Kauri Wood comes with an amazing story to tell, and many times this can be a great conversation starter for your woodworking. Many woodworkers look for rare and beautiful pieces of wood to showcase their talent. It’s what sets them apart. Others look for wood that has an interesting story, and Kauri Wood is right up there with the best.
If You Like My Posts, You'll Love My Books
Wood that Comes With a Story
Kauri Wood, Swamp Kauri, or Ancient Kauri comes from New Zealand. The wood is up to 50,000 years old! On top of that, many of the trees were alive for close to 2,000 years before they were buried and preserved. They were massive too. Some as large as 200 feet tall and several dozen feet in diameter.
There are several theories about how the logs came to be preserved in the New Zealand swamp. One idea is that a large tsunami hit the area, toppling all the trees. Another suggests that they were inundated with water, and fell as the ground became soggy. Either way, these trees were preserved in such a way that for 50,000 years they laid and waited to be discovered.
This is a huge event for woodworkers, because it is very rare to work with a material that is so old. Wood does not last very long out in the open. As the years pile up, wood decays. Humidity and weather take their toll, and wood breaks down. The fact that Kauri Wood has survived so long underground is a small miracle of science.
Kauri Wood, and other rare wood pieces tell a story.
As a woodworker, you have the ability to tell a story through the wood you use. Kauri Wood is just one example. There are other rare pieces of wood that you can find too. If you look around enough, you can find reclaimed wood that is well over 100 years in age.
You can also find pieces of wood from historic buildings or areas of the world. Olive Wood from Bethlehem is a good example. There are Olive Trees down the street from where I live, but only Olive Wood from Bethlehem has any real historical significance. Christians hold Bethlehem as an important place, and a gift of an Olive Wood project, made from Bethlehem Olive Wood can be a personal treasure.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
The story behind the materials is just as important as the piece.
This ring was made from Kauri Wood and Aromatic Cedar. The Kauri is at the center, with the Aromatic Cedar on the faces. Both are softer woods, and they go well together.
The ring itself is beautiful, but the story behind the materials is what really creates uniqueness for the recipient. I love telling the story of Kauri Wood when I tell people what a certain piece is made from. They love hearing it too. People in general like rarity. They like knowing that they have something that few others have. We only value gold and silver for their rarity. If rocks were rare, and gold was all over the place, we would be wearing rocks around our necks and in our ears instead of gold.
When you use a rare material, or a material with an amazing story, you add another element to your project. People who see it will ask, and you will have an opportunity to tell them the story. Once someone becomes enamored with the story of a piece, they fall in love with the piece itself.
My book, Wooden Rings: How To Make Wooden Rings By Hand
shows you how to make wooden rings without needing many tools. There are step by step instructions, and examples of over 50 different rings. I also show how I made my wedding ring, which you can see in the links below.
If you have any questions on Kauri Wood, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer them. Also, please Subscribe so that you don’t miss anything new happening on the site. Happy Building.
Post Author-
- More than 20 Years Woodworking Experience
- 7 Woodworking Books Available on Amazon
- Over 1 Million Words Published About Woodworking
- Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arizona State University
I receive Commissions for Purchases Made Through the Links in This Post.
Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!
You Can Find My Books on Amazon!
