R. Bruce Hoadley

Jan 10, 2025 | finewoodworking.com | R. Bruce Hoadley |Ben Strano

When considering veneer and its quality, we usually think only of characteristics such as species, thickness and figure, or defects such as knots, stain or pitch streaks. Beyond that, veneer is veneer. But of most serious concern should be knife checks. These are parallel-to-grain fracture planes produced in the veneer at the time of its manufacture and which may go unnoticed, only to cause agonizing problems later.