Thread: Bunti wood
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Old 29th April 2021, 12:55 AM   #7
kai
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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2 neat barung - if you ever decide to part with the second one...

If not cared well for, the wood usually needs some nourishment; this enhances the chatoyancy and also helps to prevent (or ameliorate) any cracks.

Utilizing vegetal oils high in unsaturated fatty acids will result in a very thin (if used correctly) surface layer which may help to stabilize/protect. However, in humid climates mould is likely to grow if not handled regularly. Raw linseed oil penetrates best, especially when warm (rubbing by hand is sufficient but usually needs to be repeated over a longer period till saturation). Mineral oils have their own pros and cons.

I have never seen antique hilts from bunti exhibiting signs of any genuine resin finish; most are crafted from very dense burl that probably don't need any burnishing. A high polish with a fine abrasive is probably all that was needed in addition to some nourishment of the wood to bring out the chatoyancy.

The wood selected for scabbards (often Narra) is usually even more prone to cracking and, in this case, seems to need some feeding, too. It's usually not as highly polished though.

Regards,
Kai
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