Lignum Vitae - to cut or not to cut

[Ratty]

I have a nice piece of genuine Lignum Vitae given to me by an old friend many years ago. Not sure if to cut it for pens or if it is worth more in a larger piece?
I have four blanks from the edge I did cut off but now I am not sure. I know it is hard to get in any size at all, so don't want to mess this one up if it may be used better in a larger piece.
I know it is genuine Lignum as my friend used to deal in wood and this piece goes back at least 40 years, so should be quite well seasoned now as well.

Not the best photo I did have a couple more but they vanished between my phone and One drive.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Dalboy]

I tend to leave wood as larhe as possible until I know what I want to make as soon as you cut it you wish you hadn't.

 

[yorkshireman]

Looking at it David you could split it and get two nice bowls out of it or cut it up for pen blanks and get 40-50 pens out of it. I know what I'd do mate and it's not the bowls option. Others may have different thoughts.

 

[Penpal]

Try cutting length ways about blank size ,the slice blanks across the grain, turn one and be amazed how beautiful it should be heaps left. Decision time then.

Peter.

 

[Penpal]

The effect before turning cut across Hairy Oak it transforms timber.

Peter.

 

[Penpal]

An example from one of these blanks.

Peter.

 

[Lons]

I'd agree with Derek and Keith, keep as large as possible until you decide what to do. Lig Vi pen blanks aren't expensive but large pieces are!

 

[Phil Dart]

I'd agree with Derek and Keith, keep as large as possible until you decide what to do. Lig Vi pen blanks aren't expensive but large pieces are!

I'd go along with that too. In fact I'd go so far as to say that a small piece on a pen may make actually quite a bland pen. The wood is often not that interesting to look at in small sections, and certainly not the stunning tiger stripes on Peter's hairy oak. It reacts to light quite quickly, and any figuring you have will dull down sooner than you would hope for. A bowl made from a larger piece may be a different concept however. Heresy I know, but there it is.

 

[Penpal]

Bowl turners unite on one side penmakers on the other take your pic mate.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

I am on the leave it large size.

 

[Penpal]

I have a ton or two of burl waiting for that special something mate, there is potential there.

Peter.

 

[Ratty]

Thanks for the replies, I will make up a couple of the blanks I cut already.
I think I will then just put it to the back of the rack again and see what I feel in a few more years.

Cheers

 

[Penpal]

Why not mate its yours to do with. I have some beaut pieces in my workshop like that.

Peter.

 

[Winemaker]

You could do one bowl rest in pen blanks