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DCBluesman

Passed Away Mar 3, 2016
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Brother and sister-in-law pens. Her's is olive wood in a modified "Fat-line" with an extended centerbandof corian to accomodate her long hand. His is a "Blues-line" of snakewood.


2004122504635_scan.jpg
 
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DCBluesman

Passed Away Mar 3, 2016
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You must have known I needed a laugh about now, Mac. Thanks for providing it. Now a little fortified egg nog and I'll be set!
 

wayneis

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Lou, Nice work you did there. Just an FYI though I hope you boiled the snakewood because it cracks like crazy. For me it's as bad as ebony, every darn blank that I've turned has cracked. I have not tried the boiling method but I'm going to because I like snakewood so much. My last one was a presidential that turned out fantastic and within two weeks both barrels had cracked, I'm still pi....

Wayne
 

DCBluesman

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Thanks for the tip, Wayne. I had not heard of that problem with snakewood prior to now. I'll tell my brother (in a week or two!) and let him know that if it cracks I can turn the barrels again. Please post the results of boiling. Many of us here love the look of snakewood and if we need to boil it first we will.
 

wayneis

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It's not my tip, I got it from someone here or at yahoo pt. I'd also like to find out if it can be succsessfully stabilized, I've heard that it may not work but am waiting to hear more myself. Frankly I didn't hear about it untill after I had just turned a couple and checked and sure enough, cracked. bummer...

Wayne
 

Gary

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I was going to buy some Snakewood blanks from Yuma Hardwoods until I read this at their web site:

SNAKEWOOD - (loxopterigyum sagotil)

Snakewood has a tendency to move and may show small cracks that have developed during shipping. We seal and pack in sealed plastic with bubblewrap padding to prevent this as much as possible. We recommend you stock up on CA glue and reseal your work thoroughly as it progresses. Never leave a piece of unsealed Snakewood lying around.

At $8.50 a blank I decided against it.

Wayne...they say to contact them if you are interested in obtaining information on stabilizing snakewood.

http://yumahardwoods.homestead.com/snakewoodPHOTO.html
 

Gregory Huey

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Fallston, Maryland, USA.
I too have had problems with snake wood spliting. I am going to try boiling it and see how it turns out. Also glad to hear of the chance of stabilizing. As you said it cost to much money to have it split on you. What a beautiful wood it is.
 

wayneis

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Gary thanks for the info, I'll be giving them a call soon. I would really like to find a way to keep it from cracking, Snakewood is one of those unique woods that take a shine like glass. So far no one that I've talked to has found a way to prevent it from cracking. There was just some conversation about this very same topic at the Yahoo forum and no one over there has any magic solutions either.

Wayne
 

woodpens

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I have sold several snakewood pens that Richard Kleinhenz made. I have seen no problem with them cracking as I did with my own. He would be a good one to ask about this technique.
 

Tom McMillan

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Washougal, WA, USA.
This issue of snakewood splitting was addressed periodically at Yahoo Penturners. There's information under FAQ at that site--- you might try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/penturners/message/24100
 

wayneis

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Jim as a matter of fact it was Rich that was one of the people talking about snakewood at the Yahoo site. He stated that he had just got some snakewood back from having it stabilized and he had not had time to turm it yet. He also said that BB is trying stabilizing it in hopes that it will help. Rich also suggested that boiling may help. Whenever I have any questions about this craft its Rich K. that I've always turned to and I credit him for a lot of my success at this.

Wayne
 

woodpens

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I believe the stabilizing attempt was not a success. If I remember correctly, boiling turned out to be the best strategy. I could be wrong though.
 

knottyharry

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Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA.
Hi Lou,
I don't know if it is just something in the picture or what. But as i'm looking at the lower barrel near the tip of the olivewood pen...is it cracked?
Maybe it's just me....?
Harry
 

DCBluesman

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It was a small bark incursion that I filled with dust and CA. The shadow from the scanner makes it much more noticeable than it is in person.
 
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