Pistachio

[Stevem]

I have a chance to acquire some pistachio short pieces that are suitable to make pen blanks, etc. Trying to figure out how to best market them.

What I have available to me are about 3" wide (+- 1/4"), 1" thick and indeterminate lengths from say 6" to 14". Air dried for over a year. About half of them have the graft line present with real contrasting colors.

I have been cutting them for pen blanks at 5 1/4" by 3/4" x 3/4".

In a good piece I get three blanks across.

Questions:

Is there an interest in such and what are they worth? Retail verses wholesale? I see "green waxed" blanks w/o graft line on e-bay starting at $1 each and closing at slightly more than $2. Few of the bigger blank providers have any mention of pistachio. From experience (a little) this wood turns like a dream!

Would it be better to just cut them 1" square and not worry about making them 3/4" (I'd still get 3 across)? That would save me one cut per blank but reduce the number of blanks that could be put into any given size box ! And going 6" long is generally not a problem but raises the same shipping problems.

 

[dogcatcher]

I would sell them as slabs and let each cut as they choose. I prefer it that way, if I am cutting for pens 5/8" to 3/4" wide sticks as long as I can cut them. Then I cut off the pieces as long as I need them. This way I get none of the little short drops offs of every blank I have. It is one of the reasons I have almost quit buying pen blanks and started buying boards.

A 3/4" long drop off may not look like much, but every handful of them adds up to a wasted pen blank. I don't care to laminate them, but I hate to throw them away.

 

[OOPS]

I would suggest having both if you decide to cut them. Most pens work well with 3/4 x 3/4 x 5" or so, but those who make the largest pens or kitless oftentimes want 1" square by 6" according to what I have seen posted here. Usually the 1" blanks are called "jumbo" and priced a bit higher.