Black Boy Sirocco

johnny5 · Jan 12, 2019

A Pewter Plated Sirocco Twist action pen.
Made using Xanthorrhoea Johnsonii
A rare and beautiful Australian Timber also known as
"Black Boy" or Grass Tree
Finished with Melamine Lacquer

flexi · Jan 12, 2019

Very very nice, you always match the pen and blank well, but this looks perfect! :drool:

angelo49 · Jan 12, 2019

Very Nice!!
Amazing, you wouldn't think that
the blank came from that tree! :thumbs:

Terry Q · Jan 12, 2019

An interesting piece wood. You never know what mother nature is going to show us. Lovely pen Thomas.

fortress · Jan 12, 2019

Impressive Johnny, a very interesting wood. :love_it:

Les ELm · Jan 12, 2019

Lots of character :thumbs:

in that piece of timber.

Nicely :thumbs:

done.

Les

Phil Dart · Jan 12, 2019

I had to google the wood. Ignoring the housing estate in St Albans, it looks really interesting, and great looking pen too. I love the colour match

Penpal · Jan 12, 2019

Xanthorea was given the name Black Boy because the the huge flower stalk resembled an Aboriginal throwing a spear. Ijn these days of political correctness I am never sure of the reaction in the Indiginous Community.

They are very slow growing and become very old in the region of hundredyears plus.

The so called timber is the same growth pattern as a palm tree,in other words made up of hollow tube roots. It is highly dangerous to turn ,some turners become allergic forever the dust is so fine.So precautions need to be observed in cutting and turning.

The picture shows two extreme age Xanthorea no doubt recorded on the adjacent plaque. A highly protected species these days.

John,fitting you used the Johnsonii in relation to your name. Might I say with experience behind me you have created a beautiful pen, superbly turned,finished together with a most carefully matched pen kit. I salute you.

Peter.

johnny5 · Jan 12, 2019

Penpal said:
Xanthorea was given the name Black Boy because the the huge flower stalk resembled an Aboriginal throwing a spear. Ijn these days of political correctness I am never sure of the reaction in the Indiginous Community.

They are very slow growing and become very old in the region of hundredyears plus.

The so called timber is the same growth pattern as a palm tree,in other words made up of hollow tube roots. It is highly dangerous to turn ,some turners become allergic forever the dust is so fine.So precautions need to be observed in cutting and turning.

The picture shows two extreme age Xanthorea no doubt recorded on the adjacent plaque. A highly protected species these days.

John,fitting you used the Johnsonii in relation to your name. Might I say with experience behind me you have created a beautiful pen, superbly turned,finished together with a most carefully matched pen kit. I salute you.

Peter.

Thanks Peter , it is indeed a beautiful timber and was a pleasure to turn, the dust did make my nostrils tingle when turning, i have a few more blanks to turn so a mask will be imperative next time . thanks

wm460 · Jan 12, 2019

That is a beauty Johnny. :thumbs:

I haven't seen a pen made out of black boy before, mostly seen vases made from them.

I have made a pen out of the stem of the flower, it is softer than Balsa wood.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...fGlk4sbxHLuis2keIYi-z-yPTj4ngChWemduCzIeMnmfw

Some where in my wood pile I got a few stumps of these, I picked accidentally a few years ago. :whistling:

sammy · Jan 13, 2019

Very nice Johnny. :thumbs:

George

Dibbs · Jan 14, 2019

Penpal said:
Xanthorea was given the name Black Boy because the the huge flower stalk resembled an Aboriginal throwing a spear. Ijn these days of political correctness I am never sure of the reaction in the Indiginous Community...

When I went to Australia the only people I heard call them black boys were Aboriginals. White folk called them grass trees.

I had one in my garden for a while. It survived 4 or 5 years but the English climate killed it eventually. That was before I was into woodturning so I put the stump in the bin.:doh:

wm460 · Jan 15, 2019

Dibbs said:
When I went to Australia the only people I heard call them black boys were Aboriginals. White folk called them grass trees.

This white Aussie still calls them black boys, and he is not changing for any one. :devil:

Every one I know my generation and older still calls them black boys back home, but I suppose the PC twats will get up set about it. :ciggrin:

I have turned a couple of thing out of stumps, have to get my act together and Take a couple piccys. :goesred:

Black Boy Sirocco

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