Snakewood?

Alaskan Yoter

Alaskan Yoter

Well-known member
Ok fellas what is Snakewood and what makes it so expensive? Been seeing a few calls pop up a little out of the average price range and I'm guesing its the wood that is inflating the price? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif


So lets hear it.
Todd
 
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If you're seeing the same calls I am, I think it's 20% wood price and 80% ego. I've seen snakewood calls on ebay with an asking price of $75-325. Dale
 
That stuff looks great but man is it expensive. If someone one this board can build one at a reasonable price let me know i want one.
 
Have seen it, and frankly, cant say I am impressed. It is dark, and reminds me of a dark Lacewood, with larger fleck figuring.
the sticks I have seen are $70 + an up.

I think that from any distance the wood wont seem so nice as when very close up, that "kind of an effect" so to say.

but of course totally subjective!!
 
You did say snake wood? You got to be careful what you ask for Todd! LOL!!
HuntnCarve

FirstSnakewoodClose.jpg
 
Lol........Way to much free time on your hands Dave!!!!!! But maybe you started something. Who else can make a snakewood call? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Any way is the real stuff rare and hard to get and wheres it from that makes it $$$$$$$$$. Its not one of those things the a cat eats and passes then ya sell it for $100 a pound is it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Todd
 
I voiced this guy "raspy rattler"! LOL! He'll be on his way to Alaska. Actually sounds pretty good with a cottontail voice in it! Hope you enjoy it!
Dave
 
Snakewood (Piratinera guianensis) comes from the Guianas on the north coast of South America between the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers, and in particular from Dutch Guiana or Surinam. It is a moderate sized tree, typically 30 to 40 feet tall and up to 16 inches in diameter. The trunk is mostly soft white sapwood, but at its centre is a billet of lustrous, wine-red heartwood, shot through with the striking dark markings which give it its name. The wood is very hard, strong and close textured, and is difficult to work. It nevertheless finishes smoothly and takes a very high polish. The wood fades from its original deep red to a pale reddish-brown, and the snake-like markings gradually vanish. In this guise the wood is often mistaken for mahogany or some other so-called 'exotic'. The heaviest and the hardest wood in the world is Snakewood. It's specific gravity averages 1.30.
 
If Snakewood is heavier and denser than ironwood,that would be amazing.If you go on ebay and see the guy selling the snakewood calls,if you go to his website you can see he has a line of high priced duck calls.If the predator calls ever go that way in price you can say good bye to the average joe ever being able to afford one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.That's why I like to remind everyone that we have some awesome custom call makers right here at PM /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif.And a lot of them are giving those of us into their hand calls a heck of a price break.And this average daveyboy for one appreciates that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif.take care,daveyboy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif

P.S.I wouldn't trade any of my PM custom calls for 1 of his $100 snakewood predator calls.We have our own artists in wood right here on PM.And I for one take pride in every call I have gotten from all our custom call makers.Thanks guys,just know your talents are appreciated.
 
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One of my nearest neighbors is an 85 years-young fellow--an ole mountain lion hunter--living at walk-up cabin 5 miles inside the wilderness, who hand crafts exquisite inlaid violin and cello bows. He uses a snakewood frame to get the best sound, and has to get the raw material via Italy these days because of recent import/export restrictions. A single unfinished stick of the stuff, just enough for one bow, is $300, double what it was a few years ago, he mentioned me to last April. (Apparently he knows his stuff, his bows are much prized by fiddlers and cellists. They sell for as much as $3K each). It is so hard and brittle it sometimes breaks if dropped, he tells me.

Harder woods "ring" better. While I don't know that I'd ever pay the big bucks for a snakewood predator call, it sure could be interesting to analyze the frequencies produced by a variety of hardwood calls, to see if there is any practical advantage (and not just an aesthetic one).

LionHo
 
In my own experiments with local hard woods I can tell you part of what he says is true. The harder, more dense the grain the more ring the call will have.Dogwood and cedar with more dense grain will sound diferent from Black Walnut. Black walnut will sound diferent from wild Cherry.You can take a reed from clear and crisp to throaty and hollow by just changing the wood. Jimmie
 
Thanks for the thorough answer Ninth!! So what your saying is they just use the center of the tree? I'll just assume its rare and har dto get a hold of? or most sought after?

Daveyboy I think Ninthinning spins thoughs calls?

Ok so what Lions young buddy says about it being brittle is there any light you can shine on that Ninth?

Thanks,
Todd
 
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http://www.doccalls.com/carvedcalls.htm

i think this is the guy yall were talking about, on his page click on something to the left about exotic woods and take a look at some of that stuff, its insane, theres some snakewood in there.Id love to have a snakewood call, but for those prices HAH, ill stick to the good ol boys here at PM anyday
 
Thanks Alaskan Yoter. I made my first predator call at age 14 some 36 years ago. It was fawn in distress made from a rubber band between two pieces of wood. My job requires me to spend most of the day in my F350 diesel in the "wilds" of Western New York. Here we have great fish and game. Good salmon, steelhead and trout fishing. Hunting is good. My German Shorthair is a nut about hunting. Our favorite hunt is the native Ruffed Grouse. I make turkey, duck, goose and predator calls. I like my e-caller but tend to use hand calls. I have an Ebay store - Americangamecalls.com - Hopfully I can add something of value to your discussions.
 
Thats a great start Ninth, but maybe ya should leave out the part about your Ebay Store. This is one of them paid advertiser type forums. Wouldn't want to get ya in trouble right off the bat. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
I have seen some of your stuff just thought I'd give you a public welcome to come in and post, and maybe learn a little about us folks too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Be safe,
Todd

PS. Thanks for the detailed explination of the snakewood.
 
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Darn Ninth, how rude of me.

Names, Todd Rahm, ups Wasilla, Alaska way. My job to keeps me out side a lot, with some of the same critter luxuries.

I think I hunt more calls then any game out there though. Been collecting predator calls since....uh? 1999? 2000? Somewhere in that ball park. I used to go after strickly oldies but as of late (Last year or so) I have been adding more custom calls.

Be safe,
Todd
 
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I like ninthinning's calls,Arky is going to make one for me based on one of ninthinning's designs out of zebra wood. With a few other bells and whistles........Looking forward to trying it out.




Bryan
 
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