# Can anyone help with this burl?



## GeorgeS (Oct 11, 2015)

This cap was given to me by someone and they didn't have any idea what it was. I'm going to make pen blanks out what is usable and will probably give away the scraps to anyone who does casting. It's got a good bit of pink in it so Inwas thinking maybe cherry?


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## JR Custom Calls (Oct 11, 2015)

Looks like some sort of oak to me.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## GeorgeS (Oct 11, 2015)

@JR Custom Calls Thank you sir! I know whatever it is it's gonna make some sweet pens, as long as I can keep some of them together!


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## Mike1950 (Oct 11, 2015)

ID'ing burls is not easy


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## GeorgeS (Oct 11, 2015)

@Mike1950 I figured as much! All the things that make them so beautiful also make them harder to identify! Just figured it was worth a shot.


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## Mike1950 (Oct 11, 2015)

If it is cherry- the smell would give ID.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## GeorgeS (Oct 11, 2015)

@Mike1950 I don't think my nose is good enough for that yet. I can tell walnut and now redwood a mile away but not cherry. I'm still learning .


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## Mike1950 (Oct 11, 2015)

GeorgeS said:


> @Mike1950 I don't think my nose is good enough for that yet. I can tell walnut and now redwood a mile away but not cherry. I'm still learning .



Cherry has a very sweet smell when cutting. I love working with it. My guess- not cherry.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## manbuckwal (Oct 11, 2015)

Looks like oak to me as well . I have seen similar colors in both black oak and live oak around here . Like Mike said tho, Cherry has a distinct sweet smell . If it doesnt smell sweet when cutting, its not cherry


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## DKMD (Oct 11, 2015)

Looks like cherry to me. Most of the oak burl I've seen has a Van Gogh Starry Night quality to the grain, but I'm sure there are exceptions to that feature.


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## Sprung (Oct 11, 2015)

Looks an awful lot like some cherry burl I cut up recently. Could be something else, but cherry burl is my guess, without being able to hold it in my hands and see it in person. Like Keller, the grain doesn't match with any of the oak burl I've had or seen.


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## manbuckwal (Oct 11, 2015)

There u have it, it's cherry oak

Reactions: Funny 4


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## barry richardson (Oct 11, 2015)

Oak and cherry both have a distinctive smell, Oak always makes me think of bourbon

Reactions: Like 1


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## GeorgeS (Oct 11, 2015)

I got kind of a musty sweet smell when cutting it up. It had more of a musty smell but that could have been the bark.


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## JR Custom Calls (Oct 11, 2015)

This just looks so much like oak... I've never seen cherry Burl that looked like that's, but clearly other have.


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## norman vandyke (Oct 11, 2015)

GeorgeS said:


> I got kind of a musty sweet smell when cutting it up. It had more of a musty smell but that could have been the bark.


That smell sounds like a description of oak to me.


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## Mr. Peet (Oct 11, 2015)

I can see it being in the "Cherry" family,_ Prunus_, but not the oak clan. Oak is ring porous and should show some larger rays, while cherry is diffuse porous and has little ray flecks.

If you have a good nose, put some shavings on the charcoal smoker next cook out. Waft the smoke and smell. Then repeat the process with known cherry shavings, and then oak if need be. If you don't smell or taste it in the shop, smoke it later....


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## Tclem (Oct 12, 2015)

Mike1950 said:


> ID'ing burls is not easy


Anything at your age isn't easy

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Mike1950 (Oct 12, 2015)

Tclem said:


> Anything at your age isn't easy



VERY funny!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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