Three levels of timbers are available.
1) Tasmanian Blackwood.
2) Mid Range timbers
3) Premium range, or Signature Series timbers.
If you wish to see more images of a particular timber we find a google image search returns good results.
Chris Vesper personally selects high quality blocks or boards required from many suppliers all over the world as opportunity arises. It comes back to the workshop where it is air dried for years before finally ending up in a climate controlled store room where it is kept at around 8% timber Moisture Content. The mainstay timber used is figured Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) for the regular production tools. Figured Blackwood is a stunning timber. When nicely finished the grain ‘pops’, the waving fiddleback fibres throw light back at your eye and dances as you move the piece. This is called chatoyance.
1) Blackwood is an Australian native tree. It is fairly prolific and grows from southern Tasmania right up the east coast into Queensland as the one species but with huge variance over this 2500km spread. The densest, darkest, richest color and highest figure comes from Tasmania. Cold climate, hills and rich soils produce the colors and variance. Blackwood grown in a valley will be different to Blackwood grown on an exposed hill for example.
Pictured below is some bevels selected to show possible variance in color and grain pattern – All of these are Tasmanian Blackwood. All of these are beautiful and when you order a tool in Blackwood it could be similar to any of these.
2) Mid Range: The Marking Knives only are available in mid range price bracket with associated timbers. Tiger Myrtle, Olive Wood, Hairy Oak and sometimes others are placed here.
3) Signature Series tools or Premium Range of bevels, try squares or marking knives. We offer a variety of beautiful timbers from the amazing Australian natives to the big name exotic species.
In addition to the timbers pictured below the following are also available: Ebony, Kingwood, Olive Wood, and more. Please inquire if you have a special request.
Note: As of early 2017 anything manufactured with any Rosewood species (Dalbergia) is now regulated for international trade under the new CITES regulations (www.cites.org). Cocobolo, Kingwood, Brazilian Rosewood, African Blackwood and many more species in the Rosewood/Dalbergia family are now included in the CITES appendices of restricted or banned international trade.
Unfortunately as a result of this Vesper Tools can no longer offer for general sale overseas any tools made of this species. We hold a very small stock of pre-ban timber that has been accumulated carefully over many years and can produce items to order but there will be extra costs associated with an export permit for the goods. Domestic orders are no problem.
