A question about Lignum vitae

dsgibbs1

dsgibbs1

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Nov 1, 2005
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How well does this work as a handle material? Does it shrink/warp/crack alot? I have some and was thinking of using it. I just wanted to see if anyone has had bad results with it. Thanks for the help.


DSG
 
I have used lignum vitae on several occasions. So long as it has been thoroughly seasoned and you trim off all the checks etc it can be a very stable wood. It is normally pretty boring so far as grain is concerned. This is why I do not use it more. It is pleasant to work with. It smells like nutmeg to me. It is not as harsh as many of the other woods out there. It will clog your belts so work it slow and keep them clean. Use it and see if you like it.
 
Also, there are several other related woods sold as "Lignum Vitae" , but they are not the same as the hard olive green to darker colored stuff we use for handles. The softer light greenish to tan colored wood called Argentine Lignum Vitae, and also Verawood, is often sold on ebay as Genuine Lignum Vitae ( which they are not!). Genuine Lignum Vitae is a protected wood, and cannot be shipped in or out of any country.
 
I echo Stacy and Chuck's comments above.

Also note that the wood is very oily and in addition to clogging your belts, it tends to burn easily. It works very well with files and hand sanding, though.

TedP
 
I have a friend who had several pieces. He said to try them out and see. I just wanted to see if it was possible to use or a waste of time. The fact that it burns easily kinda scares me. I will go slow and see how it goes. Thanks for the information.


DSG
 
I have some lignum vitae that is cut so that what is normally the edge grain is the "face". It has a striped look with quite a bit of chatoyance. One of these days I will make some scales for my Dragonfly out of it. PM me and I'll email you a photo of it (and you too AC!).

Ric
 
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