Buckeye Burl - what can you tell me about it?

I also enjoyed this bit from another site:

“Buckeye Burl (Aesculus californica) is an unusual species. Colors range from blue-black to golden whites with a nice mixture in between. Buckeye is a very difficult and expensive wood to mill. Some of the obstacles faced when milling are rocks, sand, dirt, bullets, and rattle snakes. Yes, rattle snakes inside the voids in the burl!” :eek:
 
It is awesone stuff. Still a greater chance for movement as with any other natural material over micartas and g10, but the stabilized stuff is pretty durable for most uses with regular oiling
 
I put an occasional coating of mineral oil on my knives with wood scales (and store them in ziploc baggies during the very dry winter months when the heat is on)
 
I like Buckeye burl 3rd best among burls that we use regularly. This doesn't include the rare ones (for us) like Ramon burl, which I also like a lot. But my favorite is Box Elder Burl followed by Black Ash Burl. Buckeye is close though. It has very dramatic swirls and patterns that are reminiscent of Van Gogh. Less cloudlike than the Box Elder or Black Ash or Maple. More of a dirty burl. Its soft also, though once stabilized properly its plenty hard. FYI, soft woods for handles is quite common. Baltic birch (masur birch) is very soft and has been used in traditional scandis for centuries.
 
Thanks Fiddleback Fiddleback (Andy)
I have seen some very striking examples of Box Elder - typically dyed, I believe.
Unless I’m mistaken, all the examples of Buckeye in this thread are natural? If so, the “dramatic swirls and patterns” as well as color ranges are really something.
Esp. that Woodsman!
 
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Dyed box elder?

23961465592_448760cb18_k.jpg
 
Oyster said:
Very nice!
I’m torn re the pinstripes now. Red/orange, white or blue all look fabulous. Maybe we can all agree that, if Buckeye is offered in the next group buy, the liners and pins be natural?
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I would definitely agree on that
 
Oyster said:
Thanks Fiddleback Fiddleback (Andy)
I have seen some very striking examples of Box Elder - typically dyed, I believe.
Unless I’m mistaken, all the examples of Buckeye in this thread are natural? If so, the “dramatic swirls and patterns” as well as color ranges are really something.
Esp. that Woodsman!
Click to expand...

I believe these are all the natural color of the material, yes.

ndmiller said:
Dyed box elder?

23961465592_448760cb18_k.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes. That is indeed Box Elder.
 
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