No, I haven't. Since Lignum Vitae is one of the hardest woods known to man, I'd question the truth of the statement. A friend of mine was told their Native American Flute was made of Bog Oak. I was politely sceptical. Bog Oak can wreck a saw.
A hard wood gives a louder and more precise sound, generally speaking, but there is a point at which the difficulty of working in the wood makes the idea pointless.
From the website of the maker of Martyn Bennett's Pipes:
"Small Pipe chanters:
The A is made of African Blackwood and has a Boxwood mount. The D is made of Lignum Vitae (a dark green wood ) with a cocobolo mount."
Arie De Keyser ( hope that's how he spells it ) was making lignum vitae flutes in Malahide for a while . I don't know what they turned out like though !
Eugene Lambe made uilleann pipes out of lignum vitae. Matt Kiernan also made chanters out of greenheart, which I believe is the same species.
My father told me that it was very commonly used for propellor-shaft bearings in ships, as it is self-lubricating and extremely tough. I have also heard that it was used for 600-volt outdoor electrical insulators on the San Francisco streetcar system, some lasting more than 100 years.
Lignum vitae wrecks tools. Plus it is not very attractive. I am sure it would make a decent whistle, but for the extra cost, there are better woods for the purpose. I do imagine there are some who like the mystique - just so long as the additional expense is worth it.
Wood of Life!
Wood of Life!
Here's some wonderful Piping by the late, great, Martyn Bennett R.I. P., to brighten your Sunday morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09vbngMkCdo
However, my question is this:
Martyn's Pipes are made of Lignum Vitae.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae
Has anyone here ever seen or heard of a Whistle being made of this wood?
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Wood of Life!
No, I haven't. Since Lignum Vitae is one of the hardest woods known to man, I'd question the truth of the statement. A friend of mine was told their Native American Flute was made of Bog Oak. I was politely sceptical. Bog Oak can wreck a saw.
A hard wood gives a louder and more precise sound, generally speaking, but there is a point at which the difficulty of working in the wood makes the idea pointless.
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Wood of Life!
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Sds9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA211&lpg=PA211&dq=lignum+vitae+in+instrument+making&source=bl&ots=M4Yag428w0&sig=BkTTKV6Ifr3EMMy4krobWqrGIeA&hl=en&ei=oH6qSY_VAdTIjAeu74jbDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result
http://www.woodenflutes.co.uk/keyed-flutes.html
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Wood of Life!
Euggghhh! Sorry about that first link!
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Wood of Life!
Near the bottom of this link:
http://www.art-robb.co.uk/alute.html
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Wood of Life!
Oh ye of little faith Innocent Bystander!
From the website of the maker of Martyn Bennett's Pipes:
"Small Pipe chanters:
The A is made of African Blackwood and has a Boxwood mount. The D is made of Lignum Vitae (a dark green wood ) with a cocobolo mount."
http://www.hamishmoore.com/news.htm
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Wood of Life!
Hardness is relative. Desi Seery said he once made a couple of Uilleann pipe chanters out of stainless steel...
# Posted on March 1st 2009 by Gzeg
Re: Wood of Life!
Arie De Keyser ( hope that's how he spells it ) was making lignum vitae flutes in Malahide for a while . I don't know what they turned out like though !
# Posted on March 2nd 2009 by skellig
Re: Wood of Life!
Eugene Lambe made uilleann pipes out of lignum vitae. Matt Kiernan also made chanters out of greenheart, which I believe is the same species.
My father told me that it was very commonly used for propellor-shaft bearings in ships, as it is self-lubricating and extremely tough. I have also heard that it was used for 600-volt outdoor electrical insulators on the San Francisco streetcar system, some lasting more than 100 years.
# Posted on March 2nd 2009 by Jumper
Re: Wood of Life!
Lignum vitae wrecks tools. Plus it is not very attractive. I am sure it would make a decent whistle, but for the extra cost, there are better woods for the purpose. I do imagine there are some who like the mystique - just so long as the additional expense is worth it.
# Posted on March 3rd 2009 by Mozle