Limewood

[Clark]

Hi, Richard,

Limewood is European Basswood, a Tilia as with N.Am. The ornamental
trees I've seen planted around have smaller leaves than the native US
ones, though possibly they're still another sub species: leaves dark
green, sort of shiny, smooth edges (or something like that).

Wolfendon writes that it was favored for key sticks until stocks were
diminished where splitting logs was discarded in favor of sawing, after
which warping became a problem and other species used. Well, maybe in
Europe, still, the antique Lime key sets in my shop seem better than
Basswood. My experience is that Basswood - a hardwood - is softer, less
stiff, harder to machine cleanly and more unstable but much cheaper than
Sugar Pine or "instrument quality" Spruce.

As for Basswood, I think it's also called whitewood. Little or no figure
or color although lumber can be a little coarse (fuzzy). It's
lightweight and (a little too) easy to carve, accepts stain readily - a
favorite for small goods and hobby items. Crap for keys, IMO, but fine
for reed organ coupling levers, hoppers or jacks. Like in two-piece
Chickering ones.


Clark