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Koa figured/stabilized

These are very high figure koa blanks that were stabilized and dyed red. The pictures don't do them justice. Koa is now rare, even in the unfigured pieces.

Koa Hi figure pen blanks

High figured pen blanks in Hawaiian Koa. Koa is now very rare and due to the current prices we have not bought new pieces in many years. Figured wood is doubly hard to get. These are better than the photos would lead you to believe, be sure to see the detail photo to get a closer idea of the true figure in these.

Masur Birch OtoP

Specially cut pieces in hard to get Masur Birch.  All pieces are dried.  We cut these at a special angle to get the best figure.  It does use a little more wood than normal but it creates the best possible figure on all sides of the blank instead of having one side with high figure and one with lower figure. Fairly rare and new supplies may be a problem for quite awhile.

Figured Bubinga

Dried pieces in this reddish/coppery toned wood that can take a very fine finish.  Pieces are shown at angles to help see the figure and the light reflecting back from those areas.

Figured Bubinga 15to21

Nice dried pieces of this redder type of bubinga.   There are various amounts of figure in them and the lines are also interesting.

Figured Bubinga 22to26

Dried pieces in this redder type of Bubinga.  Bubinga is sometimes called African Rosewood but it isn't actually a rosewood.   But the coppery red color gives some people the idea of a rosewood.  A glass like finish can be obtained, use very aggressive (lower grits) to sand it and for very short periods of time to prevent it from burning.  Once you have the surface totally uniform move to higher grit sandpaper and avoid burning by sanding just for brief periods. Pieces are shown at various angles to display the light reflected from the figured areas.  The reflections move as you rotate the piece.

Figured Bubinga 5to14

Dried pieces in figured bubinga.   Even though they are figured sometimes it is the side with the most lines that is more interesting than the figure.   This is one of the redder varieties, and often looks sort of coppery red when finished.   To get the best look sand it very finely.

Masur Birch 35-47

Masur Birch is a highly desired patterned wood from Finland and Belarus mostly. Recent research (2017) has reversed the previous belief that these patterns are caused by beetle attack. Studies have shown that the trees that have these patterns are genetically different from those that don't have patterns. This is a process of natural growth in the tree rather then a response to insect attack. The quality of patterns in these pieces is far above average and required very selective cutting techniques to get this kind of appearance. Notes: Piece 36 has some rounded corners.

Masur Birch 48-49

Afzelia Xylay 108 - 113

Masur Birch CtoN

Masur Birch, (betula pendula) is a type of birch from Russia, Finland and Belarus mostly.  It is also called Karelian Birch.    The figure used to be thought of as beetle damage, but more recent research has shown it is actually a natural formation in these trees due to some unique DNA.     Some logs are way better than others.  These are carefully selected and then just the best parts are presented to you here after a long drying process. Dried pieces.   Supply in future may be not possible because:  Russia and Belarus are not trading partners and Finland doesn't allow lumber exports of these. These were cut at a special angle to get the very best figure.  We get less total wood this way, but the results are about as good as they can be.  See photos, most are in individual photos too.

Bubinga 33to35

These dried pieces are two different types of bubinga.  The two bowl blanks are one type and the figured small board section is another.  The bowl blanks have interesting lines, and the board section has pomele/quilt figure.   Figure didn't show up too well in the photos but it is figured.