Lignum Vitae question

[Mitchell H.]

I recently returned from a trip to Jamaica and got a piece of Lignum vitae in the natural(large branch with bark)state and was wondering, is it just the heartwood that is suitable for scales or is the sapwood which feels quite hard as well also usable, I saw several carvings using both heartwood and sapwood and the sapwood is quite dense and polishes up wonderfully as the heartwood and the carvings looked great with the two tone quality of heart and sapwood....any wood experts know much about this??? :confused:

[Drac]

I wouldn't call myself an expert but I have worked with this wood a couple of times. One was heart and one was sap wood. If you got the wood fresh, bad news it will take a long time to dry. I was told by one supplier if it is fresh cut it can take 10+ years for a log to air dry. If it is already dry it's a mixed bag of worms to work with. It's hard (the hardest wood in the world I believe) and it takes a beautiful gloss finish with just sanding and buffing.

The problems are it is a VERY oily wood. I would use a piece of steel every few minutes on the belt to unclog it. It will go thru sand paper like there's no tomorrow because of this. It also is on of those woods that oxides dramatically as it ages, I like the oxidation but some others might prefer the original color. It also because of its oiliness and its density can't be stabilized. I will say though it needs stabilizing as much as Alaska needs more snow.

All in all, I liked it on the knifes I used it on but I wouldn't rate it as a wood I would search to get more of like snakewood.

Hope this helps,
Jim

[TexasJack]

It's the oiliest wood there is. They used to use it in clock mechanisms because it would effectively self lubricate the moving parts. I think Jim's advice is dead on.

[Phydeaux]

Lignum Vitae is a very interesting wood. I have read from various sources that one of the applications was use as ships bearings because its oily waxy nature and extreme toughness. I also rember reading that a cough remedy can be extracted from it. The other property that is cool... it sinks in water.

I've worked with it and made some scales with it too. Make sure your tools are sharp. I did most of all of my sanding by hand and didn't have problems with it gumming up the sand paper. 220 and above, I use wet/dry paper with plenty of water. After sanding to 600, I buff it. It's almost like working with plastic, but it has grain to it.

Another interesting item i noticed about the wood is that depending how you cut it realtive to the grain direciton and growth rings you can get very different looking scales. I have some that changes color almost like a tiger's eye stone.

It also has a very distinctive odor to it. I find it rather pleasant.

Have fun with it, and I forgot to mention that adhesives don't like it too much.


Ric