Lignum Vitae Burnishers ~

[slipangle]

I've made two burnishers for use in a drill press or other motorized application, out of Lignum vitae. The hardest and heaviest wood in the world. An old growth piece of wood I've had for thirty years.

This amazing and very rare wood makes for an excellent burnisher, with its extremely dense and tight grain, and naturally waxy feeling. It is beautiful as well.

I have very little of this wood but decided to make something useful out of some of it. Tool has a 1/4 inch stainless steel shaft. Specs of each tool listed below. Please send me a PM if interested and refer to the tool by number. Thank you.

Burnisher #1 ...2 inches long. 1 inch diameter. Rounded bottom grooves are roughly 5/16, 1/4, 1/8 and a 3/32 groove for light leathers. Also, a two step nub on the end for holes or corner work. $38. with free shipping.

Burnisher #2 …. 2 inches long. One inch diameter. This one has flat bottomed grooves on the 3 widest grooves. A profile I prefer. 5/16, 1/4, and 3/16ths. Last groove is a little over 1/8 wide, approx, and round bottomed. Nub on the end for hole or corner work. $38 with free shipping.

Edited October 26, 2014 by slipangle

[slipangle]

The two, for comparison.

[Itch]

This wood is very hard as when I lived in the Florida Key's it would grow here and there.. Nice work..

[slipangle]

Thank you. It is very hard. But, with sharp cutters, it turns almost like a very hard wax. Though I turn it on my metal lathe. Amazing stuff. I love working with it.

[JoelR]

Looks much better than the Argentinian stuff you can only get now. I've tried turning a few with the green wood and the wood is too oily to burnish very well. The oil cakes up and hardens and has to be sanded back down to keep any sort of smooth channel. They look good slipangle.

[slipangle]

Thanks Joel.

This old piece of wood is really something.

No open pores. And , though it's been sitting

here for thirty years, is still fragrant and waxy when you cut it.

It was such a small "board" I didn't really know what to do with it.

I hope this is a worthy use of it, to help create something else.

Given its tight texture, it really puts a nice edge on leather.

[slipangle]

#1 SOLD, pending payment. Thanks.

[slipangle]

Number 1 sold, and shipped. I still have #2 available.

Thanks

Slip

#1 SOLD, pending payment. Thanks.

[slipangle]

#2 SOLD. Pending payment. Thanks. I'm going to do up some small burnishers for Dremel tools too. Stay tuned.

[Charliewz]

Thanks for the burnisher Slipangle. It is perfect, just what I was hoping it would be.

Charlie

[capsterdog]

PM me when you get them for the dremmel tool

[slipangle]

Love to hear that Charlie!

Thank you

Scott

Thanks for the burnisher Slipangle. It is perfect, just what I was hoping it would be.

Charlie

Will do, C-dog

thank you

Scott

PM me when you get them for the dremmel tool

[Jumpout]

Please let me know when you finish the ones for the Dremel.

[slipangle]

I'll try, Jumpout,

and thanks. But I have to be honest. It may be a while.

Circumstances of life may not allow for it for a while.

But we'll see, Thanks

Scott

Please let me know when you finish the ones for the Dremel.

[JGB]

Hi, I would love to buy one of these from you. Please let me know if you have anymore or if you can make me one.

What size is the shank?

Thank You,

JGB

[jwallace]

#2 SOLD. Pending payment. Thanks. I'm going to do up some small burnishers for Dremel tools too. Stay tuned.

I look forward to this! I'd love one with similar grooves and a hole burnishing tip.

[slipangle]

Hi JGB,

Sorry for the late reply. I just got in last night from 8 days in Belize.

Thank you for the note, and interest. However, I doubt I'll be making any more burnishers out of this wood. I may, but it is doubtful. The reason is I used the last small blank of it to make two awl hafts. I did find one more small piece of the wood in my wood stash but I probably won't make burnishers out of it. It is just too rare these days and I think other woods will work as well, or better, as burnishers. For now, I'm concentrating on awl hafts though. If I come up with something else though, I'll keep you posted. Thanks again. By the way, the shank on those two I made was 1/4 inch.

Thanks,

Scott

Hi, I would love to buy one of these from you. Please let me know if you have anymore or if you can make me one.

What size is the shank?

Thank You,

JGB

[slipangle]

Hello,

Sorry for the tardy reply. I just got back in last night from 8 days in Belize.

Thanks for the note, and interest. I may yet try some very small burnishers out of lignum vitae but, to tell the truth, I may try it with other woods. The main problem I've found with this wood is attaching the shank to the wood. I haven't tried it yet with this wood, and 1/8 shanks, but gluing this wood is nearly impossible, given its extremely high oil content. I may try some experimenting soon, to see if I can get a good, tight press fit, and avoid the burnisher spinning on the shank. But for now, I'm still concentrating on awl hafts. If I come up with something that works well enough to sell them , though, I'll let you know.

Thanks,

Scott

I look forward to this! I'd love one with similar grooves and a hole burnishing tip.

[JGB]

Ok. Thanks for letting me know. If you do come up with one out of another wood, especially with an 1/8" shank, I would love to buy one.

Thanks,

JGB