# Need Help Finding Rare Wood.



## Johnathan (May 30, 2006)

I have a customer that I really respect, and want to make something special. He wants a custom pen with a light colored wood. I'd like to find something pretty rare, unusual, or hard to find. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help everyone.


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## wdcav1952 (May 30, 2006)

Not terribly rare, but spalted tamarind makes a nice pen.

FWIW,


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## mrcook4570 (May 30, 2006)

Ancient kauri.  May not be the most spectacular looking piece of wood, but the history behind it is pretty amazing.


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## woodbutcher (May 31, 2006)

Amazon Hardwoods. Look on the net. They ship anywhere and are nice people. My store bought wood usually comes from them.
                   Jim[]


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## Dario (May 31, 2006)

How about these...  http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12436

Chris (Chigdon) posted it and they are really exotic and rare.  Not sure how rare you want the wood to be and what "features" you are after.  I have some coffee burl but not sure if that will cut it.  The chittam/chittum is also rare...though I have a few of those, I am not sure I am prepared to part with any of them as of now.  The color is also lighter than what was shown at Chris' pic.

Look at his album...he uses really exotic woods...makes me drool a lot [][}]


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## JimGo (May 31, 2006)

I guess my two biggest questions are:
1) what's your definition of "light colored wood"?  
2) which is more important, the rarity of the wood, or its color?

For example, would Zitan work?

Zitan Baron
Another Zitan Pen

Then there's always the curly pink ivory that Big Rob had.


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## Johnathan (May 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by JimGo_
> <br />I guess my two biggest questions are:
> 1) what's your definition of "light colored wood"?
> 2) which is more important, the rarity of the wood, or its color?
> ...


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## Dario (May 31, 2006)

How about curly koa sapwood?


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## ilikewood (May 31, 2006)

How light is "light"?  Are you talking a whitish wood?

For something not many people have seen or have, I have some Japanese Tabunoki.  Very light, but not spectacular.


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## punkinn (May 31, 2006)

I was under the impression that Kauri was a medium to dark wood.  [?]

Nancy


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## GBusardo (May 31, 2006)

Johnathan,  I know this sounds nuts, but how about BEM? I find that most people are not extremely impressed when they find out that the wood came from half way around the world. They are looking for what looks good to them.   Just my two cents. 
Good Luck
Gary


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## ed4copies (May 31, 2006)

Johnathan,

Kauri is a cool story-but the wood is "not spectacular" (spelled really plain).

I am on the maple bandwagon as well, but I'd look for a quilted or very curly maple.  Then talk to some of our "wood finishers" on this site about how to make it "POP".  I haven't DONE this, but, man, there are some beautiful pieces of art made of quilted maple!!!

Just a thought, you paid nothing for it and got just what you paid for!!!


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## thewishman (May 31, 2006)

I just found some extremely curly box elder - not sure about rarity...


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## wayneis (May 31, 2006)

If you pay a little extra for Kauri you can also get figured wood and thats very attactive wood.  The other thing that I will say about Kauri is that unless you have seen it in person then you have no idea what it really looks like.  The Kauri that I have worked has had a very nice chatoyance that just glows.  If you are doing a pen like an Emperor or Statesman then the plain-ness of Kauri really sets the pen off and in my opinion, in a pen like those you really need a wood that is less grainy.  There's a balance between the wood and the kit that is met when you use a wood like Kauri and a kit like the Emperor.

Wayne


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## ed4copies (May 31, 2006)

And Wayne is one of the guys that can get the best out of wood.

I readily bow to his judgement (but, yes, I have actually made pens from it and it was BLAH!)

Now, ask Wayne how to make Quilted Maple POP-he's the guy who could tell you!!!

Oh, and Kauri is still a cool STORY!  (Buy some from Wayne-tricky way to get the best available-don't tell him I suggested it!!!!!)[}][}][}]


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## ed4copies (May 31, 2006)

Johnathan,

I had a cool idea: Find a picture of a beautiful maple pen (ideally made by Wayne), so I started browsing the album.  

Man, 25 pages in, all I can say is, "Try this!!".  Browse the album and see what appeals to you!!!  There are some amazing pen materials there.

(Oh, and Don Cook, should you read this, you made some GREAT pens from the cats!!!!)[][][]

To others who did cats, you were not in the first 25 pages any more!!


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## alamocdc (May 31, 2006)

Johnathan, it's not terribly rare, but I love Afzelia burl, or even gold Amboyna burl (sapwood).


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## Fangar (May 31, 2006)

Corrugata Burl
York Gum Burl
Yorrel Burl

They are all very simliar with varying degrees of tones.  Here is a Corugatta Burl Gents. 






