Sticks & Rulers

Woods

Crafting fine wooden objects starts with careful selection of the wood. I offer sticks and rulers in a currated variety of woods, some of which are pictured below: not all of the species of woods from which I can make sticks or rulers are pictured below, or included in my price list. (If you have a preferred wood that isn't included, feel free to contact me: I might just have it or might be able to get it.) The woods come in different colors, different textures, different weights and different price ranges. One of the biggest factors in the price of a finished stick or ruler is my cost for the wood.

One of the pleasures of making things from wood is that, being a natural material, every piece of wood is unique. I hand select each piece of wood and use the best quality available. Even with the highest quality wood, there can be considerable variation in both grain and color from one piece to another, even of the same species. If you have specific preferences for your chosen wood species, please let me know and I’ll do my best to select wood that meets your preferences.

One of the challenges facing all modern woodworkers is the overharvesting of certain species of wood. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) lists species that are considered endangered and specifies restrictions on their international sale and transportation. While some CITIES-listed species can be transported internationally, obtaining the necessary government-issued export permits adds both time and expense that make the use of those woods no longer viable in my stick and ruler making. The rosewood family is one such example, including cocobolo, East Indian rosewood, African blackwood and Indonesian rosewood. Good alternatives to the rosewood family include pau ferro, ziricote - when available - and ebonies. 

In February 2023, Padauk and Khaya was added to CITIES and I will no longer be offering those woods.