Any lumberjacks out there???

I am working with what I have to learn...so I don't ruin good stuff until later! I am looking to slab out some old knarly mesquite logs of 16"+ diameter that we decided to not split for firewood because the crotch sections are TOUGH! My plan is to chainsaw cut out 6" or so disks from the logs, then slab out for knife scales. The logs are 10+ years dry. The one I cut last night (8", same vintage, probably same tree) was not cracked once I got 2" or so past the ends.

-What am I looking for to get the best wood?
-Aim for a crotch or straight section?
-Slab or quarter saw?
-???

Thanks!

Man, I'd like to have some of that in my backyard.

You will usually get your best figure flat (slab) sawing, that is sawing more or less parallel with the height of the tree. However, since crotch kind of goes where it wants, you'll probably have to cut the surface off and wet it a bit to make a guess how to cut from there. Be aware that for knife handles, pistol grips etc, you need very tight grain patterns or it won't show very well on such a small surface area. In that case you MIGHT get better results quarter sawing, which is sawing perpendicular to the growth rings. Mesquite usually grows pretty slow once it get a bit of age on it, so the rings will be close together and may have a nice look quarter sawn.

Normally your best grain pattern will be around knots and in the crotch area.

I'd quarter saw them. you get much less useable wood, but it maximizes both grain and strength. also frequently gives great fiddleback

I've never seen fiddleback in mesquite but there might be some. Quarter sawn usually gives you the growth ring pattern but little figure. As I said, the close ring growth may make quartersawn more attractive for handle purposes, but it usually does not make the prettiest stock for figure. Strength is not a real consideration with mesquite for handles, it is quite hard and shrinks less than almost any other wood.

Keep on looking in the wood pile until you find some burl wood. Made a knife for my hunting buddy with burl handles--probably the best looking piece of wood I've worked on.