P.S.  Is this related to the question you emailed about?

Cheers,

Fangar


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## DCBluesman (May 31, 2006)

Under the heading of "not all kauri is lightand not all kauri is boring, I offer...



<br />



<br />

But some of it is fairly plain...



<br />

[8D]


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## Rudy Vey (May 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by GBusardo_
> <br />Johnathan,  I know this sounds nuts, but how about BEM? I find that most people are not extremely impressed when they find out that the wood came from half way around the world. They are looking for what looks good to them.   Just my two cents.
> Good Luck
> Gary



I know a lot of abbreviations for woods, like BOW for Bethlehem Olivewood, BEB for Boxelder Burl, IBO for Irish Bog Oak, but what the heck is BEM???


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## DCBluesman (May 31, 2006)

Bird's Eye Maple?


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## wdcav1952 (May 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Rudy Vey_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



Rudy,

I agree with Lou, it is likely Bird's Eye Maple.  Like you, all of these initials sometimes leaves me SOB.


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## chigdon (May 31, 2006)

I have some Bristlecone Pine.  It sort of looks like Huon Pine which is light colored with almost no grain.  It is the oldest living tree in the world with some of them being 5000 years old (alive).  It is a very protected species and hard to get and definately a conversation piece.


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## low_48 (May 31, 2006)

I have some figured birch that came off the bottom of Lake Superior. It was an ax cut, from a 250 year old tree and was on the bottom of Lake Superior for at least 150 years. LOTS of growth rings, but the figure is pretty broadly spaced.


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## Johnathan (Jun 1, 2006)

Wow, thanks everyone for the help, lots to think about. To answer someones question. This guy is more for the story than the look, he wants something that he can talk about.


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## JimQ (Jun 1, 2006)

Then I would see if I could get a piece of the Birch from low_48

JimQ


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## 1080Wayne (Jun 1, 2006)

I am spalted paper birch , cut down by a starving beaver to feed his family for a long Canadian winter . My trunk was too tough to eat and too big to use in construction , so was left to rot on the forest floor . Invaded by spalting fungi , burrowed into by beetle larvae , I was destined to become a mere shell of my former self . A passing stranger rescued me , dried me out , and proudly displays the beauty I acquired through adversity. With his kind help to protect my roots I will rise again , and in 50 years time I will look down upon the great great great great great grandsons of the dastardly beaver with the contempt they so richly deserve !


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## angboy (Jun 1, 2006)

Hey Chris and Wayne (1080Wayne), [?] do you have pictures of the spalted paper birch and Bristlecone Pine? You have me curious and I'd love to see what a blank of those looks like!


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## ed4copies (Jun 1, 2006)

BAM!!!, plop, plop, plop, plop.  OOOOffffffffff!!  AHHHHHhhhhhhh.

That's the sound of me jumping off the Maple bandwagon, running over and catching up to the Kauri bandwagon, and jumping on.  If the guy likes a story, sell him kauri!!!  (It has worked at the shows, my BLAH pens have been fetching $80ish)

Question for 1080Wayne.  How would you like to write stories for my pens, that one is pretty good!!![][][]


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## GBusardo (Jun 1, 2006)

Yep,   I meant Birds Eye Maple. Sorry!  I am putting myself on acronym probation!!!  []


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## GBusardo (Jun 1, 2006)

BTW   oooopss!!   By the way [)]  If the customer does want something to talk about, I probably would go with some kind of burl or a spalted wood. 
Gary


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## Johnathan (Jun 1, 2006)

Ed and Wayne, you both crack me up![][]What are you trying to do to me?! You know my wife will continue to think I'm crazy when she hears me laughing to myself at the computer!


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## bradh (Jun 1, 2006)

Someone already suggested this, but Afzelia Burl fits the description - see attached image.
Brad
HardingPens.com


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## Rudy Vey (Jun 1, 2006)

> _Originally posted by GBusardo_
> <br />Yep,   I meant Birds Eye Maple. Sorry!  I am putting myself on acronym probation!!!  []



Thats what I kinda had figured out, but "... wood came from half way around the world" - tossed me off - my BEM comes from Michigan and  other places here in the Midwest or so.


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## arjudy (Jun 1, 2006)

Golden desert ironwood from BB.


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## Woodpenman (Jun 2, 2006)

Timeless Timber Birds eye maple.

Beautiful wood with a great story.

See some at woodpenman.com

I have some of the wood and would sell a few blanks for not to much. I pay $50 / bd ft for it.


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