The olive wood
Through the following
paragraphs, we’ll try to introduce you to the olive wood and its real value as a
noble wood. But first we would like to attract your attention that
Olivart is an environment
friendly firm; throughout all our production process, we only use row olive
wood that comes from pruning olive trees, we refuse to buy or use wood of
illegally rooted out olive trees. According to legislations in force in the Holy
Land, olive trees are protected specie. It is a crime to root out an olive tree
unless for a legitimate reason.
Even that olive wood is defined
as wood, and in fact it is. But in many aspects it is not, olive wood is a noble
wood, it is not timber in the conventional meaning; it doesn’t come in boards
and blocks, one cannot buy it by cubic meters or feet, it has its unique
stubborn personality. Traditional carpenters don’t even dare to touch it due to
their lack of experience about its complex nature.
However, perhaps all the
irregularities and problem generating nature of the olive wood, is what makes it
one of the most beautiful, unique and attractive natural materials from which a
vast range of artistic, religious, spiritual and historical artifacts are made
and appreciated all around the world. Perhaps too, and due to its independent
noble personality it refuses to be approached, carved or shaped unless by
hand.
Olive wood comes in short logs
and branches with a length that rarely exceeds 120cm/ 4 feet and in various
diameters ranging from 3cm/ 1” to a maximum of 25cm/ 10”. Logs with diameters
larger than 15cm/ 6”are very rare to get since they are normally hollowed from
the inside and full of holes and cracks from the outside. Usually such logs are
heavily inhabited by black scorpions.
Olive wood is dense and heavy
with a range of colors varying between creamy to golden brown with irregular
dark brown and black grains. Alongside to its high water content (50-65 % when
green) it contains a considerable quantity of oil and acids and that’s what
makes it extremely difficult to dry without developing shrinks and cracks. At
Olivart we pay special attention to
this matter, together with our special drying techniques and patience, we use
the latest technology in kiln drying techniques to guarantee well dried products
with as low as 8% of water content.
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