Thread: Amboyna Cambridge

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

Good idea - that would look pretty spectacular!
Are there any sites that show the full range of colours for the gemstone blanks? (CSUSA just has the names and no pics)

DM this link shows quite a few of the Truestone blanks and some price info, it is in the US though.

Ta BS, I'll check it out when I get home (pics are blocked by the work firewall)...

Well done Dave it looks fantastic. I too am a big fan of Amboyna but it is one of the more expensive timbers I have a couple of pieces i had given to me I am going to have to get my butt to the shed and do some turning.
Mate Arizona have an ok range of the Trustone blanks I am going to be ordering some stuff from them in the next couple of weeks so if you want some I will add them to my order if you like.

Ohhhh.....this is a personal order for goods for my personal pen making.

Froggie

Ta Froggie, I'll PM as soon as I've had a chance to check them out.

Got a few bits of Amboyna in the past, costs a fortune, but worth every cent. Might have to try and source some larger bits for an emperor, reckon that'd be the duck's nuts.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

FWIW, Amboyna is the burl (or veneer) off a Narra tree. ie. the wood/tree is called Narra, the burl is called Amboyna - so there's no need to add "burl" to the end.

This is good to know. every time I see it in the store it is called amboyna burl.
Narram huh?
Sounds like one of those 'new age' groups that would play pan pipes and log drums..

ps I love amboyna bu... er ... amboyna. And these look great.

Is Padauk the same as Narra? I heard Amboyna was off the Padauk tree, but I can't remeber where I heard it. Wikipedia says the Narra tree but I'm sometimes suss about an encyclopedia created by largely unverified reader submissions.

Very impressive Dave worth a green one

Originally Posted by Rookie

Is Padauk the same as Narra? I heard Amboyna was off the Padauk tree, but I can't remeber where I heard it. Wikipedia says the Narra tree but I'm sometimes suss about an encyclopedia created by largely unverified reader submissions.

Sensible man. Never, ever take the Wiki as fact... until you see it supported elsewhere, anyway.

But Amboyna is definitely the burl/veneer off Narra. (Pterocarpus indicus) Narra is the Phillipino name and what most here in Oz know it as, but it has other names in other countries. As do most trees, when it comes to that. Malay/Indian Padauk are another couple of it's names, as are Burmese Rosewood and Angsana. (These names are from one of my textbooks... not a Wiki BTW. ) AFAICT it's not a true Padauk or Rosewood, no more so than our Tassie Oak is a true Oak.

I also believe that Amboyna was originally the name for veneers from the burl only, but it has also come to mean the whole burl. Which may explain why people feel a need to add "burl" to the end. Or maybe not. Who says there's any logic to the way people speak English?

Geeze... listen to me! I almost sound like I know what I'm on about. It's just a wood that I really like, want more of and have taken time to try and chase down with the view of getting more...

Copped some mind bending burl from seeing your pen,same gorgeous red.
I am amazed how reasonably it is bought from thousands of kms from Aussie and back when it comes from closish to Aust in the other direction. Available in New Guinea as New Guinea Rosewood.Named after the City of Ambon.I spoke last week to a man who sourced and visited and imported to the USA a shipping container full of this true burl of Pterocarpus Indicus.From the pea or Legume family Papiliomdea.
Your pen is exquisite both style ,colour and finish,thank you for the push it captured my imagination.

Peter

Thanks for the comments guys, it's certainly prompted some interesting discussions about the timber.

I can dimly remember reading something about the source of Amboyna, and finding references to both cambodia and PNG as sources of harvesting. I'm constantly surprised at how extensively certain species seem to have propagated themselves around the world. Certainly a big plus given how gorgeous it is .

I imagine that the reason people add 'burl' after Amboyna is sometimes the same reason people add 'machine' after 'ATM'. (done it myself more than a few times ).

Thanks for the info Skew. I found quite a few offcuts in Len Smith's scrap bin a while back and still have a couple of pens worth left. It's a beautiful timber that finishes well, although I've had to stabilize it a bit (probably why it was in the bin). I was quite happy to get some for 3 bucks a kilo.

Ahhhh... so you're the bloke who keeps beating me to it?

Thanks for all that info on Amboyna Burl, I go down to the ATM Machine and get some dough to get someAmos!

I have a source of Golden Amboyna Burl and am organising a supply of 5 inch 20 mm square or 6 inch long a bit dearer.The Golden is rarer than the red but some have a tendency to red,I have yet to conclude the deal are you interested in this it will come sticks of eight from the one block either 5 or 6 inches long ,at this stage no firm price but could be 1/3 the prices I paid happily in the USA recently that I was happy to pay plus freight.
Regards Peter