In search of DEEP RED Bloodwood

[mmayo]

The stuff I have purchased or can buy from various sources in Southern California is anemic at best. I have heard comments that I should learn to like the pale stuff, but I do not.

I want this

Not this (third from top)

HELP ME FIND SOME

3/4"-4/4"
I would rather buy a board and not just a pen blank

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and expertise

 

[j_b_fischer]

perhaps you should considef padauk ... the color may meet your needs.

 

[mmayo]

The middle wood IS padauk. I am looking for a third wood preferably a red wood.

 

[bobleibo]

Have you considered redheart? Sometimes you can run across a piece that is a very deep red.

 

[mmayo]

Redhart

Have you considered redheart? Sometimes you can run across a piece that is a very deep red.

I will give it a try if I find a deep red piece, thanks.

 

[plantman]

Mark: Go to Griffin Exotic Wood. What you see is what you get. Or you can call and tell them exactly what you are looking for. Jim S

 

[KenV]

Gilmer Wood in Portland Oregon has some pool cue blanks that look pretty red.

They have always been a problem when I was traveling through Portland, but was saved by weight limit on airline baggage.

 

[TonyL]

This is so red, folks think it is acrylic. It came in a buddle of 10 different types of wood pen blanks for $5 (at a WW show). I took the picture with my iPhone in the bathroom with the bathroom door as the backdrop (I gotta get to bed). CA finish. I am going to the place where they sell bundle tomorrow night. I will get the name for you tomorrow. The special is no more. I think they are $15 for 10

 

[sdkidaho]

What is that thing you're making with the hook? I don't know what it is but I feel like I need one!

 

[Simsonicole]

I probably am not the best one to answer this...but just a thought, as I had this happen with some purple-heart that I turned. My first pen I ever made was made from the purple-heart, and years later as I started to get into my pen turning again, I looked at my purple-heart and decided that it was very pale (very much like the one that you didn't like) so I put my new skills to use and pulled it apart and put it back on the lathe and reshaped it. After sealing it the second time round, the colour popped! It is now a nice rich deep purple. Maybe look for some aged bloodwood....

 

[mmayo]

Fishing lures

What is that thing you're making with the hook? I don't know what it is but I feel like I need one!

Since I turn pens I decided to attempt to make a cedar plug used when trolling offshore for tuna etc. The attempt worked, I posted my success and people started ordering them. I have done almost nothing for the last month except make them and ship them out. My goal is different looking plugs and at first padauk, blood wood and purpleheart were the ticket. I am fussy and always want deep purple, bright orange and deep red. If you fish in the ocean and troll - you should try one.

 

[KenV]

The info at Gilmer Wood suggests that the light colored bloodwood is sapwood and the heart wood is a deeper red. I presume the demand for the heartwood is higher --

 

[jjjaworski]

I ' may ' have a few scraps of bloodwood at home. I will look after work.

I do have some 3/4 sq by 12 inch redheart but will have to see how red it is.

 

[crabcreekind]

Have you considered redheart? Sometimes you can run across a piece that is a very deep red.

I will give it a try if I find a deep red piece, thanks.

Keep in mind that redheart fades to brown very easily.

 

[jsolie]

Have you tried Tropical Exotic Hardwoods in Carlsbad? Down the road a ways from you, but could make for a day trip.

I was looking for some Gabon ebony last year, and the had exactly what I was looking for. They're usually pretty good at working with people. No affiliation other than a happy customer.

Tropical Exotic Hardwoods

 

[TonyL]

This is so red, folks think it is acrylic. It came in a buddle of 10 different types of wood pen blanks for $5 (at a WW show). I took the picture with my iPhone in the bathroom with the bathroom door as the backdrop (I gotta get to bed). CA finish. I am going to the place where they sell bundle tomorrow night. I will get the name for you tomorrow. The special is no more. I think they are $15 for 10

This is where the wood came from: https://cookwoods.com/

 

[TonyL]

This is so red, folks think it is acrylic. It came in a buddle of 10 different types of wood pen blanks for $5 (at a WW show). I took the picture with my iPhone in the bathroom with the bathroom door as the backdrop (I gotta get to bed). CA finish. I am going to the place where they sell bundle tomorrow night. I will get the name for you tomorrow. The special is no more. I think they are $15 for 10

This is where the wood came from: https://cookwoods.com/

Still 10 for $5

 

[mmayo]

I probably am not the best one to answer this...but just a thought, as I had this happen with some purple-heart that I turned. My first pen I ever made was made from the purple-heart, and years later as I started to get into my pen turning again, I looked at my purple-heart and decided that it was very pale (very much like the one that you didn't like) so I put my new skills to use and pulled it apart and put it back on the lathe and reshaped it. After sealing it the second time round, the colour popped! It is now a nice rich deep purple. Maybe look for some aged bloodwood....

I definitely agree. I had a cocobolo pen that had an odd color that turned into a great looking pen with time. I like to get immediate positive reactions from my eyes and those of my customers and hate to just hope. Like any wood I tell them it might change over time.

 

[mrburls]

I believe I have 4 deep red Blood Wood oversized blanks. 1" x 1" x 6"
They are very nice with out any checks or cracks.
Keith "mrburls"

 

[mmayo]

Have you tried Tropical Exotic Hardwoods in Carlsbad? Down the road a ways from you, but could make for a day trip.

I was looking for some Gabon ebony last year, and the had exactly what I was looking for. They're usually pretty good at working with people. No affiliation other than a happy customer.

Tropical Exotic Hardwoods

I bought a chunk of it 2" thick and it was a deep color until you turned it down. It may be good later, but now it is a very pretty wood that is orangish.

Thanks I like them a lot as well as Austin Hardwood and Hardware.

 

[mmayo]

All I will ever need

With the chunk of 10" x 12" x 2" blood wood from Tropical Exotic Hardwoods, a huge box from Mike and some bloodwood in the mail I am satisfied for now.

It reminds me of a statement I made to my wife many, many moons ago. I had just purchased a then large hard drive with 20 megabytes and I stated " that is all I will ever need". Needless to say with a 2 TB drive for backup now, I may need to ask for more some time. I have enough to make cedar plugs for at least a busy year.

I plan to make a matching shave set using bloodwood to display for sale at my barbershop. Thanks to all who helped me in my quest.

 

[avbill]

Quality Woodworking Materials and Tools | MacBeath Woodworking | San Francisco, San Jose, Berkeley, Salt Lake City, Edinburgh

 

[mmayo]

Thanks for all the suggestions, more places to find cool wood.

Here is a photo of two kinds of bloodwood, one from Tropical Exotic Hardwoods (I like them a lot) and one from the generous Mike from IAP. Thanks Mike again. To me his wood at the bottom reinforces the blood in bloodwood and has less anemia. With finish it can only get better and time may also help with the color I like.

I will make a shaving set from this soon and use this stuff for my own personal cedar plugs.

 

[Paul b]

Am not sure if it would work on blood wood or not but I tried this on purple heart and it made it the deepest purple I have ever seen. After I turned and sanded it I turned my lathe down real slow and ran a torch across the blank to bring out the color. Then sanded it again and finished it. And this is what I ended up with

 

[mmayo]

Wow, fire and wood and wood chips and sawdust... This may be above my pay grade.

I will try it sometime when I can steal the crem brûlée torch from the kitchen.

 

[Paul b]

Rjbwoodturner did a video on YouTube showing how to torch the wood