Ukrainian Bog Oak

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yaroslaw

yaroslaw

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Joined
Sep 1, 2012
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344
Location
Kyiv, Ukraine
Oh, well. I'm from Ukraine, you know. It's one of the biggest European countries, located in geographical center of Europe (we have "Europe center stone") but called "Eastern Europe". And we are not a part of European Union:frown:

Anyway, first time I've found some local and unique "exotic" material to show you:)

So, from bogs of Ukraine, some oak (1500-3000yrs old).
I've stocked a few pieces of different colors and density (and age, for that matter).

Triton in darker dense wood, 2000-2500yrs old. I've brushed it a little bit with SIA cushoned sanding pads working along grain 800-1000-1500 (they are much softer then MicroMesh, and are really good for brushing), then a coat of oil/lacquer mix from artist shop.
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Bolt action in same wood same technique, different light setup - looks almost ebony black with few streaks of dark brown.
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Here is different wood - probably not so old, around 1500-2000yrs, a bit softer with greenish tint. This time I've put CA/BLO, just to have something different (same customer as bolt action) and to try it under CA. This oak is a bit lighter, so I expected that CA will darken it a bit but not to full black (as could happen with previous wood). No problem with finishing, just my usual routine.
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I may be a bit wrong on dates now, as I was choosing wood not by date but by color, figure and density, trying to avoid jet black (there where a few pieces), as customer have asked to clearly see wood structure and it was my first bog oak. As I see, if you brush oak, it could easily be jet black and you will see a structure.

Questions are welcome:)
 

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The wood is beautiful. I am really impressed with the grain. Personally I like the oil/lacquer finish as opposed to CA, but others may differ. I think the shine of the CA conflicts with the beauty of the wood, in this case. If I might ask, is this wood expensive? If so, putting these blanks on a Triton might be a better choice than the bolt action pens, as you will probably be able to get a better price for the Triton. Thanks for showing these pens....never seen Ukranian Bog Oak before.
 
OOPS said:
The wood is beautiful. I am really impressed with the grain. Personally I like the oil/lacquer finish as opposed to CA, but others may differ. I think the shine of the CA conflicts with the beauty of the wood, in this case. If I might ask, is this wood expensive? If so, putting these blanks on a Triton might be a better choice than the bolt action pens, as you will probably be able to get a better price for the Triton. Thanks for showing these pens....never seen Ukranian Bog Oak before.
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As it is local, it is not too expensive. Bolt Actions are good because they take only half of Triton length and half of work/time, and I'm making this for customer who wants to sell them in a bunch of other BA pens in expensive materials (burls, trustone). And he is willing to pay for BA:)

Triton pen made actually for supplier of bog oak, when he saw my pens he was amused (never saw turned pens before) so I have got few big chunks of oak free in exchange for pen from it.

I like brushed and oiled look better too, and it really feels great to touch. I'm not expecting any problems with that wood like patina:)
And yes, I was surprised by a grain:)
 
Tom T said:
Very nice, very smooth great pens.
What wonderful wood. Now I have to find a bog in Florida.
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Hey Tom,
It may be easier finding a bog than actually finding an Oak tree in that bog! I am absolutely not an expert, but just do not recall seeing many Oaks in Florida. Saw a lot of pine of some sort or another.
Steve
 
Yaroslaw, your bog oak pens look great, especially the way you finished them to maintain the texture of the prominent, open grain of the oak. I have just acquired some 5,460 year old Russian bog oak during the BASH, (HA! My Bog Oak is older than your Bog Oak! :wink:), and intend to finish in a similar manner. Great work.
Steve Guzy
 
That bog oak is certainly beautiful! I have a piece of bog oak too, but was wondering how to finish it. I like the look of the oil as well. Your photography is also very nicely done.
Please post more of your work!
 
SteveG said:
Yaroslaw, your bog oak pens look great, especially the way you finished them to maintain the texture of the prominent, open grain of the oak. I have just acquired some 5,460 year old Russian bog oak during the BASH, (HA! My Bog Oak is older than your Bog Oak! :wink:), and intend to finish in a similar manner. Great work.
Steve Guzy
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SteveG, if you got yours from RnB (the only place I saw it) it is actually not Russian, but Ukrainian wood, as written in description. Richard (randbcrafts) should be ashamed:smile: It's like calling Canada - USA or New Zealand - Australia.
 
Beautiful pens! I just finished a couple of pens made out of ancient kauri wood so I understand how amazing it is to work with wood that has such a story as does your bog oak!

Mike
 
yaroslaw said:
SteveG said:
Yaroslaw, your bog oak pens look great, especially the way you finished them to maintain the texture of the prominent, open grain of the oak. I have just acquired some 5,460 year old Russian bog oak during the BASH, (HA! My Bog Oak is older than your Bog Oak! :wink:), and intend to finish in a similar manner. Great work.
Steve Guzy
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SteveG, if you got yours from RnB (the only place I saw it) it is actually not Russian, but Ukrainian wood, as written in description. Richard (randbcrafts) should be ashamed:smile: It's like calling Canada - USA or New Zealand - Australia.
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Nice observation yaroslaw. I can unsterstand your point, however, Canada was never part of USA. :biggrin::smile: I'm certainly not a historian (never was my forte), but my supplier in Ukraine says that Ukraine was in fact part of Russia prior to 1991. Since the wood is over 5,000 years old it's correct to label as either Russian Bog Oak or Ukranian Bog Oak. Sorry, I just didn't want to feel ashamed, lol.
Regardless of what we call them, your pens are beautiful. Very nice work and I the finish is very nice too. I have turned 20 or so in the 7,000 year version which are jet black, but seing yours I may have to try some of of the lighter ones as well.
 
