Bad Photo - Good Wood

UPS guy just dropped this off for me today.
It came from one of my long time customers who collects really good Koa. It is a piece of African Bubinga that he had bought several years ago. I had no idea that Bubinga could look this good. Right now I am just sitting here rocking back and forth in my chair watching the stripes changing shape and size, going from light to dark. I might be drooling on myself a little bit. When my heart rate gets back to normal I might start cutting this up.
The photo does not come anywhere near to showing how nice this wood looks in person.

Omg… Mark do you accept kidneys as a payment method?

icanhaschzbrgr said:

Omg… Mark do you accept kidneys as a payment method?

Click to expand...

No.....but I could use a second pair of hands.

Shame to cut that up. What are the dimensions?

Absolutely Stunning!

Doesn't seem right to cut that up, Would be a beauty inlay in a table or such

Size is about 38" x 11" x 2&1/2"
I would love to be able to keep this around just to look at it but if I did that with all the cool pieces I found I would have to open a cool wood museum.
Since that's not happening I will do my best to see that some of it gets used on some really nice knives.
And......I will be saving some for myself just to look at.

JHunter said:

Doesn't seem right to cut that up, Would be a beauty inlay in a table or such

Click to expand...

The value of this piece of wood is a lot more than most people would be willing to pay for a really nice coffee table.

Will it need to go and get stabilized?

I hear you! I'll take a piece to stare at too. With all the wood I've bought from you I think I am starting that museum myself! Glad that piece is in your hands, I'm sure you'll do it right.

SpiceOfLife said:

Will it need to go and get stabilized?

Click to expand...

I will be offering the wood both ways.
A few years ago I sent out a couple dozen pieces of natural and stabilized blocks for knifemakers to compare.
The natural wood turned out great but the stabilized ones were easier to get a glassy smooth finish. In the end preferences were about 50/50.
Bubinga is a very hard and durable wood with interlocking grain so it is not prone to movement (cracking or warping) when it is finished.
It takes stabilizing very well. The big difference is the stabilizing fills the little pores in the wood so you can get a glassy finish without having to do multiple coats of finish.

Burl Source said:

I will be offering the wood both ways.

Click to expand...

Awesome! I'll have to try to pick up a few pieces then. Maybe try to shoot for one of each.

Mark. Thats a stunning looking piece. Great score.

As far as stabilized V non stabilized. I prefer Koa non stabilized and find I get more depth of curl and movement in the curls from it when is not stabilized. But thats not scientific results or anything. Just one knife makers opinion!

Hope I can get a piece or 3 from this awesome board when you have it cut up

Blessings
Randy

EDIT-- HOLY CRAP. Thats not Koa? Its Babinga. WOW. OK now I GOTA have some of it.

I will try to get better photos when I cut and sand some blocks.
In real life the primary color is red/orange with contrasting burgundy grain patterns.
Very bold metallic luster and lots of movement in the figure.
Kind of hypnotic to move it around under direct light.

Ok, that does it. I have talked myself into keeping it for me.
Just kidding.

Mark. When you do cut it up. Please set aside a couple or nice un stabilized pieces for your friend Randy!!

I am cutting right now.
Just came back to grab my coffee.
I will be in touch soon.

Mark, stunning looking Babinga! Do you able cut one set of handle block & saya wood for me??

cclin said:

Mark, stunning looking Babinga! Do you able cut one set of handle block & saya wood for me??

Click to expand...

You are the 4th person to ask me so it is something I need to consider.
Here is what I have to bear in mind;
The amount of wood required for saya wood 2&1/2" wide and 12" long is equal to 2 extra large blocks. So it wouldn't be cheap.
Bubinga is very hard and difficult to carve. Will be a lot like carving rosewood if you are using a saya nomi (chisel) to carve out the blade pocket.
I think if a saya was made using thin piece of softwood inside for a sandwich style saya it would be a lot easier on the blade edge and easier to make.
I also have a bunch of straight grain (not figured) bubinga I could cut for inexpensive ($35) Saya material. The grain and colors would be the same just not figured.
Figured material would cost more than double that.

I would like to hear what all of you think. If it sounds like something that some of you want to do then I will cut some to order.

I want a block or two , that's a commitment. I want one 6 inch slice from that board!!

Stop!

Before you cut something like that up you should talk to a certain crazy person first.

Burl Source said:

I also have a bunch of straight grain (not figured) bubinga I could cut for inexpensive ($35) Saya material. The grain and colors would be the same just not figured.
Figured material would cost more than double that.

I would like to hear what all of you think. If it sounds like something that some of you want to do then I will cut some to order.

Click to expand...

Personally, I would be willing to pay extra for the figured. It's a premium piece of wood, so it would command a premium price. That's just my opinion.

Too Late, I already started cutting.
But in April I will be visiting a semi retired wood guy who has a ton of figured Bubinga.
I didn't look at the Bubinga very closely when I was there about a year ago but if someone has a special need I can take a look while I am there.

These are the blocks that I have cut and sanded so far.

The smaller blocks are $35 each, dimensions are 6&1/4" x 1&5/8" x 1&1/8"
I thought this would fit most kitchen knives. These would be especially good for solid handles (not scales) because the figure is about one level better on the spine and belly of the blocks compared to what you see on the faces.


The larger blocks are $45 each, dimensions are 6&1/8" x 2&7/16" x 1&1/8"
These blocks have the strongest figure on the faces. Might yield a couple smaller handles.


There is very little difference from one block to another in the way of looks. They are all pieces I would be excited to use on a knife of my own.

I still have to take individual photos before I can post these in my webstore.
So if anyone wants me to hand pick any for you before then, just send me a PM with your email address for paypal and how many of which size you want. I will select the ones I like best. Otherwise I will make a post here when they are in the web store.

US Shipping is Free, International shipping is a flat rate of $20 for your order or free if your order is over $100 USD. Shipping is via USPS Priority Mail.

Well, I'm tired so I am heading home.
A bunch of you will have pieces of the bubinga going out in the mail tomorrow. (Thank You)
After I finish the shipping I will post the remaining blocks in our web store.
For those of you who want some bubinga for saya material send me a PM with the dimensions you need. That way I can calculate an accurate price.
I can also cut plain non figured bubinga saya material for less than half the cost of the figured.

That is heirloom quality stuff right there. Nice find. Not sure if I would have been able to cut that one up.

Stefan

Is any of it getting stabilized, or will there be pics of those once done?

brianh said:

Is any of it getting stabilized, or will there be pics of those once done?

Click to expand...

I will be sending some to get stabilized but it will be about a month before I get those back.

Stefan,
It was tough to cut but I forced myself. There were several inquiries about the whole piece but they were after I had started cutting.
By cutting it into blocks everyone can get a piece. I took one block home to show the wife and her first comment was "I hope you don't plan on getting this back".
It is kind of fun to just look at it and move it around under the desk lamp. Lots of movement in the figure.

Burl Source said:

I would have to open a cool wood museum.

Click to expand...

I would definitely visit that. I was torn between this stuff and silky oak.