Alcohol barrel blank appeal?

[cjester]

Out of curiosity, I threw a rum barrel blank in my last order. It just smells like oak, and I'm guessing by the time I turn and finish it, it will look like any other piece of oak.

Do some of the other blanks actually retain any unique odor all the way through? Or is the little certificate enough that people accept the provenance and enjoy the novelty?

I'm not necessarily going to make a pen out of it. Maybe a seam ripper or something that doesn't get the same heavy handling as a pen, so I can use a minimal finish. But no odor at all was a little disappointing, so I was curious.

 

[mark james]

I have made several pens from cedar (both aromatic and spanish cedar) and did not use a finish, actually burnished them with the wood shavings, and off they went. The did have the cedar scent.

Interestingly... this morning I finished my PITH pen for the current exchange, and used 200 year old Cedar - A historical blank from James Madison's estate (Shhusss - Don't tell Keithbyrd, it's a surprise). It definitely had the scent of cedar!

I have also liked Eucalyptus and Olive wood. Desert Ironwood has a strong odor also...

I have turned several Whiskey barrel blanks and none really retained any scent. BUT... if you use the pen as a swizzle stick .

Yes, the certificate is important IMO. Even a few notes on the back of your business card will be a nice explanation of the timber used.

Have fun!

 

[thewishman]

Pens with stories always sell well for me, it makes them more interesting, and more valuable. If you know where the wood came from, and include the story with the pen, you make it more than just something to write with.

 

[cjester]

Thanks, guys. So far everything I make is personal use or gift. I'm sure somebody will appreciate this as a unique item. I'll be sure to keep the certificate with it.

 

[MTViper]

I don't put a finish on Thuya Burl specifically because it keeps its aroma if you just polish it.

 

[Marmotjr]

I literally just finished a Jack Daniels blank pen. Aside from the barrel's going to hell on me and basically ruining the pen, it was a joy to turn. The blanks I got smelled of both Oak and whisky, enough that I wanted sit there and chew on one of them, and put another in my car as an air freshener. Turning them was enjoyable experience for the nose.

But as mentioned, it's a story (or a gimmick) behind the pen, and that's the intrigue for me.

 

[Herb G]

I don't put a finish on Thuya Burl specifically because it keeps its aroma if you just polish it.

What does it smell like?

 

[PapaTim]

I've turned oak from the barrels of Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. You can definitely smell the fragrance of the liquor while turning. I don't drink but I do enjoy the smell of those woods.

 

[MTViper]

I don't put a finish on Thuya Burl specifically because it keeps its aroma if you just polish it.

What does it smell like?

It's a very sweet smell, tough to describe. Thuya has been used for hundreds of years to line jewelry boxes and humidors. I can't really describe the smell, but I really like it. (YMMV) Once the pen is in your pocket or hand for a while, it loses some of the smell and isn't like an air freshener any more, but if you give it a whiff, it still smells sweet.