# Ebony and Burl Chopsticks



## hokie (Mar 2, 2022)

Hi everyone!
I've had a cheap pack of West African Ebony thins and scraps laying around for years and I was dying to put them to use in something other than inlays or things like that. A fairly recent post in the Wood ID forum reminded me I had a Bridge City Tool Works "Chopstick Master" just gathering dust and I could put so many of the interesting scraps or unused pen blanks I have been hoarding to use finally!

Without further ado...

After many iterations, here are my most recent pair:



The black parts are obviously the ebony as mentioned earlier. The burl is stabilized "Golden Amboyna". I didn't want to chance the burl crumbling at such thin dimensions, so I quickly stabilized one of the pen blanks I had (I can make four chopsticks with one pen blank!). Became hard as a rock and holds up very well so far.

A close-up of the grain:




The chopsticks "in use":




Here is a closeup of another pair I made in some mystery burl (I'm guessing red mallee as it was rock hard without any stabilization):




There you have it! I really enjoyed making these and I think I will make a bunch more. I tried my hardest to find chopsticks made with burls as inspiration, but I couldn't find any. So maybe these are a first?? Haha. They have held up well in the handling I have done with them and picking up various size and weight objects to test with. I felt ebony was an appropriate wood for the tip due to its tight grain and black color. No possible food stains on these! I also lacquered them in keeping with what seems to be tradition in many places. Also, before anyone asks, they are not simply glued together end grain-to-end grain. I've done a bit of "internal reinforcement". I'll try and use them as often as I am able and will update this thread if I need to report issues down the road.

Almost forgot... these chopsticks are 1/4" x 1/4" x 10", tapered down to about 4mm round. I think I want to make my next version a bit shorter and with the tips a bit pointier like the Japanese style.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and let me know what you think!

-Jeremy

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 8 | Way Cool 12 | Creative 1


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## Jonkou (Mar 2, 2022)

High end craftsmanship and look, very nice.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 3


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## trc65 (Mar 2, 2022)

Great looking sticks!


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## hokie (Mar 2, 2022)

Thanks @Jonkou and @trc65 ! It is kind of funny thinking about how much work it took to make a couple fancy looking sticks. I guess that's like so many things in life. Haha

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Creative 1


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## trc65 (Mar 2, 2022)

It's the journey that's important! Although the destination is pretty darn impressive. Most of us would go crazy if we spent too much time calculating the time and cost to make the things we do. 

My metric, if it makes me or others smile, or brings me happiness, the time/cost is insignificant.

Reactions: Agree 5


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## hokie (Mar 2, 2022)

trc65 said:


> It's the journey that's important! Although the destination is pretty darn impressive. Most of us would go crazy if we spent too much time calculating the time and cost to make the things we do.
> 
> My metric, if it makes me or others smile, or brings me happiness, the time/cost is insignificant.


100% agree. I definitely didn't make them with the intention of selling them (if I did there would probably be some sticker shock for potential buyers). I just really like the challenge and making unique things

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2 | Sincere 1


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## Mike Hill (Mar 3, 2022)

Those are downright, drop-dead gorgeous and elegant! And if I knew how to use them - I'd be honored to use them. Maybe Lil Mikey is uncoordinated or something - every time he tries, the front of his shirt gets to looking like a multi-colored abstract painting!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

Mike Hill said:


> Those are downright, drop-dead gorgeous and elegant! And if I knew how to use them - I'd be honored to use them. Maybe Lil Mikey is uncoordinated or something - every time he tries, the front of his shirt gets to looking like a multi-colored abstract painting!


Thank you! 
Growing up, I never had much of a use for them, but I enjoyed the challenge of trying to get the mechanics and coordination working in my hand to pick things up with them... then I did a study abroad in Japan and China... I either had to get good with chopstick quickly or starve. haha. To this day I only really use them in restaurants where they lend themselves to the cuisine. There is quite a variety of chopsticks in terms of materials and design and obviously quite a market for them. Entire stores dedicated to selling only chopsticks.


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## Steve in VA (Mar 3, 2022)

Absolutely phenomenal job Jeremy! I'm curious, if not a trade secret, what did you use for the "internal reinforcement" on something that thin? 

I'm glad you found a use for all of those high end pen blanks we talked about, but given how much time I can only imagine goes into a pair of chopsticks, my gut is you're going to have all those blanks for quite some time to come  

Hope all is well and that we can meet up again soon!


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Mar 3, 2022)

Nice kuaizi! I know several folks who would love a set of those! That bridge city tool seems to have worked out well for you! I would be relegated to doing this on a tablesaw and pen lathe. Probably a bit slower that way.


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

Steve in VA said:


> Absolutely phenomenal job Jeremy! I'm curious, if not a trade secret, what did you use for the "internal reinforcement" on something that thin?
> 
> I'm glad you found a use for all of those high end pen blanks we talked about, but given how much time I can only imagine goes into a pair of chopsticks, my gut is you're going to have all those blanks for quite some time to come
> 
> Hope all is well and that we can meet up again soon!


Hey Steve! Not exactly a trade secret (yet)... haha

I basically use my lathe to drill through the center of the blanks and epoxy in some "rebar" for lack of a better word.

