Hi I've turned probably a dozen pens by now (slimlines, el toros, custom draftmatics) and I was looking at delving into some other woods outside of what I've been using.
I found this amazing example of Bethlehem olive and have been searching for some that would be similar but most sites hardly even show a picture of the product (let alone the specific blanks you'll be getting in the mail). Anyone know of some I could get a hold of; similar in color and the crazy marble-esque grain? Is it a burl or just a crazy piece of root?
I'm sorry to inform you that, you can search all you like and you aren't going to find another blank like that ever again. Even from the same tree, you will never find a piece of wood that will give 2 identical pen blanks...! I know, I cut large olive trees to the processed exclusively as all sorts of turning blanks. I have been claiming for a long time that a large olive tree, in the best of the luck, will give less than 5% of wood that can produce blanks of similar nature (totally unique figure and coloration) as yours, certain trees will produce 0% of such gems and all the trees that I'm talking about were all planted in the 1840' in a group which I've got the contract to remove them, according to some agreed timing conditions. Just to get my first one, I had to wait 3 years, and that was 2 years ago.
These trees were plants brought in by our first wave of Settlers from Italy, that means that the species "gene pool" these trees belong to, are the same as those growing in Italy, particularly in the South, and as many people would know, there are no more "pure" and true Olive tree species then those coming from that Country! No, I'm not Italian...!
What I'm trying to say is that, even the best quality olive tree species, aren't guaranteed to produce those type "gems", they will produce gems but, nothing compared with that. Is that one part of the tree or the root...??? to me, it seems "difficult" to have come from the tree, meaning all the tree surface above ground level, under ground is the root and contrary to what some people say/believe, olive trees do not produce burls, either above or under ground.
The classification of the tree as such, is all the growth found vertically, and the root is all growth found horizontally, which with old olive trees, in not uncommon to find a root system that can exist a few feet off the ground. All the "bulging" looking, is not any sort of burl but simply the amalgamation and connecting of the large root structural "limbs", pushing the tree base upwards!
Withing the root system of the olive tree, there are internal "segments" that will produce areas of burl look-a-like. These will require at least 100 years to develop, activated by the acids of the tree natural oils. These pockets can be seen while the tree is still alive/attached to the root but, those areas will develop faster, after the tree has been cut. This acceleration process will take between 20 to 40 years to achieve its maximum results, with deterioration (rotting/spalting) in the form of a white fungi!
With all this said, I will not certainly say that I have some blanks the same as yours, either the gems from the tree or from the root, what I can say is that I have a very limited numbers of gems from both locations that could produce equally "exceptional" results...!
If you get stuck, send me a PM, I will see what I can do...!:wink:
PS: I would suggest for you also read a recent post (#4) of mine
here, in relation to what Nolan correctly stated on the first paragraph of his post above.
Good luck.
Cheers
George
