Disappointing walnut planks?

[Sgian Dubh]

It's definitely walnut - I cut it down myself It even had the odd walnut still attached.

Well, that certainly provides an answer to my question. No arguing with that, ha, ha. Slainte.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

American Black Walnut is almost always steamed, this process migrates the colour of the heartwood into the sapwood, making the sap more usable for most makers.

Unfortunately custard, my understanding is that's quite a common misconception. The following link leads to a discussion on this subject which was initiated by the highly respected timber technologist, Professor Eugene Wengert. https://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/ ... Color.html

However, it also brings a downside in that it muddies the colour. Furthermore, steamed Black Walnut really doesn't age very well, it turns into a very drab colour after a few years, with little in the way of grain pattern to add much sparkle.

It's interesting that you've found that to be the case. For myself, I've found that even when I've mixed steamed and unsteamed American black walnut in a single piece of furniture, something I've not done more than two or three times I admit, that even after just a quite short period the appearance of each is very similar, and after a year or two the steamed and the unsteamed walnut became indistinguishable, with an all over attractive warm honey/brown colour.

Perhaps the reason is that in my own work I've always coloured walnut up in some way prior to applying a finish. I have, however, worked for other people that got me to apply only a clear finish over walnut, which I find always leaves a cold and rather lifeless looking end result. My preference with walnut is some combination of dye, stain, and grain filling, and sometimes all three techniques prior to applying a finish, e.g., lacquer, shellac, varnish, etc, usually clear, but sometimes with a bit of tinting. I've also used no more than a lightly applied coat of boiled linseed oil specifically to change the colour prior to applying a clear finish. One effect of this last treatment, which I find rather unsatisfactory, is that over time- many months to years- the colour tends to move towards a somewhat anaemic or sickly yellow.

I don't think this is a case of one of us being right and the other wrong here, and I suspect it's a matter perhaps of perception, or maybe slightly different experience. Slainte.

 

[voyager]

i think with walnut the ratio is around 60/40 sap/heartwood hence why the price for walnut is as high as it is.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I only ever use the centre dark brown wood on walnut. However, clicking on the image(s) to bring them up larger actually reveals three distinct bands of timber; a very light sap, then a wider but slightly darker coloured timber before getting to the really dark stuff in the middle. Quite what the wide, slightly darker coloured timber remains a mystery to me? Lighter coloured heartwood as Richard suggests? - Rob

European Walnut, when seasoned, is often the colour of Dijon mustard. Only the outer inch or so should be avoided. The rest is fine.
Often times, the inner dark part, although aesthetically interesting, isn't of much use because of cracks and cavities associated with the pith.

That is interesting - it agrees with what I am seeing, in that the central dark part is quite punky in places. Unfortunately I have no idea what variety of walnut we have - it would have been planted as a cropping nut tree, rather than for its eventual wood properties - the two varieties I am aware of here are "normal" and "black" which refers to the shell of the walnuts themselves rather than the tree - which species they might be is beyond my meagre knowledge.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

And finally, thank you everyone for your knowledge - I only hope I will do the wood some justice when I eventually get to butcher it. In the meantime, it will be plywood and pine, if the shops ever open again...

 

[custard]

The following link leads to a discussion on this very subject which was initiated by the highly respected timber technologist, Professor Eugene Wengert. https://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/ ... Color.html.

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

 

[doctor Bob]

Walnut is sold "sap no fault", consequently your tree illustrates why Walnut is best bought in person after a visual check! Pretty much the only timber yard I can think of that sells "graded" Walnut is English Woodland Timber in Sussex, and even they include a fair bit of sap in their top grade.

I can buy super prime from most yards. min 90% clear on face,80% on rear face, in reality it means virtually sap free.