Oh Wow, Boy, Hot Dog!

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

The mail person brought me a box of Bethlehem Olive Wood pen blanks from the company of the same name. I ordered 20 when they posted the 40% discount. Not only got my 20 that I ordered they stuck two more in the box with them.

Beautiful wood, some so pretty it will almost (I say almost) be a shame to turn them into pens. And the smell when I opened the box, nothing like it.

 

[daledut]

I agree, it has got to be right up there with my favorite woods. Wait till you turn it. It turns and finishes like a dream.

 

[Old Griz]

Man,,, mine should be here soon then... I also placed an order when they had the 40% off.... I can't wait... I also ordered some of the olive wood burls... they are absolutely intense.....
Also my favorite wood to turn...

 

[melogic]

Not only is it beautiful to turn, it is the best aroma-therapy one could ever wish for. My wife loves to hold the shavings in her hands and savor the smell everytime I turn this wood.

 

[Fred in NC]

Boy do I know! I sold out of Bethlehem Olive at the show today!
One of the customers was a woman who bought it as a present for her husband, A LOGGER !!! It was Olive with Ebony.

 

[Dave C]

I got my order from Bethlehem Olive Wood today also. This wood looks amazing I just hope I can do it justice. Your right Mac the smell of the wood is awesome.
Dave

 

[DCBluesman]

Three things I know about olive wood.

Young olive wood turns like a dream, but the older stuff can be quite challenging. You can generally tell the age by the darkness of the grain...light grain is young and near-black grain is old. You need scary sharp tools for the old stuff.

Olive wood doesn't always need a finish. Many times I have left olive wood pens natural (after sanding to MM12000). The oil in the wood will continue to rise to the surface and mix with the oils in your skin for years and will produce one of the most luxurious patinas you will ever see.

Don't discard olivewood shavings. Keep them in an open plastic bag in your shop. The aroma of olive oil is nearly intoxicating. Additionally, after you clean CA off of your hands with acetone (don't we all), running your hands through the shavings will make your hands feel wonderful (So much so that my lady friend took my entire supply home to Canada with her to use as a moisturizer!). [8D]

 

[ilikewood]

I just came back from a visit in Bethlehem to meet Diane and Ghasen to see how they get this wood.

Facts that you probably didn't know:
1. The wood must dry about 3 years before they can use it for a product. Kiln drying doesn't work due to the very high oil content.
2. They have 80-90% waste to get one good piece. I am sorry to say, but they throw away ALL that wood!! For us wood scroungers, I was almost ready to cry![]
3. They have to carry their packages over a barrier to a truck as the area they live in is all blocked off.
4. Most of the stuff they cut is from small trimmings they gather from local olive farmers, so what they have to start with is very small.
5. BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU GET!! The amount of work required to get what you got would shock you!
6. Diane and Ghasen are some of the nicest people the world...but I gather most of you know that by now.[]

Please be patient as I am trying to finish an article on my trip there so people can see what they do.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Looking forward to that article Bill. Does that mean you will post it here?

 

[ilikewood]

Someday[:I]...I hope. Naw, Lou gave me the OK to write it and post it here. Just have to finish it and have it converted to .pdf with the pictures. I also have to get the permission for some of the picts from Diane and Ghasen. It will still take a bit of time.

 

[Gary Max]

My order will be here this coming week. Heck after reading all these great post I am standing out at the mailbox every day waiting.
When Bill gets the info all together I will have to keep a copy on file--this kind of first hand story will really sale the heck out of the wood.

 

[Daniel]

Bill,
Over the last couple of years I have read bits and snatches of the Bethlehem Olive Story. It would be nice to ahve an actual article about it.
the caves, the equipment that they use. they once posted a picture of a local table saw, and I use that term lightly. this was basically a huge blade that was stuck up through a piece of plywood. they called it a widow maker.
they once offered some of that scrap to the yahoo people. don't think it caught on well though.
alot of human interest stuff behind the Holy Land Olive Wood. Hope you got lots of Pictures, would love to see them.

 

[ilikewood]

Didn't get a whole lot of pictures as it was pouring rain the whole time, but I have some. And yes, they do store some of their wood in caves. And yes again, they use that "widow maker" still and for most of their cutting. I have a couple of good pictures of that being used. One of the workers there had a run in with it a while back and needless to say that the saw won. [:0]

I tried to commit everything to memory, so I need to finish it fast as my internal RAM has a tendency to fade.

 

[dougle40]

Bill,
Sounds like it will be an interesting piece , can't wait to see it !