[woodtrapper]

A couple of months ago I talked about meeting a older man who had over 3000 ironwood carvings.For over 20 years this man employed about 20 Seri indian carvers.He sent money ahead of time to buy the wood in bulk and provide pictures for what he wanted carved and bring it back to Montana to sale as finished carvings.This is a very interesting story and he hand picked the best carvers.This wood is hard as a rock and was a way of life for these people.Anyway,due to gas prices,taxes and the fact this man is 85 years old will not be making any more trips out there.I feel I am very privledged to buy some of these carvings and also looking into buying his inventory.This wood is very beautiful with all the grains and a little light it almost reminds me of marble.This wood is protected and you can not get large pieces without paying$$.Anyway,here are a few of my personel pieces I bought.Also,it is ilegal to buy this wood in the raw form,it has to be carved.I failed to mentioned that the Seri indian carvers are from Mexico.Also again this man has a largest Seri hand made basket as well as the smallest, the size of a thumb nail.Just to much to tell.Davy

[Thomp]

Davy,

sure some nice carvings there,

i wonder if the ironwood that grows here in louisiana is the same as that?
ive had to cut it off fence lines and survey right aways, but i never seen dark colored wood like that, maybe it becomes darker with time like mulberry.

it has an interesting thin bark to the tree here, you would almost mistake it for a big over grown crape myrtle

its so hard , you just can mark it with lots of work and a machete.

[Robert Cahill]

A long time ago I read that ironwood was the toughest wood native to the area . My 1998 oxford dictionary says it any of various tough timbered trees and shrubs esp,the American hornbeam 2. The wood from these trees.
Anyway the carving are beautiful and I have often wondered what the carvers in Mexico used to carve them. I did see an article once where they were holding the wood against a circular saw blade without any kind of a guard. (scary)

[Jim-Iowa]

Robert I agree! It seems like every region has what is commonly called Iron Wood and is often different species. Here in Iowa, what we commonly call Iron Wood or Hedge is actually Osage Orange. Yes it's tough stuff, I have cut it for firewood and seen sparks coming off the chain of my chainsaw.

[Thomp]

i was thinking of getting some of these saplings for walking canes, but decided it being so hard it might wind up too brittle and snap when someone really depended on it, and thinking the human possibly being injured from it stabbing quickly throed me off from walking sticks...

[Marvin Little]

Thomp, I have made quite a few walking sticks and hiking sticks out of hornbeam. Get one and try it . I do not believe that you will break it. It is tough. I like the grooves in the bark and in the wood itself, if you skin it.

Marvin Little
Pell City, aaaaAlabama

[Jim-Iowa]

Thomp, not sure what wood you have in Louisiana?
Osage Orange was commomnly used for bows by Native Americans so should be very flexible and tough.

[Ron T]

Hi Davy,

Thanks for posting the pictures. I've been waiting for them since you mentioned them. Very nice carvings indeed. A lot of the ones I've seen sold along the border are low quality, mostly stylized.

I bought two ironwood carvings at a thrift store for $2.50 each. It's just a base with a "footbal" shape standing on end. I think uit's supposed to be the cactus flower in bud form since there seems to be some spiraling lines, like folded petals. I'm going to power carve them down into something else.

[Thomp]

Osage orange wood is orange, like mulberry is a beautiful golden yellow, but turns chestnut brown in time no matter what you do to it.., but i dont remember this ironwood as its called here, exactly what color it is but, as a long time woodwork tinkerer im suer if it was a bright orange i would kept some from the brush fire...

maybe the Osage stands are a little closer to Texas than here in center of louisiana...

just got off phone with my Cajun brother in law, he was in the nursery and seed business for years, fron his book,
he says yes we have Osage orange here also called bodoc (sp) mostly around here, its fruit is large bumpy green seed filled ball tennis ball to grapefruit in size.
guess i was thinking of miskeet (sp)wood .. now thats texas wood.. far as i know

brother in law said he will cut a couple big lims off before next trip to town....for me..
but our ironwood is middle brown color... very thin bark and sap,

[Iowa Carver]

This looks like desert ironwood and it is very hard but has beautiful grain. I have turned pens out of it and a little 1 x 1 x 6 inch piece costs 5-10.00 depending on the color. Nice carvings.

Corey