Blocking the smell of amboyna

[dovetail48]

Greetings,

I tried a search but came up empty.
Ok, I really like the look of amboyna burl- it is spectacular. I am fine with the smell. A friend likes the look of her amboyna pen, but even after CA/blo finishing she thinks it has an unpleasant odor.
Can you block the odor of amboyna burl when making pens?
Thanks in advance,

Jim

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Are you sure it's the odor of the amboyna, and not the curing CA, or wax/polishing compound? I would have thoguht that CA would block all smell - it does for cedar pens!

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

What??????????

 

[marcruby]

Are you sure that's amboyna? I've got more of the stuff than I know what to do with and...no smell.

Marc

 

[leehljp]

In addition to what others said, how much CA does your pen have? I recently figured out some people were applying 3 or 4 coats of thin, and then with sanding and finishing, thinking that they were doing a great finish. All they were doing was stabilizing the wood and filling the pores. This still lets the smell out.

There "can be" situations in which some woods set in brackish, soured water and take on the smell that becomes permanent. Many years ago, I salvaged an oak board that had been in a similar situation. It stunk, stunk stunk! The spalted oak was beautiful because the wood still had the rich golden (red) oak colors with black streaks running through it. It still stunk to high heavens and normally red oak doesn't smell like that.

I have a sociologist friend in SE Asia who travels into many back villages in several countries. He sees Amboyna burls in many situations lumped up in piles out in the open, being rained upon and in some cases having been there for years. Some of the back villages just recently learned the value of what they have. (I still can't get him to bring me any.)

 

[el_d]

Could it be the BLO that stinks? I really dont like the smell of the BLO but do like Amboyna...

 

[dgscott]

LOVE the smell of Amboyna -- just like a good Dominican cigar. The only difference is that I'm allowed to turn Amboyna in the house, but have to go outside to smoke cigars! :-(

 

[SherryD]

All of the amboyna burl that I have turned has a sweet wmell. My wife can walk in the shop and smell it right off, not like the other woods, she loves the aroma. I think you may have another issue like the finish. I do not use BLO, but suspect that it may be the culprit..

 

[george]

Hank, would your friend bring ME any pieces ?

In addition to what others said, how much CA does your pen have? I recently figured out some people were applying 3 or 4 coats of thin, and then with sanding and finishing, thinking that they were doing a great finish. All they were doing was stabilizing the wood and filling the pores. This still lets the smell out.

There "can be" situations in which some woods set in brackish, soured water and take on the smell that becomes permanent. Many years ago, I salvaged an oak board that had been in a similar situation. It stunk, stunk stunk! The spalted oak was beautiful because the wood still had the rich golden (red) oak colors with black streaks running through it. It still stunk to high heavens and normally red oak doesn't smell like that.

I have a sociologist friend in SE Asia who travels into many back villages in several countries. He sees Amboyna burls in many situations lumped up in piles out in the open, being rained upon and in some cases having been there for years. Some of the back villages just recently learned the value of what they have. (I still can't get him to bring me any.)