For stabilized wood, gradual sanding up to 2,000-grit is often sufficient to achieve a glossy finish without oil or varnish. For untreated wood, a suitable finishing oil (tung oil, Danish oil) is recommended to protect and bring out the grain. If in doubt, Olivier can advise you based on the specific wood species.