Osage Orange

[dntrost]

Here is a design I learned from Arron (IAP Member). They don't compare to what he produces but it was fun to make as this particular pen blank came from 100 year old fence post. I learned the species from here at IAP. The wood from the post that was still buried was this stunning bright yellow.
Comments----Except on the photography

 

[toolcrazy]

Very nice. Nice combo. Good work.

 

[JohnU]

Looks good. I love Osage and has been a requested pen from many outdoorsman.

 

[desertyellow]

Nice Segments

 

[PaulDoug]

Real nice job of turning and segmenting. Created a good look'n pen.

 

[tbroye]

Nice looking pen. I am working my way up to try some of that segmenting. The colors are great.

 

[Ligget]

Lovely work!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very fine work and nice looking. Do understand, that, in time, it will be a brown pen now that the wood is being exposed to light.

 

[dntrost]

Really even after it is sealed with CA. Are we talking years or months?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Really even after it is sealed with CA. Are we talking years or months?

Sealing won't affect light reaching the wood. Depending on the amount of exposure to light, it could be weeks or years. I have an Artists pencil I use as a shop pencil made from OO. It is kept in the pen pocket of my shop apron and is only out for brief periods when I am using it, and that is in artificial light in the shop. It is only slightly less brilliant than when I made it about three years ago.
Last week, I took a hiking staff I had just made to Colorado. After using it on one, two hour, hike in the mountains, it was 'tanning' very noticeably. It is the UV in light that does the deed.

 

[Mr Vic]

Did your staff have a finish on it? A friend just gave me a small osage log and I'm considering attempting an end grain pen with a piece. I live outside Colorado Springs and have been made painfully aware of the effects of UV at this altitude. I've noticed that my cedar pales with time but if its sealed or I apply linseed oil the color revives. My thought would be that it should take prolonged exposure to turn. For example left on your car dash...I may need to sacrifice a slice to test treated and untreated.

 

[Mr Vic]

Oh yeah...Great looking pen...

Vic

 

[Rifleman1776]

Did your staff have a finish on it? A friend just gave me a small osage log and I'm considering attempting an end grain pen with a piece. I live outside Colorado Springs and have been made painfully aware of the effects of UV at this altitude. I've noticed that my cedar pales with time but if its sealed or I apply linseed oil the color revives. My thought would be that it should take prolonged exposure to turn. For example left on your car dash...I may need to sacrifice a slice to test treated and untreated.

Yes, it had a lacquer finish. But that is not a factor with the color shift. OO is light sensitive and that's all there is to it. It will change color with exposure to UV. The more UV, the faster. Cedar (eastern red) ages and the change you see is more the result of exposure to air and moisture than light. Something like linseed oil will perk up cedar. Can't do anything with the OO except sand it and expose new wood.