Oregon Myrtlewood

[Daniel Koster]

Anybody have any experience with this wood?

I have a nice burl section. I'm considering stabilizing it, but may just oil it... I believe it is at least 6 mos. dry (perhaps up to 18 mos.)

What do you guys think? I've had moderate success with other woods, but have never tried this one. It seems to be hard and medium-heavy. It's definitely very dry (not oily) and should soak up whatever I give it.

Has anyone tried "forcing" tung/linseed oil (rather than wood hardener) into the wood with a vacuum?

Here is a link for those interested:

http://www.myrtlewoodgallery.com/what_is_myrtlewood.htm

 

[Wapiti]

I have used myrlewood on many of my ulus. I just seal it with several coats of Watcos natural oil. It is a beautiful wood, and local (for me), too.
I have never tryed to stabalize it, though. Would like to hear what you learn if you try it.
Brome

 

[Raymond Richard]

I have used it after it was stabalized and it does work really well. I think the only thing I didn't like about it was it needed some color added to it. Its been at least 5 years ago that I used it, believe it was from a burl.....Ray

 

[etp777]

I won't swear to it since I don't have my books here, but I THINK Wayne Goddard or one of other guys writing one of books I have used Oregon myrtlewood for his first knife, and I've been nagging a friend of mine up that way to send me some

 

[NickWheeler]

Here is one in Myrtlewood. I bought it off of ebay and had Mike at W.S.S.I. stabilize it for me. Mike doesn't like it and I really didn't understand why until I worked it.

It has cavities inside of the burl. Not like the common little voids you see in most burl, but big ones that you have to cut out. It doesn't take the polymer very well which is odd, because it's very light....but it comes out of stablizing still very light. It's really pretty soft, so it's difficult to grind it down with smooth transitions to the guard, bolster, etc.

All that aside, if you find a good piece free of voids it can have very pretty figure and add that Northwest flavor to a knife! In the end I still like it

Nick

 

[indian george]

I just cut up the 4# burl that I have and Nick is right about the cavity. I'll be luck to get 6 slabs out of it.

 

[Daniel Koster]

Thanks for the tips guys...

I'll keep y'all posted.

Dan

 

[Mike Hull]

I just realized, from looking at the myrtlewood link, that the two stock blanks I have, in the shop, are myrtlewood. These things were cut, in Oregon, before zip codes. The shipping labels are still on. My mother bought them at the estate sale, here, of a deceased gunsmith. Apparently, he cut these himself, in Oregon, then shipped them to himself, in San Fernando, CA. I guess he brought them here when he retired.