How about Mediterranean Olive tree wood

woodspiritslover · #1 09-18-2007, 10:19 AM

No I am not joking. We love

olive tree wood at home. During my last trip to my home country (Greece) I bought to nice pieces of that. Of course in the back of my head I fear that I have to deal with an extra hard wood

. Does any one of you has any experience with such wood please. Any info appreciated.

, Mary

Claude · #2 09-18-2007, 10:41 AM

You're right about it being hard wood. I've carved several spoons from it - not to hang on the wall, but actual cooking spoons to give to friends and family. Beautiful wood.

Claude

Plain_Ol_Ed · #3 09-18-2007, 11:40 AM

Agree, It's hard and very beautiful. Makes greaty knife handles.

mark yundt · #4 09-18-2007, 05:49 PM

Haven't used it personally ,,but a friend carved a very small crucifix in it complete with corpus,as part of a rosary ,had a dickens of a time with the small detail. Of course the whole body was only 3 inches tall,,so consider the size of the fingers!. Came out beautiful though,ended up going to the Pope.
The wood does have beautiful grain and figuring though,,if you keep it for use in larger scale projects it should work just fine ,,,unless you like driving yourself nuts like my friend!.

woodspiritslover · #5 09-21-2007, 09:26 AM

Thanks a million for the info Mark. I love the Olive Tree wood grains and given my origin I can always find enough to bring back to my present home. I also love the smell of that wood. Your story encouraged me. Thanks again and no although I am crazy enough Iwill not go for the small carving at least not for the next 20 years (after that I will be too old to see my nose

). Mary

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #6 09-21-2007, 10:29 AM

I have some olive wood from Bethlehem and turned some for pens, scrollsawed some very small crosses for earrings for my wife and turned a set of small ones that look like jars for earrings....they work great that way, carving? don't know but suspect it would keep you very busy for awhile lol

(oh and by the way..........it is beautiful wood!)

woodspiritslover · #7 09-26-2007, 04:18 AM

Thanks "silver". It's definitely a fantastic wood and it smells so good also. We love it at home.

artolver · #8 09-26-2007, 07:53 PM

Is there a such as a Russian Olive, and is it good for carving?
artolver
thebarkguy

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #9 09-26-2007, 09:20 PM

Yep....guess there must be dozens and dozens of different kinds of olive, depends on the weather and the soil of where it grows I guess....saw some spanish olive and it was completely different than the bethlehem olive...want to see some interesting wood.....look up Ancient Kauri wood!

woodspiritslover · #10 09-28-2007, 07:55 AM

...beautiful wood but I assume damn expensive...!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi_Ho_Sliver

Yep....guess there must be dozens and dozens of different kinds of olive, depends on the weather and the soil of where it grows I guess....saw some spanish olive and it was completely different than the bethlehem olive...want to see some interesting wood.....look up Ancient Kauri wood!