Subject: Re: SnakeWood

From: Jim Jenkins <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 15:26:40 -0500

Christian =?iso-8859-1?Q?Laferri=E8re?= wrote:
> 
> Can anyone out there give me some information on Snakewood.
> I am a knifemaker / woodworker and found a half log of snakewood (approx
> 6" in diameter, 24" long) at a supply store in Montreal, Quebec and the
> asking price was $600.00 Canadian ???
> Does this sound realistic?
> As well, what is the scientific name for snakewood and where can it be
> found.
> I am looking for Burls of different kinds of hardwoods for knife
> handles. Can anyone advise who would be a good supplier.
> Thanks

This doesnt have much to do with your post but i noticed that you were a 
knife maker.  Do you know of anyplace i can buy some fine kitchen knives 
to add cocobolo handles to?  And if you do kow of someplace have you 
ever used cocobolo for this how does it work and what are some things to 
remember.
Jim

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From: Redfield <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 12:54:18 -0800

The price on this stuff must have really gone up in the last 5 years. I
bought out a retired woodworkers garage several years ago and the  wood
included several pieces of snakewood at least as large as what you
described and I paid less for the whole lot (bottomed out the suspension
on my toyota 4WD pickup) than what is quoted for that one piece.
Occasionally I see the stuff for sale at a per lb. price of about 20.00

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From: "Richard Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Mar 1997 13:38:28 GMT

> > handles. Can anyone advise who would be a good supplier.

	This price for the snakewood log seems a little extreme to me.  I would
not spend that if it is still in the rough log form.  My reason is that I
once bought a peice of ebony  in log (rough) form to save some money and it
must not have been completely dried because I got some horrendous checking
causing me to waste a lot of wood.  (yes, I know ebony is prone to
checking)  Unless the seller knows how it has been cared for and how long
it has been drying I don't buy rough anymore.  I find many dealers just get
the wood shipped in and for all they know it went from growing to shipping
crate the same day.

Rick

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From: [email-masked] (George M. Middius)
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 23:22:07 GMT

Christian =?iso-8859-1?Q?Laferri=E8re?= wrote:

> I ... found a half log of snakewood (approx 6" in diameter, 
> 24" long) at a supply store in Montreal, Quebec and the

> Does this sound realistic?

Sounds quite high for lumber. Maybe a log is prized beyond reason in
your 'hood.

I saw some snakewood at a local lumber shop (Wood World in Rockville,
MD) for a fairly high $13/bf. The only wood they had with a higher
price was real teak at $17. But those prices are nothing compared to
the $600 log (that's about $500 US, right?).

George M. Middius
[email-masked]

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From: Owen Davies <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 04:21:17 GMT

> Does this sound realistic?

Don't know whether "realistic" is exactly the word, but
that's about the asking price I saw at the Granite State
Woodturner's symposium in Keen, NH, in February.  Too
bad, as it's lovely stuff.

Owen Davies

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From: Ken McNair <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 12:09:31 -0500

Owen Davies wrote:

  Owen Davies

  How do you finish this stuff - with  Snake Oil ? :-)