# Beautiful Cocobolo Burl



## MikeL (Oct 13, 2015)

Wish I could find more of this wood!  I had a blow-out on the upper barrel so I segmented with ebony and aluminum.  This is another great palace vine Jr.  Thanks for looking.


----------



## Josh@csusa (Oct 13, 2015)

*WOW!*

That is without a doubt the most beautiful piece of Cocobolo I have ever seen. And the pen is great too!:biggrin: Great work!


----------



## Notscottish (Oct 13, 2015)

Stunning, looks great.


----------



## Sabaharr (Oct 13, 2015)

Holy Moley Batman, that's awesome.


----------



## Skie_M (Oct 13, 2015)

Exquisite and beautiful...  I think I might have some of that wood now, in my pile.


----------



## Drewboy22 (Oct 13, 2015)

Bar none, that is one of the best looking pens i have seen!  Excellent Job!


----------



## SteveG (Oct 13, 2015)

Ooooh Soooo tooo bad!! on the blow out. 

You did a good effort on the recovery, but the blank itself cries out for the parts gone. :frown:

We all want more of that wood. You were wise to couple it with a very top end kit. I really enjoyed seeing this pen...nice work and nice post.


----------



## Krash (Oct 13, 2015)

Wowzers! I think I might keep that one.

Nice job on a sweet piece of God's creation! :biggrin:


----------



## MikeL (Oct 13, 2015)

SteveG said:


> Ooooh Soooo tooo bad!! on the blow out.
> 
> You did a good effort on the recovery, but the blank itself cries out for the parts gone. :frown:
> 
> We all want more of that wood. You were wise to couple it with a very top end kit. I really enjoyed seeing this pen...nice work and nice post.



Yes, I think I came close to a curse word when the piece blew out but I stepped out of the shop and maintained control. I would have much rather had a solid piece on the upper barrel but that's the way it goes sometimes. Glad I was able to keep most of it!


----------



## Skie_M (Oct 13, 2015)

So ... this cocobolo, is it the type that will darken up after exposure to UV/sunlight?  I love the light orange play against the darker brown, but I've seen quite a bit of my cocobolo end up a stunning array of golden yellow to dark brown, with reds and oranges banded between.


----------



## liljohn1368 (Oct 13, 2015)

Wow that is really nice....


----------



## TonyL (Oct 13, 2015)

I called these guys twice to see about a custom order - no answer. Assuming the price was right, please let me know if interested. I don't know what their MOQ is, but it is free to ask.

Exotic Wood, Birdseye Maple, Curly Maple & Tiger Maple | Bell Forest Products


----------



## Charlie69 (Oct 13, 2015)

That is a beautiful piece of Cocobola, shame the cap piece blew out but the segmented fix look great!


----------



## triw51 (Oct 13, 2015)

Great save on the blow out.  I agree beautiful wood and great woekmanship


----------



## MikeL (Oct 13, 2015)

Skie_M said:


> So ... this cocobolo, is it the type that will darken up after exposure to UV/sunlight?  I love the light orange play against the darker brown, but I've seen quite a bit of my cocobolo end up a stunning array of golden yellow to dark brown, with reds and oranges banded between.



I too love the mix of colors. I am not sure how long it will take but the wood will darken with age. Hopefully the contrasting colors will still contrast as it ages.


----------



## MikeL (Oct 13, 2015)

TonyL said:


> I called these guys twice to see about a custom order - no answer. Assuming the price was right, please let me know if interested. I don't know what their MOQ is, but it is free to ask.
> 
> Exotic Wood, Birdseye Maple, Curly Maple & Tiger Maple | Bell Forest Products


 
I am willing to go in if it is Burl and the price is reasonable. I've been looking for a long time. I have seen a few pieces cut for knife handles but were too thin for pens ( 1/2 inch).


----------



## Dalepenkala (Oct 13, 2015)

Mike you did an outstanding job on saving that pen! If you wouldn't have said anything about the blow out I'd have figured it was all designed/segmented that way! Incredible pen Mike!


----------



## Skie_M (Oct 13, 2015)

Mmmm ... nope, the stuff I have is certainly pretty, but it's not burl.  Crosscut slabs that came with knots through them that were removed.  I'll have to make something out of some of this, it's very nice looking stuff ... I just don't have any pen kits left! lol


----------



## jsolie (Oct 13, 2015)

Absolutely gorgeous pen, and if you hadn't said anything about a blowout, I never would have known.


----------



## Sappheiros (Oct 14, 2015)

I love the elegance of it.


----------



## BJohn (Oct 14, 2015)

I think every possible adjective as been used. So what can I add other then EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE A PEN COMES ALONG THAT YOU KNOW IS A PIECE OF ART!   WOW


----------



## Ted iin Michigan (Oct 14, 2015)

VERY nicely done! I'm quite impressed with pairing the ebony with the cocobolo. Never would have considered that. Again, well done!


----------



## MikeL (Oct 14, 2015)

Thanks for all the nice comments.  Much of the credit goes to the wood itself.


----------



## Skewer (Oct 14, 2015)

Nice!


----------



## jeff (Oct 15, 2015)

Looks great on the front page :biggrin:


----------



## jttheclockman (Oct 16, 2015)

Mike congrats on the front page. It probably is one of the strongest photos we had there in a long time. Really jumps out at you. I like the metal added and the timber speaks for itself. nice combo. keep up the good work. Hope to see more.


----------



## ladycop322 (Oct 16, 2015)

Absolutely Breathtaking!


----------



## MikeL (Oct 16, 2015)

*Thanks!*



jeff said:


> Looks great on the front page :biggrin:



It is indeed an honor!  Thanks. 
Again, finding a really nice piece of wood has a lot to do with this pens appeal.

Plus, learning some picture skills from guys on this site is helpful towards showing off the wood.


----------



## nativewooder (Oct 16, 2015)

Cocobolo Burl is indeed rare, but I'm sure there are a few stashes out there somewhere.  It you find any, be sure to have some diamonds or gold to pay with!:biggrin:


----------



## Drewboy22 (Oct 16, 2015)

Congrats Mike on the Front Page   Great Job


----------



## Dalepenkala (Oct 16, 2015)

Congrats on making the front page Mike!


----------



## warthog (Oct 24, 2015)

Where did the hardware come from. I have never seen that design before. Impressive pen.


----------



## Gadget (Oct 28, 2015)

I have quite a bit of cocobolo and I was told by a cue maker a trick. When your almost done turning just before sanding wrap the cocobolo in a paper towel then soak with denatured alcohol, allow to dry and repeat a few times. it takes some of the oils out and allows it to retain the natural color variations. it will darken with time but not as much as normal.


----------



## mtassie (Oct 28, 2015)

That is a great looking  pen!!! Beautiful !!


----------



## thepenfriend (Oct 28, 2015)

Beautiful Pen!  A well deserved front pager!  I was curious on the finish you used?  Mind sharing the specs?  Is it CA? or some lacquer?  Thanks for sharing your artwork!


----------

