Rode Kabbes Bowl 9.5" x 3.25"
I had never heard of Rode Kabbes before seeing a couple of knobby looking slabs of it at a lumber mill in a small Oklahoma town. The mill owner told me that though it was hard and looked brittle, it turned good and he showed me a small turned vase that convinced me to buy some. Im glad I did. Rode Kabbes grows in Surinam. This wood came from a missionary who works there. The tree that this wood came from was plantation grown. Thats all Ive been able to find out. I guess from its condition that this tree was attacked by some type of ants.
Everything that could be considered a flaw, insect damage, unruly grain, and unusual form, just made this piece better. Its flaws determined how I shaped it , how deep I turned the inside, and how thick or thin I turned it. Rode Kabbes is very hard and this piece was kept in a wood kiln for two months to assure that any insects that were in it were dead. This made for some very dusty turning and lots of tool sharpening. The rich color and ancient look of the finished piece made the inconvenience and extra work worth it.
