Just to clarify the hickory burl situation, there is no source for it. If you have seen hickory burl in any cue made by any builder, the wood came from me. I have given pieces away to cue making friends of mine for special projects or requests from their customers. It seems to have stirred some confusion as I have been getting a lot of people contacting me, inquiring about my source for the burl or possibly if I can sell some of it. I have never sold it, only given it away, and likely won't ever sell it. The source is my chainsaw & sawmill and a lot of very hard work.
That particular burl came from Sugar Tree forest (my cues are one word, Sugartree), found by my father while deer hunting. My brother & I cut that tree high atop a hill in the Appalachians and literally manhandled it down through a ravine to a valley opening where we could use an ATV to hook up & assist in dragging it to the truck. From there we recruited some friends & four of us were able to back a truck up to a steep bank & roll the burl in. The burl weighed around half a ton. We hauled it to a local Amish farm that had a log crane at their mill, and we slabbed it. Needless to say we were all amazed at what beauty was inside. It's unlike anything else. So long story short, the burl is a one of a kind that holds dear sentiment to me. I have shared it as gift with friends that have been generous & gracious to me. It isn't bought, never was, and never will be. I have probably fifty pieces left, some of which is still to be shared with friends and the rest is for my brother & myself.
All that said, I can probably spare one small piece for a jumper to match one of my cues. It is a challenge to work with but nothing a competent builder can't or hasn't been able to handle. It will need to be cored, and chances are good there will be crevices & gaps & holes that will need filling. It's very hard, too, so use good sharp tools. I have to send a few things out this week and will do my best to send a piece once I have your address. Do not pay me, just pay it forward to another builder that may need something from you one day. Even though builders often heatedly disagree on technique, most of us are close friends who network & openly share. That's the greatest joy for me as a builder, and though I won't be building many cues anymore, I will never stray from my friendships with the other builders.