You are indeed right about my stockpile of pen blanks. Unless I open up a "Chopsticks-and-Pens-R-Us" store sometime soon, I am not going to make a dent in my supply for the foreseeable future. I got a little too into pen making for a while. hahaha

Looking forward to the next time we may be able to meet up and I hope to see some finished products with what you have of mine at some point!!


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> Nice kuaizi! I know several folks who would love a set of those! That bridge city tool seems to have worked out well for you! I would be relegated to doing this on a tablesaw and pen lathe. Probably a bit slower that way.


Thank you! Bridge City really makes a fine product (for the price, they better!). I can see what people mean when they describe their tools as the Lamborghinis of woodworking tools. Kinda bright and flashy, but with the quality to back it up. I just saw they have a pencil making kit and got really excited (looking for any way to use my small stock!) until I saw they wanted $700!! I just can't justify that. Though many folks probably feel the same way about a fancy stick jig too. haha

You mention using a lathe... I would love to find a way to reliably turn such thin stock. Maybe I just need to refine my techniques or something. Any time I turn anything remotely long and thin, I get vibration and out of round in no time.


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Mar 3, 2022)

Need a small steady rest that you can mount in the center or close, wherever the round stops. Also, if your jaws are very deep, you can chuck up on your piece to turn the center and just keep backing toward the ends with your turning, finish size as you go. Use extra long stock so you can just trim it to length to remove the chuck bite marks at the end.


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## Mike Hill (Mar 3, 2022)

When the diameter of the turned object gets small - often times the wheels used for standard steadyrests don't allow for the thin diameters - they touch before they contact the wood. So some use a sling type like this - sometimes more than one rest per piece.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | Way Cool 2


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## Arn213 (Mar 3, 2022)

hokie said:


> Thank you! Bridge City really makes a fine product (for the price, they better!). I can see what people mean when they describe their tools as the Lamborghinis of woodworking tools. Kinda bright and flashy, but with the quality to back it up. I just saw they have a pencil making kit and got really excited (looking for any way to use my small stock!) until I saw they wanted $700!! I just can't justify that.


When the company was sold internationally and the founder while he remained engaged in the company, IMHO, they lost the essence of what their company was all about and most likely lost their larger fan base when it was sold to an international company. When the actual brand was design and fabricated here with excellent quality of material used with the highest craftsmanship, the cost of their hand tools matched that. That business move made their USA made more collectible and shot up in value. 

I am not a buyer anymore regardless how cool looking it is and well engineered it is when it is just designed here, but manufactured elsewhere. I won’t pay that unless they “level the playing field”. Does it makes sense to any of you to pay retail cost like it was made in our country for a product that is made abroad when the standards of labor, regulations and cost of living differs greatly?


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## trc65 (Mar 3, 2022)

hokie said:


> You mention using a lathe... I would love to find a way to reliably turn such thin stock. Maybe I just need to refine my techniques or something. Any time I turn anything remotely long and thin, I get vibration and out of round in no time.


If I were going to try to turn those on a lathe. I'd probably first make a set of "soft jaws" for a chuck. Several companies sell blocks of "plastic" that can be machined to any shape you want. I'd use a skew chisel in one hand and use fingers from the other hand to support the backside of the cut. Since I don't have one, I'd probably make a sling support that Mike showed. Finally, I'd probably also do as Frank mentioned and slide the stick in/out of the jaws back through the headstock so shorter areas were exposed. Using some combination of those ideas would probably work.

BTW, I have seen video of some turners making finials thinner and longer than chopsticks using no support other than a tailstock with a cup live center. So, it can be done, just using skills I don't have!


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

Mike Hill said:


> When the diameter of the turned object gets small - often times the wheels used for standard steadyrests don't allow for the thin diameters - they touch before they contact the wood. So some use a sling type like this - sometimes more than one rest per piece.
> 
> View attachment 223602


Haha, that's wild. I'd imagine the slings would need a groove to sit in or else they'd wander a bit. I need to explore my options. I definitely think wheels are out of the question for the sub-1/4" dimensions I'd be getting into. I saw one guy just use his left hand to steady the piece. Seems risky.


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> you can chuck up on your piece to turn the center and just keep backing toward the ends with your turning, finish size as you go.


I saw a video of Ashley Harwood doing exactly that with one of her African Blackwood finials. That is some real talent. I need to practice. That might be my best option.


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Mar 3, 2022)

The "soft jaw" is probably a good idea for the ability to back track onto portions you have already turned.


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## hokie (Mar 3, 2022)

trc65 said:


> I'd probably first make a set of "soft jaws" for a chuck. Several companies sell blocks of "plastic" that can be machined to any shape you want.


That's a good idea and one I had. I have the NOVA G3 chuck and also have the soft jaws they sell. I went to use them and unfortunately for me, they form a big hole in the middle! Haha. I actually ended up using the chuck with no jaws in order to get down to the 1/4". The clamping area is so small, I wouldn't want to do a longer length with it. I will think about making my own soft jaws or look for other options on the market.


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## Barb (Mar 3, 2022)

Those are fantastic! Everyone in my house uses chopsticks on occasion so now I'm going to have to go down another rabbit hole.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 3


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