# Making Sandalwood Pens



## Bartstar (Jul 19, 2005)

I have a friend that has requested me to make a sandalwood mechanical pencil. I've never worked with this wood, and it is actually quite hard to find, tho I did find a supplier. Anyone here have any experience with it. Can it be finished in such a way that you can maintain most of its fragrant qualities?

Thanks
Bart


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## Fred in NC (Jul 19, 2005)

Just sand it to a fine grit (MM), and forget the finish.


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## youngturner (Jul 20, 2005)

Make sure you get the real sandalwood because there is a lot of false sandalwood and it doesn't have the smell. It is very rare to find it, i have a few blanks but had trouble sourcing them.


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## Bartstar (Jul 20, 2005)

I found a supplier in Colorado using woodfinder.com. He claims to be the only supplier of sandelwood blanks in the US. He's sending me some sandelwood burl blanks. Very expensive - He claims the burl is even more fragrant than just straight sandelwood. I'll let you know what I think when they arrive.

Bart


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## its_virgil (Jul 20, 2005)

I purchased a small piece in Hawaii two summers ago. When they saw the sandlewood, they clean the saws and collect all of the sandlewood dust which is sold to their Oriental citizens who use the dust as a medicinal product. 

I've made aromatic cedar pens, applied my normal CA finish and have been told by a couple of lady customers that the aroma of cedar exudes from their purse when it is opened. Don't know about sandlewood. My piece is still on the shelf, outgasing probably. 

Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by Bartstar_
> <br />I found a supplier in Colorado using woodfinder.com. He claims to be the only supplier of sandelwood blanks in the US. He's sending me some sandelwood burl blanks. Very expensive - He claims the burl is even more fragrant than just straight sandelwood. I'll let you know what I think when they arrive.
> 
> Bart


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## C. Scott (Jul 20, 2005)

Bart,

Goodluck finding it.  Some years ago my in-laws brought back me a chuck of it (literally) from India and I made a few pens out of it.  The real reason I wanted it was that my wife wanted a pen out of it (yes, she is Indian).  I later found out that my in-laws committed the equivalent of a felony in India.  They had no idea that sandalwood was a controlled substance in India.  ALL sandalwood trees in India are considered property of the Indian government period.  In India it can only be legally purchased from the government in a raw or lumber form.  An alternative would be to buy something made from sandalwood and use that for a blank.

If you do make one and you don't put a finish on it it will stain and get "dirty" like any other wood pen would without a finish.  However, it will smell great.

Regards,

C. Scott


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## Bartstar (Jul 22, 2005)

Yes - I know about the controls that India has put on Sandalwood. There are however, a few other countries where is can still be exported legally. The guy I bought my blanks from said they are coming from Nepal. 

BTW - I just finished turning the burl sandalwood blanks I bought. They are very pretty pieces of wood. While they do have a smell, I would not call it very strong. Its a mild and sweet scent.


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## BillATsetelDOTcom (Oct 24, 2005)

Bringing back an old post...anyone have any pics of turned Sandalwood?  I have searched and I got nothing - maybe it was just me, though.

Bill


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## DCBluesman (Oct 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Bartstar_
> <br />Yes - I know about the controls that India has put on Sandalwood. There are however, a few other countries where is can still be exported legally. The guy I bought my blanks from said they are coming from Nepal.


Buying sandalwood is fraught with peril unless it is in finished form.  Our government has been and continues to cooperate with Indian and other foreign governments in stopping the smuggling, even if the purchasor believes the buy to be legit.  





> Arrest busts sandal log export racket
> A STAFF REPORTER
> Sleuths from the central revenue intelligence department have stumbled upon a racket engaged in smuggling sandalwood through the Haldia and Calcutta ports.
> 
> ...


Buyer beware!


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