I had to run out to the PSI outlet recently and did some digging in their $1 bins...waaaay down in the 2nd bin I found this beauty
I don't know why the blanks that are in there are sent to 'the bin', this particular one had a rather significant curve so that may have been why. The knot really demanded I put this on something that wouldn't require cutting it in half.
I usually try spending a few minutes going through the bins when I'm there, which isn't very often lately. This is definitely the luckiest find I've had.
Well, when someone makes pen blanks for sale, such as myself, there are many of these type blanks that are put a side (in the "bin" as seconds or other...!) those that are close enough to visit, have a ball, that's probably why they call it the "lolly-shop" when is everything but a "shop" anyway, Olive wood in particular is one of the species that is a headache to go from tree to finish to quality blank, in all aspects, size and shape are fundamental, and while blanks are cut well oversized from the logs, blanks such as the one you got there, (I have plenty of...!) with a knot or an intrusion at its centre, do behave very badly while drying and they tend to look more like "bananas" then square straight pen blanks.
Attempting to salvage them by turning them straight at full size, spoil 90% of them as they become too thin (almost pen size) to be worked on, straight them up of the bandsaw, does practically the same thing (too thin), cut a bit on each end, makes it a short and therefore, a lot less value for sale (even with the best grain, preserved), cutting it in half, will make 2 shorts that when mixed with hundreds of others, become simply "shorts" and all that magnificent knot/grain, (whatever made it special in the first place) is all lost as they separate.
Is a lot better to leave these type of blanks alone, and allow them been worked by the pen turner, he/she will have a lot more control over the best way to utilise that blank.
You've done a great job on that blank, it certainly fits accurately within the fact that, one (who makes them for sale) needs to have the best figured blanks to behave however, in 99% of cases, is that exact "figure/whatever makes it special" that caused the wood to bend/twist/crack, etc, etc...!
Great save...!
PS: Surprised that you still manage to get such "length" straight...!:wink:
Cheers
George
