A Little Information About The Woods We Use.....
Zebra Wood (Microberlinia Brazzavillenesis)
Imported from Central Africa, the Zebra wood gets an exciting dark on light alternating color pattern from being quarter sawn. This is a heavy hardwood with coarse texture and interlocking grain. Zebra wood is a decorative exotic wood commonly used for making handgun grips, custom furniture and guitars among other things. In the past it has been used for the wooddork in Mercedes-benz and Cadillacs.
Bloodwood (Brosimum Rubescens)
Named Bloodwood because it oozes a plant gum (kino) when wounded that is dark brownish red in color. Bloodwood (also called Cardinal wood) is a dark red/redish brown wood from South America. It is very dense with tight, fine and linear grain. It's used mostly in the making of fine jeweley boxes, humidors, and pool cues.
Ebony (diospyros)
Ebony is one of the most intinsely black woods known. It has a very high density (it sinks in water) and a fine texture. Ebony has long been a very valuable ornamental wood. Carved pieces have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Today it is used to make several musical instruments including the piano, harpsichord and violin. Black piano keys have been made from ebony as well as black chess pieces.
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
Cocobolo is an exotic Mexican rosewood. Orange/redish brown pattern with black woodgrain striping. It has an interlocking grain with swirls. Only the heartwood is used for crafting. It is said to be one of the most beautiful rosewoods in the world. Woodcrafters have used Cocobolo in the making of high end knife handles, chess pieces, gun grips, cue sticks, musical instruments and here for handcrafted pens as well as many other beautiful wood items. Cocobolo is rare with only a small amount of this prized wood reaching the market.
Padauk (Pterocorpus Dalbergiodes)
Padauk is an exotic imported hardwood (from the Andaman Islands), varying from brick red to redish purple in color. When quartersawn it exposes an interlocking grain with striped figures throughout. Padauk is commonly used for flooring and inlay work as well as knife handles and various other small woodcrafted items.
Spalted Willow
Spalting in any wood is a unique coloration and pattern in the wood caused by fungi. It is primarily found in dead trees.
The spalted Willow used to make our pens is from trees on our own property. We bring small pieces into the house and dry them next to the fire. We think our spalted Willow is extrodinarily beautiful and we are glad to be able to share it with you through our handcrafted pens.
Brazilian Hardwood
also known as Jatoba is from the Caribbean and central and southern America.This reddish/brown dense hardwood comes from a tree that grows in excess of 120' with a very large 6' circumference. It is often used to make musical instrument bows and more often flooring. Brazilian hardwood is a very popular American import.
Bocote (Cordia Alliodora)
From Mexico this fine and particularly beautiful wood has colors that vary from light to golden brown with irregular markings. It has an attractive ray fleck figure when quarter sawn. Strong and lustrous with a medium texture and shallow interlocking grain.. Bocote is most often used for cabinetry, fine furniture and inlay work.
Dymondwood
Dymondwood is a highly engineered wood/plastic composite that has the physical properties of high density hardwood. Dymondwood is distinguished by its unique strength and durability compared to regular wood. It also stands out for its created beauty.
