Chinese Elm or lacebark elm, is a species native to eastern Asia, including China, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It has been described as one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus.
Elms have remarkably hard, tough wood, making them popular for tool handles, bows, and baseball bats. Chinese elm is considered the hardest of the elms, and is said to be the best of all woods for chisel handles and similar uses due to its superior hardness, toughness, and resistance to splitting. Chinese elm timber is used most for furniture, cabinets, veneer, hardwood flooring, and specialty uses such as longbow construction.
Chinese elm heartwood ranges in tone from reddish-brown to light tan, while the sapwood approaches off-white. The grain is often handsome and dramatic. Unlike other elms, the freshly cut Chinese elm has a peppery or spicy odour. While it turns easily and will take a nice polish off the lathe without any finish, and it holds detail well, it is usually considered too tough for carving or hand tools.
The timber for these pens was obtained from a storm felled tree in Helensburgh, NSW.
