Alternative to Lignum Vitae

[JamesA]

Hello.

I have been working with lignum vitae, reclaimed from a bowls ball. It gives a lovely shiny finish without the need for sealants, polish or lacquers. Annoyingly, though, the ball is riddled with hairline cracks which render it unusable.

Can anyone suggest another type of wood that would produce a good finish in a similar way? It is actually for a ring, rather than a pen.

James.

 

[Gert Fitcher]

African blackwood?

 

[DuncSuss]

As Gert says, African Blackwood is a good candidate. I'd say any of the true rosewoods (which include ABW) such as Kingswood, Cocobolo, and Honduras Rosewood. They are all very dense and kind of oily. Makes applying a finish tricky, but they buff up beautifully with no top coat applied.

 

[flexi]

I was thinking Cocobolo too....
Also anything that's been stabilised, probably not what you want, but if it's been done right then you can just turn and buff...

 

[JamesA]

Thank you for your suggestions. I have cut one final blank from the ball. If that is also cracked, I shall look into the African Blackwood and stabilised woods. I think that the Blackwood is darker than my son wants for the ring, but the stabilised woods will have a wider choice.

James.

 

[Pierre]

Try Azobe, they sell whole railway sleepers of it, like lignum vitae its one of the few woods that doesn't float having a specific gravity higher than 1 ,

New Azobe (Ekki) Untreated Railway Sleeper | Buy New Untreated Hardwood Sleepers Online from the Experts at UK Timber

New Azobe (Ekki) Untreated Railway Sleepers are stocked by UK Timber, one of the leading suppliers of African Hardwood and Railway Sleepers. We stock a wide range available for delivery throughout the UK to the trade and public.

www.uk-timber.co.uk

Its a very hard wood so your tooling will be tested but it resists knocks etc very well. Its also a very fine grain so the cross grain part of the ring will remain solid and stable.

AZOBE | My Tropical Timber | United Kingdom

www.mytropicaltimber.org

 

[Gadget-UK]

Try Azobe, they sell whole railway sleepers of it, like lignum vitae its one of the few woods that doesn't float having a specific gravity higher than 1 ,

New Azobe (Ekki) Untreated Railway Sleeper | Buy New Untreated Hardwood Sleepers Online from the Experts at UK Timber

New Azobe (Ekki) Untreated Railway Sleepers are stocked by UK Timber, one of the leading suppliers of African Hardwood and Railway Sleepers. We stock a wide range available for delivery throughout the UK to the trade and public.

www.uk-timber.co.uk

Its a very hard wood so your tooling will be tested but it resists knocks etc very well. Its also a very fine grain so the cross grain part of the ring will remain solid and stable.

AZOBE | My Tropical Timber | United Kingdom

www.mytropicaltimber.org

Now THAT is interesting, didn't know that.
Nice information Pierre

 

[Gert Fitcher]

Yeah, you could make a whole of rings from a railway sleeper.

 

[mChavez]

African blackwood has already been mentioned.
Ebony, especially exotic types with figure.
Bubinga is great.
Ovangkol is incredible, but tough to work with.
Mango, but it will need some serious pore filling.
Some denser acacia types will probably fit the bill.
Purpleheart? Why not.
Black chakate fits the bill, but it's tough. I broke two carbide cutters while making a chess set out of it. What's worse, I was half way through making the blacks when I found out that I am allergic to this wood . I'm never touching it again, but I think charnwood still sell it and it's dirt cheap, so you can take you gamble.