Olive wood

[John Walls]

I picked up in my travels 2 blanks, 8x8x3 of (Russian?) Olivewood. They've been sitting in my shop for about 6 months, wax covered. Been trying to come up with something to do with them. The wood is pretty oily I heard? Anywayz, been thinking the wood looks too nice to turn into 2 bowls. Maybe do one but I've been thinking about using atleast one for handles? I need some metal file handles and would like to turn a couple beer spigot handles to replace the plastic ones from the factory. That thought has actually been going back and forth with making the handles out of deer antlers, have a good sized pile of those too. Many thoughts about also using those in my turnings too but that's another story. I thought about gouge handles but 8" I think would be too short. Maybe carve a couple slices into a salad bowl type fork/spoon. I'm open for suggestions. I am getting much better at making bowls, much better tool control and sharpening. (I'll never be a pro but that's not my goal) Been hanging onto the blanks as they were, atleast to me, pretty spendy. I should not go into a wood supply store un-escorted at times... LOL Guess I'm just rambling on about wood. Feel free to tell me what to do, but if you do, I like pictures, lots of pictures of what y'all have used olivewood for. It appears to me to be straight grain mostly, both blanks dark colored through the wax.

 

[Tim Connell]

Eight inches is short for most gouges, but how about handles for beading tools, texturing tools, teardrop cutter or other small tools you may have or acquire in the future?

Need a bottle opener, using a Niles SS opener? Ice cream scoop handle? Bottle stoppers? Awl handle, screwdriver handles? Pen blanks?

Take a look through PSI, Craft Supplies, Packard and others for all kinds of ideas for various kits.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Pretty wood like that speaks to me of a lidded box or two. Might even look good as a bandsaw box.

 

[Ron Solfest]

I bought some small pieces of olive wood from Jerusalem from some vendors hawking ornaments etc at Church a few years ago. My wife and a couple of friends from her quilting group loved having seam rippers made from the olive wood, and the grain is gorgeous.

 

[hockenbery]

That is a nice size for Anasazi style seed jars. Shows off the wood nicely. Great skill building turning.
Sort of Two bowls joined at the rims to make a hollow form

See the link below @William Rogers had a similar question lots of ideas.

https://www.aawforum.org/community/...urning-blanks-what-to-make.17119/#post-173509

 

[Dean Center]

John,
There's a huge difference between true olivewood and Russian olive. The RO is a coarse wood of dark brown color with a 1/2" of contrasting creamy white sapwood. The bark is fibrous and shaggy. With the contrasting sapwood, Russian Olive makes striking natural edge bowls, though the bark doesn't tend to stay on. (with the sapwood, who cares?) The very open and coarse grain doesn't lend itself to detail work, but the chocolate brown color is attractive otherwise.

I have very little experience with true olivewood, but it's light yellowish tan in color and fine grained with lots of character, if I have it correctly. Should be easy to tell which you have.