Olive Wood Stability/Issues?

[LHP5]

Hello all,

I'm currently trying to order a cue in a plain Jane style cocobolo and olive wood cue. Trying to scour the internet and find pics of this combination is proving difficult with only about 1 example I've found.

Is olive wood difficult to work with? I've read olive wood has high movement, but if it's cored that should solve the problem, right? Anyone have any experience with the wood? Any info about price or why it doesn't seem to be a more common choice is appreciated. I really am liking the figure and patterns that I've been seeing with the wood.

Thanks.

 

[JoeyInCali]

You only want the African kind.
Never from branches of Greek or Italian trees.

Very unstable wood. Will twist and turn.
Will need a major sealer. Turns dark green in time.
Has to drilled and seasoned a long time.

 

[Paul Dayton]

Real olive wood,takes a very long time to stabilize enough to safely use in a cue. It has a definite tendency to develop surface cracks and must be cored. I just finished making a olive wood fronted ebony pointed cue with an olive wood butt sleeve. It looks great. The secret to using this wood is that I bought it in 2002 and it is really stable. I have purchased wood in the past sold as African olive wood but it has nothing to do with the Mediterranean species. There is a momentary similarity in the appearance of the two woods but the African changes to a very different looking wood and it is a lot more dense.

 

[Jim Baxter]

Olivewood and Coco .

Here is one I made 7-8 years ago .







I have a piece hanging , been there 6-7 years , might be ready soon

 

[Dave38]

I have only used Bethlehem Olivewood and yes it can crack, and move. Once it's cored, and sealed/finished, I haven't had any issues. I really like the figure in Bethlehem olive much better than the other types I've seen. Here are 2 that I've made. in the top pic, the top cue is Olivewood handle with spalted maple.
DAve

 

[LHP5]

Thank you for the knowledge

Thank you all for the information. It's appreciated and the olive wood cues in this thread look magnificent.

 

[It's George]

I have some I bought in 2010. I might turn round this year.


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[Knels]

Very nice spalted Dave. Excellent contrast