uncut old boxwood blocks- sanding advice

[brian h]

I was gifted some larger pieces of boxwood by a friend of mine (a master engraver from southern Ontario) who had a few larger blocks of boxwood he received many years back from his mentor. These had been stored in his cellar and I don't know about storage that his mentor had used so there was a bit of mildew smell to them and also the surface on both sides is patchy. I am new to boxwood and don't have a lot of experience working with it but want to cut some into smaller block sizes and use it for engraving. Would a sanding of the surfaces before using be possible to lighten the discoloration? Or is this normal appearance? Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance. 

[Mike Lyon]

Sure! To keep it flat, stick adhesive-backed sandpaper to a flat surface (table saw, kitchen counter, glass plate) and go for it! Maybe start with 200 or 400 grit? 

Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri

http://mlyon.com

https://lyon.gallery

http://facebook.com/MikeLyon.KC

@ART_MikeLyon

http://woodblockprints.org

http://kc.ska.org

On Thu, Jun 20, 2024 at 10:35 AM brian h <brh...@gmail.com> wrote:

I was gifted some larger pieces of boxwood by a friend of mine (a master engraver from southern Ontario) who had a few larger blocks of boxwood he received many years back from his mentor. These had been stored in his cellar and I don't know about storage that his mentor had used so there was a bit of mildew smell to them and also the surface on both sides is patchy. I am new to boxwood and don't have a lot of experience working with it but want to cut some into smaller block sizes and use it for engraving. Would a sanding of the surfaces before using be possible to lighten the discoloration? Or is this normal appearance? Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance. 

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[Mary Krieger]

A large piece of bowood is a treasure! Cutting a large block into smaller pieces closes off any future options to make larger images. These blocks have the potential of carrying many engravings as it is possible to plane and then sand down a block surface once all desired impressions are been pulled.

To work with smaller images you do not have to cut up the larger block - just mark off the sizes you want to work with and engrave only that portion. When you come to inking, mask the adjacent area of the block with something so that your paper margins remain clean.

Happy experimenting!

Mary Krieger

Winnipeg Canada