american walnut pen blanks

[chowcini]

I was at a local market and saw some american walnut pen blanks for sale, $15 each and was wondering if this is to much to pay? it is a beautiful dark timber, but is it a lot for a small blank?
regards chowcini

[dai sensei]

I'd say yes, too much.

But wood is worth what you are willing to pay :U

[BoomerangInfo]

Well it would depend on exactly what it looks like, but compared to other blanks you can get for $15, I wouldn't think it's worth it either. Doesn't have any historical significance, does it?

Russell.

[gawdelpus]

I would not pay that for walnut ,unless a customer wanted it specifically and was willing to pay for it ,have a little search on e-bay to get an idea on pricing values :) cheers ~John

[Simomatra]

I have some of that but paid nothing anywhere near that price. It would have to be real wow! for that

[Rum Pig]

I get my walnut free from old gun stocks:U
It does not have the most interesting grain but still walnut:2tsup:

[corbs]

I might pay up to $6 for highly figured wood blanks and maybe a little more for something rare but $15 is a joke. Even if it was highly figured and had historical significance that price would be hard to justify:-

[Penpal]

I paid more than that for burled Cocobolo cheerfully since it is so rare, but would never pay 15 dollars for a common timber like Walnut, I have bought Curly Walnut and Crotch Walnut through the sellers on the IAP in America site, they have three catagories of sellers there, one for accredited sellers, one for business sellers, one for private you and me sellers. My most recent purchase was Burl Broad Leafed Maple at around two dollars a stick IMHO more valuable and rarer than Walnut. If you want to try Walnut per se send me a pm and I will send you a sample of Walnut for you to turn and get that out of your system, beware it is a tough hard timber not for the faint hearted. At one time a new library was built in the grounds of the Australian National University everything wood was American Walnut. That was forever ago even the notice boards were framed in that timber, the book shelves were long planks of Walnut as well. One day there was a ring on my front door bell it was a close relly with two of those shelf planks that were thrown out to make way for new fangled steel crap shelving he was going to make shelves in his shed but felt I might like them and no my offer is not from the planks but from the notice boards that suffered the same fate.
Crotch and Curly no pun intended sure give the timber character but so does our beaut Aussie timber and I would send you a sample of some recently cut beautiful Brown Mallee and Red Mallee to make your mouth water and remove any taste aquired of Walnut. IMHO you avoide an overpriced racket trading on some apparent exclusivity promoting that sale of Walnut, now in case it was burled or incredibly old or furnishing from a sunken treasure ship or some such then other factors come in to a deal.

Regards Peter.:2tsup:

[Penpal]

Join Wood Craftsmen Online forum as well, send a pm to Wolfdancer (Rod Rice) as nice a guy there is have a look at his ad a while back for African Blackwood Burl I bought some of thar for 4 dollars a fat stick (knock your socks off quality.

Join the IAP site in the USA and send a pm to Kelvin Kendall, my last purchase from him was twenty Cocobolo for 20.00 dollars US and freight 13.50 delivery in 7 days flat rate priority envelope. My first purchase from him was 6 of each type total 140 blanks mixed varieties mostly from Brazil and Central and South America with some Kentucky and about timbers, screamers for less than a dollar each with freight about 40 plus dollars delivery in one week. Recent purchase was burst your mind Luthier grade Broad Leaf figured Maple and Hard Rock Maple from the inner sanctum of a Guitar manufacturer who found it tiresome with his long working hours etc and will not sell overseas again.

Both Rod Rice and Kendal I have spoken to on the phone and they both are really helpfull and friendly and use my name when talking or E Mailing them this applies to you only in this instance I am careful both in recommending and the use of my name.

Regards Peter.:2tsup:

[NewLondon88]

Crotch and Curly no pun intended sure give the timber character but so does our beaut Aussie timber and I would send you a sample of some recently cut beautiful Brown Mallee and Red Mallee to make your mouth water and remove any taste aquired of Walnut.

He's not kidding. Walnut sawdust tastes terrible. :p

[chowcini]

well thank you all for your insight, i did think this was a bit steep and was wondering because it was walnut it might be the going rate, perhaps i will try some other local species instead of the seppo stuff.....
Regards Chowcini

[ciscokid]

Black walnut is pretty common here in the States. I'm sitting at a 600 pound black walnut live edge slab desk that I made last fall as I type this. I might pay up to $5 for highly figured crotch timber, but no black walnut is worth $15 a stick. Also, since I have many offcuts of this particular timber I have turned it into pens before. Black walnut is rather plain when made round. That's my opinion and yours may differ, but it's how I see it. Sometimes what looks good in the flat loses something when turned and visa versa.

[wm460]

Join Wood Craftsmen Online forum as well, send a pm to Wolfdancer (Rod Rice) as nice a guy there is have a look at his ad a while back for African Blackwood Burl I bought some of thar for 4 dollars a fat stick (knock your socks off quality.


Regards Peter.:2tsup:

I totally agree with Peter on Rod I have delt with him on a number of times, He a very nice bloke and has beautiful wood,:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[PenTurner]

If I ever get to visit you Al--better lock away that desk-or could be missing a chunk on one corner about 6" by 1" square!!!!!:D
Unless there is somethin really out of the ordinary, $3-$4 dollars for a Walnut blank is more than generous. Amos:)

[gofer]

$15 a blank is highway robbery, I pay $5.25 a board foot for it here. I have some nice stuff here I can send you if you want to do a wood swap. Let me know,

Bruce

[Jeff Mills]

$15.00 per pen blank - is WAY TO MUCH

If you want some American black walnut pen blanks let me know, I've got a bunch of them that I can send you. We'll just have to figure out how to get them across the pond...

[chowcini]

yes, i thought it was a bit rich, thanks to all the information and offers to swap other blanks
regards Chowcini