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Pockenholz - Lignum vitea

mysteryrazor

Well-Known Member
I am making a set of scales from lignum vitea. Has anyone worked with this wood before? I am debating how and when to finish it. The wood turns green when exposed to air for several days. The wood now is an iridescent brown & gold. It also has a pleasant perfume smell.
 
If anyone can you with that it's Ray...:thumbup:
But I would sure like to see photos.
 
My friend Jay before i would like to say that i post photos for your question about the tubular
linen me and others mates but nothing received as comments,maybe you was eating with the TWA retired Stuff. .Now your question about the wood color.Is not the air which oxidizes the
wood, but is the ultraviolet rays from the daylight.So you have to work without daylight varnishing with TRU OIL. American excellent varnish.
Rgds
Emmanuel
 
You cannot attach pictures to posts in the Razor Hospital. You can link to pictures, though.
 
This is the Jay photo. Jay now is to late.You have to make new scales without daylight work.
5482981867_44e1f2a7e9_m.jpg
 
Emmanuel, I emailed a picture of the razor to you. Yes we had a good time at the lunch. We went through a lot of pizza. I did see the pictures of the strop. I do not think the hose is available to try any more. I had a time with the pizza I had not made a large amount in about 6 years. When I tried my 20 quart mixer it would not rotate one of the idler pulleys had stuck. I proofed the yeast and it was dead. It was tense, but things got back to normal.
 
I took it that you meant I should not let it go green I just put on the first coat of tru oil. Oh I also have some highly figured Oliveholtz. One set showed some red swirls when I belt sanded them to match. I have to see which patterns will show.
 
Jay try to sand with sandpapar to check if inside is brown. Normaly changed surface.
RGDS
Emmanuel
 
Yes the wood is brown below the surface. I will finish it the the way it is. The iridescence is duller but it is not green yet. The blade I was going to use it on has more problems than I first thought. So the scales will have to wait for a blade.
 
You maybe knew allready, but it's considered to be the hardest wood in the world.
So it's not the easiest to work with...
But once done, the scales should outlast the blade!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae


Lignum vitae is hard and durable, and is also the densest wood traded; it will easily sink in water. On the Janka Scale of Hardness, which measures hardness of woods, lignum vitae ranks highest of the trade woods, with a Janka hardness of 4500 lbf (compared with African Blackwood at 2940 lbf, Hickory at 1820 lbf, red oak at 1290 lbf, Yellow Pine at 690 lbf, and Balsa at 325 lbf). The heartwood is green in color leading to the common name Greenheart. In the shipbuilding, cabinetry, and woodturning crafts the term greenheart refers to the green heartwood of Chlorocardium rodiei.
 
It is also self-lubricating and therefor, with all its other properties, perfect for the soles of wooden planes. I have one of these, and it's my favorite plane. :love:
e301047.jpg
 
I have worked my share of lignum vitae in my primitive weapons, turnings and into fly rods. I have decidely left many of these woods unfinished. I used some as bearing surfaces and others as decorative surfaces and some others I utilized the woods resilience and fiber memory and I personally really appreciate the green color. I am not a huge fan of working it though especially as a full flyrod (I only made one it took for ever).
The few times that I finished lignum vitae I used an oil finish and another time it had a poly over it that I precursed with a prperatory acetone wash.
 
Since this wood is extremely dense and, as Bart says, self lubricating it would appear that you will be dealing with the wood wanting to emit oil naturally. With that being the case, I would not try to fight that trait of the oil and would give the wood a hand rubbed oil finish. If you are looking for a gloss finish I would apply the oil or stain and then put a nice laquer or polyurethane coating on the wood.

Ray
 
Ray you may be correct the tru oil does not seam to be drying the same as usual. I also have Hopes tung oil. If the tru oil does not dry I will try the Hopes.
 
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