If I am not mistaken, Ukraine was part of the former Soviet Union not Russia.

The Soviet Union was known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and included Russia and the Ukraine and many other countries. Russia was know as the RSFSR, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The Ukraine was the Ukrainian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic).
 
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closer comparison would be saying that Kentucky was part of Georgia.

Both are states of the US. Granted for a long time the word "Russia" was used in place of USSR (CCCP in Russian or SSSR if you want to say it in english (confused yet? :biggrin:)) by many since the capital and control centers were in Moscow.

I have a piece of actual Russian Bog Oak, and some from other places as well (Ukraine, WV, Missouri, UK, Ireland (as well as some Bog Pine and Bog Yew), and Danish as well, etc) They all appear similar and are all beautiful.

Great pens.
 
seeing these made me go find that box I had a couple of blanks of bog oak in. I am now planning on making a pen similar to that. Nothing makes a guy want a pen like seeing someone else with one.


What is SIA?


Phil
 
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firewhatfire said:
seeing these made me go find that box I had a couple of blanks of bog oak in. I am now planning on making a pen similar to that. Nothing makes a guy want a pen like seeing someone else with one.


What is SIA?

Phil
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SIA is an abrasives distributor/manufactuer. They make some very good sandpaper.

Y, you make some beautiful looking "writing instruments" and I know exactly what you are referring to the USA/Canada reference.:smile:
 
firewhatfire said:
What is SIA?
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It's a brand of sanding paper (I believe, European). Same type of soft sanding pads sold here are made by 3M, but 3M has only "coarse, medium, fine" types and SIA has actual grit range from 200 to 1500grit (which is near 4000 MM). You can try to achieve similar effect with Micromesh 1200, but SIA pads are much softer, so effect more prominent (on wenge, I was able to almost eliminate soft light layers!).
 
walshjp17 said:
If I am not mistaken, Ukraine was part of the former Soviet Union not Russia.

The Soviet Union was known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and included Russia and the Ukraine and many other countries. Russia was know as the RSFSR, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The Ukraine was the Ukrainian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic).
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Yes, thats right:) Ukraine was never part of "Russia", even in middle ages - some time some parts of it was part of or "Russian empire" (which included Russia, Belorussia, Malorussia(part of Ukraine), and a lot of non-slavic regions), some time some parts - part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and so on:)

Come on, USA, Canada and Australia are not English, are they?:))))

Nevermind:) I have just thought that my country is so far away that probably a lot of you haven't heard of it, so quick reference here would be beneficial to all:))) And it is in fact 45mil people living here, probably more than in a lot of states in USA?

thanks to all for compliments:)
 
navycop said:
yaroslaw said:
Yes, thats right:) Ukraine was never part of "Russia", even in middle ages - some time some parts of it was part of or "Russian empire" (which included Russia, Belorussia, Malorussia(part of Ukraine), and a lot of non-slavic regions), some time some parts - part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and so on:)

Come on, USA, Canada and Australia are not English, are they?:))))

Nevermind:) I have just thought that my country is so far away that probably a lot of you haven't heard of it, so quick reference here would be beneficial to all:))) And it is in fact 45mil people living here, probably more than in a lot of states in USA?

thanks to all for compliments:)
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Yugoslavia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Who said anything about Yugoslavia???? He's from Ukraine.

Ukraine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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Very Nice pens. Love the wood colors.

I love my FSU Ukranian made and upgraded camera. Now I need to make a pen out of some of that Ukranian Bog Oak to round out the camera bag. Is there a supplier in the states?
 
Haynie said:
Very Nice pens. Love the wood colors.

I love my FSU Ukranian made and upgraded camera. Now I need to make a pen out of some of that Ukranian Bog Oak to round out the camera bag. Is there a supplier in the states?
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Which camera do you have?:)
As for pen blanks, I hope there would be suppliers soon:))) I work hard on it:)))
 
thewishman said:
Beautiful, beautiful pens!! I have not been interested in bog oak until seeing your pens. Your photographs are very nice, too. Thank you for sharing.:smile:
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Actually, I was not expecting anything special, too. I thought it would be something like ebony, but with historical reference. I believe this type of finish really shows the grain, which can be very interesting.
 
It is a Kiev88, modified and upgraded by the original Hartblei. Wow that was 11 years ago and very cool experience. I got everything done through an intermediary I met on the net and only ever knew his first name. Lots could have gone wrong all along the way and my money could have disappeared very easily. I think mine was the last one the company modified as they were changing hands, no longer offering the service and there was a lot of upheaval. It took 6 months to complete a job that was supposed to be done in a week. I got a lovely apology note from my go between that explained the issues and frustrations he went through. Nice guy who disappeared from the forum I met him on and I never heard from him again after that transaction. Lots of film has gone through that camera in the last 11 years and there have been no issues.
 
Haynie, I live now 5min walk from a "Arsenal" factory that made that camera:) It is indeed really nice and much nicer in upgraded form (I've read about it some time ago). I think I should check if they are still selling originals - they are not made for quite a period of time, but they had a lot of them in a warehouse.

Oh, this thread took a lot of attention. I think I should post few more pens from bog oak I've made these days:)
 
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