Black Walnut

[pearl]

Hi, has anyone out there carved Black Walnut? I assume it is hard and I'm wondering if it is worthwhile. My brother-in-law has some in his garage.

[colin_Partridge]

Re: Black Walnut

Pearl,
Black Walnut is beautiful to carve it is a little harder than most woods but takes detail extreamly well. Just make sure that your tools are razor sharp and I think that you will enjoy it very much.
Colin

[owlhause]

Re: Black Walnut

Hi Pearl. Black Walnut is wonderful to work with, I'd give it a try.
It finishes beautifuly with any type of oil finish.

[Guest]

Re: Black Walnut

Yes black walnut is hard and you need sharp tools but the reward is well worth the time and work. Some of my nicest stylized pieces are in black walnut. Oil finish really brings out the grain and the richness in the wood.
Good luck, Pam

[clifford_parker]

Re: Black Walnut

Don't listen to these guys!! Black walnut is bad for you and your tools!!! The best thing to do is package it up and send it to me and I will get rid of it for you.

Black waknut is a beautiful wood to work with. While it is hard it holds detail very well and when finished with oil has a very deep, warm color. Very few woods look as nice IMO.

[owlhause]

Re: Black Walnut

And don't you dare paint it!!!

[Kenny_S]

Re: Black Walnut

Amen on not painting it. Ought to be against the law t paint black walnut, walnut, butternut, etc.

[Artitch]

Re: Black Walnut

You all have prompted me to pick up a piece of black walnut that has been sitting in my wood pile. It doesn have a wonderful grain and color. May we both have wonderful sucess with it Pearl.
Barb

[nadcarves]

Re: Black Walnut

Finishing black walnut.....NEVER use a white wax on it,each open pore will collect it and look white..The rule ,never paint walnut....of course you can,and cherry too..For accent.How about a red tailed hawk in cherry.Head painted ,fade to natural color..A vase in walnut,the stems,leaves,flowers colored since the wood was too dark. for the size...By the way, Walnut is Gods wood. Once you do the first carving, you will want to do another. Walnut makes the carving much better than it really is..Since it is dark,small carvings should be relatively simple..I have a garage full of it. The garage is also where the wolf sleeps............Never use a white wax on Walnut, and NEVER put rules on what can or may be done.......nad

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Re: Black Walnut

I have some wolfbane and garlic! lol

[nadcarves]

Re: Black Walnut

Two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken , and the old gal would help you drag the wood out!!! nad

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Re: Black Walnut

ok LOL throw in some 'krispy kreme' donuts and we will all help! : 8)

[nadcarves]

Re: Black Walnut

krispy kreme /yas haven't seen Elvis lately,has ya? Two comments on Walnut.It has a nice grain,in doing a relief carving,heck any type of carving,make the lines work for you,so that their flow goes with the carving..You will see too often in small relief carvings,the grain go one way,the figure, the other..Walnut can be burnished to give a polished finish,,use those boxwood clay modeling sticks,or round a maple dowel.You can partially burnish a carving to create hi lites, much as you would hi lite a painted carving..You can use a dark walnut wax to add depth to figures. I am going to try aniline dyes,one of these days,make that years,,nad

[nadcarves]

Re: Black Walnut

I was doing some carvings for an Arts and Craft show,shore birds, A standing goose,etc. Took some small chunks of Walnut off the wood pile, nuked in the microwave, carved ,and accented with paint..I raised my prices twice,and sold out...Wood cutter just loves me,I placed an order for two truck loads of Walnut and Cherry,' cut logs three feet, don't split'.....The combination of paint and Cherry is going to be even more interesting...Since the wood darkens on exposure to light(sun light), The initial painting has to work with both light and dark wood. I am wondering about transparent stains, any experience out there? In any event, there is going to be a lot of the stuff around here.Should you need some,feel free, contents of garage excepted,,,,,,Nad