Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
What's so special about boxwood?
Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.
>I understand that the wood is hard, tough, and long lasting, making it good for chisel handles, but aren't there a number of other suitable woods (hop hornbeam comes to mind) for chisel handles?
I'm just wondering what makes people pay high prices for boxwood when there seems to be alternatives... Tradition?
DC
Re: What's so special about boxwood?
Frank D. in Montreal
>Hi Denis,
Boxwood is the densest, hardest wood in Europe. It has a specific gravity around .9. Eastern hophornbeam has a SG around .7 from what I found when I Googled it. Hard to say which makles better handles but boxwood is denser. Boxwood is/was also very common in Europe, even though it is a small tree or large shrub (so no big pieces). The grain is also very tight, and it has a nice creamy beige color. All these qualities made it very popular for chisel/tool handles and small turnings, and it's still a great wood for that. Of course there are other woods that are very well suited, especially for those of us who live outside of Europe. But without going into the woods and harvesting my own hophornbeam, I bet it would be easier for me to get a hold of some European boxwood. In any case it's one of my favorite woods, so watch what you say about it ;).
Re: What's so special about boxwood?
Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.
>OK, that makes sense, I bought a piece at LV the other day (for making a spokeshave) and it felt heavy.
Now, I don't go in the woods to get hornbeam, I have a friend who makes canes and walking sticks exclusively out of hornbeam, all carved (talk about being a masochist :). He offered me some of the larger pieces that are useless for his work.
I'll probably see him this weekend. Want some?
DC
Re: What's so special about boxwood?
Frank D. in Montreal
>Well,
If you can spare a piece or two...sure, I'd be more than happy! I've seen it growing in the wild but I've never actually worked with any. There's always chisels and gouges lying around that need new handles...
Re: What's so special about boxwood?
steve knight
>it is harder to find anymore seems only small prices are around. I called several places that carry it and they could not get it anymore.
Re: What's so special about boxwood? *LINK*
Frank D. in Montreal
>Hi Steve,
If you know someone in Europe get them to send you some; it's a lot easier to find over there because the demand is too small for boxwood to find its way on to large-scale wholesale shipments to North America. But here's a place that gets some once in a while--they have some half logs at the moment. It's not cheap but if you have some customers that are willing to pay for it, it can be an option at least.
boxwood half-logs by the pound
Ouch!
Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA
>$7.25 a pound. I can get ebony for $7.00 a pound...
Re: Ouch!
Frank D. in Montreal
>Hehe,
It's a lot cheaper in Europe...
From the same supplier, nice big chunks of lignum vitae...$28 CDN a pound. The boxwood is cheap in comparison that's for sure ;) .