Thread: New wood for scales

Hi all, check out this stuff. 3850 yr old Fiddleback Swamp Kauri for razor scales.

Watch this space for developments.

Gary

Watch? I don't know if I'll leave. That's some seriously beautiful stuff. What will a set of scales end up costing do you think? Any idea?

X

A very good question Xman.
A certain knifemaker we all know will have some winging his way soon but not enough to sell though. His own consumption.
We may have to bolster this wood with a very thin sheet of brass or ally to stop any fracturing.
I'm going to make a set of scales as well so we'll see.
If it works out well then some scales might be available but not from me though. I may be able to supply blanks as shown but more than likely, due to it's rarity and cost will only send to one source. Not sure of workability yet.

Gary

If any one is interested in Ancient Kauri, check out www.ancientwood.com
They offer similar wood salvaged from the fields of New Zealand. The trees are from ancient forests which are now grazing pastures and farm fields.

They estimate that each tree grew for 1200 years and is at least 50,000 years old. You can reach them at 1-888-201-7544. This number is based in the USA and they have quite a bit of stock kiln dried and ready to ship so you don't have to pay to have 100 pounds shipped from New Zealand. They will send you one board foot or one table top slab. Any size, and a number of grain types to choose from ie. burl like, curly, straight grained etc. Cost wise, I negotiated enough wood to make about 100 sets of scales for about $100us. I used the wood for shaving bowls and brushes and think it ended up being several cubic feet worth.

Each piece of wood comes with a certificate and satisfaction is guarenteed. I've got nothing to do with the product other than I am a satisfied customer.

I'm glad to have found a website which actively combines DIY projects and wetshaving.


Matt

Gary, I almost wet myself looking at that wood.

Can you get more and how much does it cost? What are the dimensions that are available? I'm thinking you could make a turd sculpture out this wood and it would look like a million bucks.

Man that is just mind blowingly beautiful.

If you can get some please let me know too, I don't care how workable it is, I'll figure out how to make scales and even boxes out of it.

Did I say I was blown away, and just when I was about to hit the sack. Now I won't be able to sleep.

And you were saying getting exotic hardwoods is hard in New Zealand. When you have this available locally who needs anything else?

I'll see what I can do Vlad. I might have to buy a made up piece or box so you can cut it up etc..I'll call my supplier and get him to select and interesting grain, but it will be fiddleback.

Shavethebadger, what they are selling is mostly from the trunk and knots where the branches were, we can get that stuff by the bucketload. Just because it's a bizzilion years old doesn't make it the best stuff. You can't fell and sell new kauri unless you wanna spend years behind bars.

What I'm talking about is Fiddleback Swamp Kauri that comes from the root system, totally different stuff, completely different density.
Enough to make 100 scales would cost about $1000 minimum.
Uncut lumps big enough to make a small table sell raw, covered in swamp for $2,000+

I can buy 8' x 4' x 6" slabs of tree kauri for about $300. We certainly don't export prime fiddleback etc..It's to precious and the Maori would be up in arms for sure.

Gary

Let me understand this, the picture is fiddleback swamp kauri, right?

And enough of it to make 100 scales would sell for about $1000+

That only makes it $10/set of scales. That's not bad at all. The only catch is the $1000+ has to be bought. Right?

Now the other part, can this wood be exported or it has to be worked into a finished product in NZ?

Matt, thanks for the link I will check it out too.

Hell!! If you can make something like that into scales for around $25 per set I'll send you a razor to do it on no problemo!

What I was trying to say is it's expensive when you get good quality Swamp kauri that is from the root system. The trunk and knot stuff is pretty common.

Good wood turners search high and low for fiddleback.

I got some 150mm x 25mm x 5mm size blanks cut out of fiddleback (but not the best, best, secret stash stuff) for $NZ13.50 a blank, so x 2 =$27 or $US14
It is quite easy to fracture when working, turners have $400 lumps of wood explode on the lathe.

I will look at thin brass sheet for bolsters (like a folding knife) and epoxy to it before working. Who knows. I've seen thin letter openers made of this stuff.

There is no maximum purchase amount and it's not common in large plank size at all, that comes from the trunks. Pricing varies depending on the texture, grain, colour and of course size. It can be exported.

I hope this helps.

Gary

I'm lookin forward to seeing how this stuff works. It looks very promising.

Hell!! If you can make something like that into scales for around $25 per set I'll send you a razor to do it on no problemo!

Sign me up for some of that as well. If some one can buy it, spend a couple hours working on it to make scales, and then put them on a blade for $25, I'll take 50 sets right up front.

Anybody? Anybody?