Question bout Choalla cactus knife handles...

[billy]

I cut some live choalla cactus when I was in New Mexico about a month ago and wanted to make them into knife handles but don't know what to do next.  How do I get the green fleshy part of the cactus free from the internal wooden skeleton?  The cactus has been drying this entire time and I want to preserve as much of the natural strength of the wooden skeleton as possible, but I'm not sure how to do process it into knife handles.  Soak it and peel it apart by hand?  Leave it outside to naturally rot away?  Anyone have any experience with this? 

[JEB]

  If you cut green you will have to deal with a gazzilian (that's a lot) of very fine needles. I hear that some wear thick gloves and take a razor and make a full length slice thru the skin and then another slice about 1/4" wide and then needle nose pliers to peel the skin away from the cactus.  You will have to do that all the way around the cactus until the exterior is gone.  Not sure what you do with the center, just let it dry out I would guess.

I use the dead stuff myself.

[Stoner]

Out here in AZ. there are dead skeletons of all shapes and sizes. The elements take care of the inside & out. Just don't pick up without inspecting it first. They become homes to all kinds of biting & stinging critters. John