Natural edge vs Live edge

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

JohnV

My usage of the terms is natural edge for turnings and live edge for "flat" work.

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Dick Coers

I thought live edge was a sawmill term.

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Bill Boehme

Given that the tree is now dead, the term "live edge" doesn't sound right. "Natural edge" is the term that I use.

my own personal distinction...

GaryG in MD

for turnings is:

1) "bark edge", if the bark is on,

or

2) "natural edge" if the bark is not on -- sapwood or cambium being the remaining 'wavy' aspect of the turned edge that came from the irregular outside shape of the tree surface.

I admit it -- I made it up for myself. That's just my preference, and it makes sense to me as a way to distinguish between those two alternatives when I see them and want to talk about them.

YMMV ...GG

Re: my own personal distinction...

john lucas

I go with Gary on this. Live edge makes no sense to me at all. Of course I'm teaching people to sponge paint or texture the edge now so I guess I should call it decorative edge.

Re: my own personal distinction...

Bill Blasic

For me it is natural edge has the bark on and live edge has the cambium layer exposed with no bark.

"Dead edge" prob not as marketable

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Jim Barbour

I also don't particularly like the term "live edge" as it can be misunderstood, but it does roll off the tongue easily. I suspect the original use was similar to a "live recording" to indicate something that was truly live at one point and is now a faithful preservation of it as it was when actually "live".

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Bill Boehme

But, I've never heard of a dead recording.

The word live is redundant. The word recording works just as well without the need for live.

Re: Appreciate the Good discussion.

jake niedling

For me it is either a bark edge bowl or natural edge bowl without the bark. Now back to turning.

that makes sense too!  :-)

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Jim Barbour

Actually Bill I was attempting to differentiate between a studio recording and a recording of a concert/performance - which I believe is called "live". I may be mistaken though.

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

John K Jordan

>>>Actually Bill I was attempting to differentiate between a studio recording and a recording of a concert/performance - which I believe is called "live".

We called it either "live recording" or better, "recorded live". (My experience is mostly with recording for video production.) "Broadcast live" is different, of course, generally acknowledged that the real-time experience is the important thing rather than sound quality. No corollary with wood unless perhaps you are watching the the tree coming down!

My opinion is the term "live edge" with dead wood doesn't make as much sense as "natural edge" but a lot of things in life don't make much sense to me. So far I haven't seen any plastic or resin slabs with "natural" edges in furniture but that's probably only a matter of time.

JKJ

Re: Natural edge vs Live edge

Jim Barbour

To make my previous remarks clear, I am not arguing for the use of the term “live edge” as everyone knows it is not a “living edge”. I do not use the term, I was merely speculating about the origin.

My experience with recording is with film in the early ‘70s when I was working as a camera operator for the Department of Defense doing essentially the same thing the guys at CBS, NBC, etc. were doing - lots of interviews. When we set up in a studio and filmed, with several takes and modifications as we went along, we called it a “studio clip”. When we went into the field and did the same thing on the fly we called it a “live clip”. We never called it a “living (as opposed to dead) clip”.

As an alternative source, perhaps “live edge” came from the same way we talk about burning coals as “live coals” which are clearly not living.

Does anyone else have an idea of WHY we call it live edge? Not whether we should, but why so many people do?

Enough of this foolishness - I have wood to turn, and it is not green - in fact it never was green as it is not poplar, the only wood I kno of that is really green. This wood is of various shades of brown and tan.

Re: Appreciate the Good discussion.

Pete in Holland MI

The "recorded live" is only a portion of the full statement, thus got lost in interpetation. Should be completely stated as "recorded in front of a live studio audience", in lew of being recorded in a studio without an audience, thus the audience response is real (laughter, sighs, gasps, etc), and any mistakes that may come with it.

turning green wood

John K Jordan

>>>in fact it never was green as it is not poplar, the only wood I kno of that is really green.

Ha!

Next time I come through your area I'll bring you some lignum vitae and some green heart. They are often green. I also have some horribly spalted holly that has one ugly greenish cast.

JKJ

latest AAW email

John K Jordan

Interesting coincidence, email from AAW:

"Today's article and video picks are about natural-edges and using green wood,"

JKJ

Re: turning green wood

Jim Barbour

Yeah, as I sent that one out I recalled some Argentinean Lignum Vitae I turned -- it too was green. However, I have never been one to let facts get in the way of a bad pun.