| Project by scottb | posted 361 days ago | 721 views | 1 time favorited | 7 comments |  |
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Another Day another Cigar – and another Hawaiian beauty.
The photo, being static, just can’t show the chatoyance of this wood. There is just a hint of rippled grain at the pens base (not quite fiddleback, but a step or two down the scale from that). I thought this pen (prior to turning) would look similar to the Robusta, but the grain and color are very different indeed.
One of the fastest growing Hawaiian trees, Acacia Koa was used by the ancient Hawaiians to build dugout canoes. The reddish wood is sought for use in wood carving, musical instruments, and furniture. Koa is also a tonewood, often used in the construction of ukuleles, acoustic guitars, the Weissenborn-style Hawaiian steel guitar and longboards.
So with a heritage of musical instruments, canoes and surfboards in it’s lineage, does that make my pen an entire Hawaiian vacation wrapped up in one little package? It’ll even tackle the postcard!
This is the 11th item in my 30 day project/challenge
& auction.
Three Hawaiian cigars in a row, I’m gonna have to shift gears tomorrow…
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
7 comments so far
Karson
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25271 posts in 1279 days
posted 361 days ago
Your making good use of your Hawaiian woods. This is a great looking pen.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
ShannonRogers
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370 posts in 666 days
posted 361 days ago
Well done Scott. I love Koa. One of my favorite woods to work with. I was born on Oahu and still have some contacts out there. I know a guy out on the big island now who gets me some great curly Koa. I’ll tearing into his latest shipment next month for Christmas presents. Keep em coming. 19 more projects to go!
-- Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.rogersfinewoodworking.com/blog
scottb
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3391 posts in 1205 days
posted 361 days ago
Thanks!
Good to know people all around the world. I’m finding some great woods to work with, and coming up with, not only a list of favorites, but also a wish list as well. (I can’t see my wife or Santa helping out there though ;)
My late uncle was an artist in Honolulu in the early 80’s, I’ve saved all his birthday cards, and I was surprised to see some of the colors I remember from his watercolor/illustrations in one of the woods I traded Harold for. Such beautiful woods. I feel a connection to them, though I’ve never visited.
I think I have two more hawaiian blanks prepped for pens, and a few more species beyond that to try.
I’m loving this experience, can you tell?
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Bigbuck
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1366 posts in 541 days
posted 361 days ago
Great looking pen
-- Glenn, New Mexico
Napaman
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3409 posts in 955 days
posted 361 days ago
another day…another great project!!! awesome Scott!!!
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
trifern
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7890 posts in 645 days
posted 361 days ago
Another great pen, Scott. I recently turned a Koa pen and I love it. Thanks for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
scottb
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3391 posts in 1205 days
posted 361 days ago
The kit is from Woodcraft, though I think some of the other suppliers have something very similar, if not identical.
A majestic Jr you say… I think I have a little more Koa to play with ???
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/