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educate me on the value and rarity of pernambuco

 
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notabowmaker
Junior Member


Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:44 am    Post subject: educate me on the value and rarity of pernambuco Reply with quote

Hi All,
As my username suggest I'm not a bow maker or musician. I am a professional woodworker/furniture maker who enjoys all forms of wood construction. Recently a fellow woodworker and I stumbled upon a person selling a large lot of "exotic wood", as he put it. To make a long story short we realized that neither of us alone could afford to purchase all of it, so we split the lot 50/50 and cut a deal with the owner. Half of the stuff we got we new what it was, but lots of the species are still a mystery. The one that we have started to learn more about and are quite intrigued by is pernambuco. We each got a sizable chunk of the stuff and I have to say it is an amazing piece of wood. My friend knows a bow maker who offered on the spot to purchase all that we had for a fairly large sum of money. However, upon testing it he claims it isn't as good as he would want, but is still willing to buy it. Having bought and sold many vintage cars and valuables over the years I can't help but think that he knows we don't know anything and he's trying to get a better deal. Moreover, I began to think that, if this wood is truly as rare and hard to get as I've read about, that it certainly belongs in the hands of a person or persons who will use it for making bows, and not in the hands of me who might turn it into veneer or something (sacrilege, right?). The potential buyer also warned us not to try to sell our pieces because the feds would be on us before we knew what happened. So I'd like to get opinions from you bow makers. How do you find the wood you need? Is a lucchi test always definitive of the quality/value of the wood? Any other insight would be great. For the record I'm not necessarily looking to sell the wood, but I'd like to know what I've got and if this bow maker is just trying to get a steal from a couple guys who don't know much. Thanks for the advice!
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Andres Sender
Super Member


Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 275
Location: N. CA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many, but not all bow makers consider the Lucchi test to be a primary quality predictor. Pernambuco chosen for bows is special stuff, and it is quite possible to see pernambuco which is not suitable.

For the exact rules regarding sales of pernambuco in the case of it being old wood, see the CITES treaty and how it is being enforced in the US by, I believe, the Dept. of Fish and Game. Details on the relevant websites. I do remember that bowmakers have been told to document their current supplies of the wood to show that they had it on hand as of last year. Whether receipts or other documentation of old stock will protect a maker from eventual problems with the feds if they buy wood now, I don't know for sure.

Stephen Beckley is a bow maker and purveyor of bow making supplies, he would be able to give you an accurate picture of how things stand in the pernambuco market. Lynn Hannings is another bow maker with this sort of expertise and may be easier for you to contact, I have found her very helpful and friendly in the past. You will quickly find their websites with a search.
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notabowmaker
Junior Member


Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks Andres. Where in N. Ca are you located? My shop is in the Santa Cruz area, south of SF Bay.
I'll look for the people you suggest, if for nothing else I'll get an education about this special wood. Since the person I purchased it from has had the wood for at least 20 years I doubt the CITES regulation would come into play, but as usual you have to prove it.
Another question came to me. What is the minimum size for a single bow blank? I'm curious to see how many blanks I might have. How does grain orientation come into play?
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