Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Needs Pictures Needs Pictures:  0
Picture(s) thanks Picture(s) thanks:  0
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Ocean Grove
    Posts
    7

    Default Snake Skin Wood???

    I have been given a beautiful piece of wood that I was told is Snake Skin Wood or Snake Wood from South Africa. The wood is quite heavy (dry) and is dark in colour and as the name suggests has a distinctive snake skin look to it. I was wondering if anybody knew of this wood and could tell me more about it. I have to turn it up for the owner (it will be a bowl from 1/2 sawn piece) and would like to know how it turns. (Yer…round and round, I know that already)
    Last edited by Treeboy; 10th April 2005 at 08:03 PM.

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Melbourne, Aus.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    12,746

    Default

    Done the googling yet on this one Treeboy?

    The b*gger about common names is that they're, er, common. Eg. Silky Oak is used for over 10 distinct species.

    Suggest you post some pics.
    Cheers, Ern

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Camden, NSW
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3,576

    Default

    doesn't Terry Gordon (HNT Gordon Classic Planes) use this timber for his collector series of planes?
    He probably reads this forum (doesn't everybody?) and he may be able to comment on its working properties .... other than just bl**dy hard!
    Fletty

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Camden, NSW
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3,576

    Default

    yup, checked my own advice (becoming a more common act as I approach seniority!) and his web page www.hntgordon.com.au shows a beautiful set of snakewood planes, some of which have turned knobs.
    Fletty

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Ocean Grove
    Posts
    7

    Default Photo's

    Hey thanks guys. Proof the forum really does work. Attached a couple of photo's anyway. I did do the Google thing and came up with more things made with Snake Skin than I care to know about? Some people are just downright wierd.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    74
    Posts
    690

    Default

    Try doing a google using Snakewood.
    Cheers
    Barry

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Perth (NOR)
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,386

    Default

    Treeboy

    Snake wood is not from South Africa. I was born there and spent over 50 years there, woodworking as a hobby. I think the owner has mixed South Africa up with South America, where snakewood comes from. It has become a very common problem where other woods from Africa also gets called South African. Africa is huge and the timber species are very different throughout, from the dry dessert north, through the very tropical middle down to the drier south.
    Google search popped up a few pages about Snakewood.

    Have a good one

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    68
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Treeboy , re : snakewood , ' Piratinera guianensis ' hails from the Amazon & and is also found at Trinidad and the Guianas.

    From my own experience , very hard , brittle & and it's splinters are very needle like and sharp , it will polish very well and make sure your tools are sharp , touch them up every couple of minutes .It is pretty rare and expensive , I have never seen any planks or blocks of it , only bits and pieces fro time to time .

    Veebull

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Broome West Aussie
    Age
    67
    Posts
    3,683

    Default

    We have a wood known as snake wood up in Carnarvon twisty mongrel stuff {no idea of the latin term} but once one has cleaned the surface bark and VERY fine prickly stuff between the bark and actual timber away... its beautiful often used by the local woodworkers for tall lampshades and such Ive used it for walking canes... the timber doesnt get very large probably no more than 5in around at most... has an amazing blending of colors from pale yellow to mustard to pink and then red within a 2-3ft length but as I say very twisty stuff and those bloody prickles HURT like hell and you have the devils own time finding them and gettin them out of yer skin! :mad:
    Believe me there IS life beyond marriage!!! Relax breathe and smile learn to laugh again from the heart so it reaches the eyes!!


  11. #10

    Default

    Snakewood I believe is the heaviest wood in the world, South American definately, and very pretty. I think a log yeilds less than 20% of actual snake pattern. I would like some if anybody has any???

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    68
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Snakewood: Piratinera guianenesis ( a native of Sth America , in particular Surinam ), common names ;Cacique carey , Palo de oro,Burokoro,Tibicusi,Letterhout,Bois d'ammourette,Gateado.Found in the Guianas,Trinidad,Amazon region , rare to occasional tree up to 80ft ,trunk diameters of 12-20 inches.
    A strong hardwood that splits easily and heartwood very brittle , shrinkage very high .Turns and polishes well , watch the splinters,usually very fine & and SHARP! Not the worlds hardest wood ( 2nd on the list ), it is quite hard with a specific gravity .80-1.35,Once used for violin bows , cutlery handles , walking sticks , inlay etc .
    I have had the odd bit from time to time but have rarely had a piece big enough to do something decent with .
    Saw a couple of bits at Lazarides a few months back but the pieces were just splits of rubbish which could be used for fancy inlays and thats about all .

    Of the worlds hardwoods , the species called 'IRONWOODS' are the hardest with Lignum Vitae rated as the highest at 1.37 spec/grav , snakewood at 1.35 , ebony at 1.12 , African Blackwood 1.11, Brazil Ironwood 1.15 .

    Veebull

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Adelaide
    Posts
    240

    Wink

    Surinam snakewood is one of the most beautiful and expensive hardwoods in the world . Very rare and hard to get hold of . The stuff from Australia is named after the appearance of the small tree(bush) , which is snakelike in appearance but the wood itself is rarely like the real thing.
    The real stuff is from Surinam in South America as mentioned earlier. Turns and polishes like glass on the lathe but shatters like glass if your not careful enough so use very sharp tools. I've got a 100 odd year old antique snooker cue with an all snakewood butt . It's a protected species these days so it's quite rare and heaps expensive .
    My favourite wood by a country mile.

    Bazz

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    68
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Bazz , whats the biggest piece of snakewood that you've seen ? I would like to get a piece about 40mm sq by about 100mm lg , I have only seen poor off cuts(split pieces)up here .

    Veebull

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    63

    Default

    Hi Veebull,
    I hope you have just won lotto .If it is the Snakewood from Surinam it is one of the most exspensive woods you can buy .Several years ago I was quoted $2 a cubic inch. Best of luck,

    Ron
    If in doubt panic

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    4

    Default

    from where we can buy snakewood?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •