Lignum Vitae Color Question

[StephenM]

Here are some pictures of a Lignum Vitae pen I just turned. The picture in the workshop shows the original wood as well as some sawdust from drilling it out.

As you can see the pen is brown and shows no green anymore. Will it green out with exposure to sun (a la cherry darkening) or is what you see what you get?

I have a customer who's going to China for his school to meet with their educational counterparts. He wanted to bring some pens (with gold hardware as green and gold are "lucky" in China) but this obviously isn't going to work as is.

If this is how it will stay, does anyone have any recommendations for a green wood that will stay green - don't want to have to resort to stains or dyes. If we can't get green, we'll get some wood from the campus and make it out of that but he'd really like the green.

 

[Fibonacci]

I had a chunk of LV that I cut and left at the bottom of my wood pile for about 3 weeks. In that time, it went from the nice yellow like that to having a hint of green.

I left that piece on the driveway for about 3 hours while I was organizing the shop on day and the top was dark green and the bottom was light green. I turned it over for about an hour and they matched.

That was desert sun in the middle of summer, but I was still amazed at how fast it changed. I had put BLO on it, but no other finish.

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

Put it in a window with some sunlight, and it will be a beautiful, feathery green.

 

[CSue]

I've used green Ash for natural green wood pens. I've tried LV and found same thing as you. I'll have to try the purpleheart trick.

 

[hunter-27]

UV light will turn in green, older it gets, generally the darker green it gets. The fresh cut is usually the brownish yellow you see in your pen.

 

[StephenM]

Thanks everyone. Now how about the Gawd-awful stink? I had to drill some antler to get the smell out of my nose (though my daughter says she likes it).

 

[NewLondon88]

lignum is one of my favorite smells! It smells clean and fresh.
I throw the shavings in a little bag and stuff them under the
front seat of the car when I turn it.

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

Thanks everyone. Now how about the Gawd-awful stink? I had to drill some antler to get the smell out of my nose (though my daughter says she likes it).

Call out from work tomorrow, and camp out at the ear, nose, and throat doctor until they fit you in, cause your nose is obviously broken. LV smells great!

 

[StephenM]

Ewwww. If I get the job, I'm charging for a sack of 20 White Castles so I can fight odor with odor.

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

Very funny. True, but funny.

I, too, believe that hte LV will turn. However, if it doesn't get the hue you're looking for, consider some dyed box elder. I've done a couple green ones lately that have been super.

 

[bitshird]

Was it actually Lignum Vitae or was it Vera Wood which is an Argentinian version, which actually shows more green than Lignum Vitae.

 

[StephenM]

I bought it at Woodcraft as Lignum Vitae so who knows? The blurb on wood-database describes Vera wood

Scent: Verawood has a distinct, perfume-like fragrance that lingers even after it has been machined

Someone's idea of perfume must be the 2.00 a quart stuff from Walgreens that boys get for their moms on Mother's Day...

 

[DMGill]

I bought it at Woodcraft as Lignum Vitae so who knows? The blurb on wood-database describes Vera wood

Scent: Verawood has a distinct, perfume-like fragrance that lingers even after it has been machined

Someone's idea of perfume must be the 2.00 a quart stuff from Walgreens that boys get for their moms on Mother's Day...

And then inherit in full years later, having only been opened to give the gratuitous compliment!

BTW: I like the smell of LV, too!

 

[vallealbert]

L Vitae will get green again with UV rays exposure... but be careful; do not put the pen in direct sun rays, it will surely crack... indirect sun light is perfect.