Hand Carved One of a Kind Wooden Shoehorns

Cocobolo Wood Shoehorns

These four shoehorns were carved from cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa). This member of the rosewood family is considerd by many to be the most beautiful of all hardwoods, and Mexican cocobolo is deemed to be the most beautiful of all. Cocobolo was once common along the west cost of Central America from Southern Mexico to Venezuela. Due to overlogging, in recent years cocobolo has become scarce throughout its normal range. That is why I purchase only fair trade plantation grown Mexican cocobolo, direct from the mill.

9 Inch Cocobolo Wood Shoehorn - $49

 

11.5 Inch Cocobolo Wood Shoehorn - $69

 

14 Inch Cocobolo Wood Shoehorn - $89

 

14 Inch Cocobolo Wood Shoehorn - $89

15.5 Inch Morado Wood Shoehorn - $98

 

Morado is a wood of many names. It is sometimes called Pau Ferro, which is Latin for iron wood, and because the wood is similar in appearance and working properties to rosewood, it is also sometimes referred to as Bolivian or Santos Rosewood, but unlike true Brazilian Rosewood, it is not endangered.

 

Branch Wood Shoehorns

I have been collecting branches from local hardwood trees for over two decades. When I find one that seems interesting I set it aside for a few years until it is thouroughly cured and ready to be worked. Whatever I decide to make from one of these branches I let the shape and grain patterns in the branch determine the look of the final piece. So it was with each of the shoehorns below. Whichever one you choose, you can be certain that there will never be another like it.

15.5-inch Mountain Mahogany Branch Wood Shoehorn - $89

Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus) is native to the western United States and is in the same plant family as the apple and the rose. It grows as a shrub or small tree. It is not commercially available. The branch from which this shoehorn was carved was gathered almost thirty years ago near Kalispell in western Montana. In the time since then, wood beetles have been hard at work, tunneling through the wood, doing their own carving, providing texture and character to the finished shoehorn.

17.5 Inch Italian Prune Branch Wood Shoehorn - $89

Although the Italian prune tree is not native to western Washington, it has become "nativized" and now grows wild in several spots on Vashon and Maury Island where I make my home. The wood is quite hard and very durable. As you can see, though, this is no deterent to the beetles who carved their own designs into the wood before I turned it into this very much one-of-a-kind shoehorn.

18 Inch Spalted Maple Branch Wood Shoehorn - $119

Spalting is the staining that can occur in dry wood due to exposure to certain types of fungi. Although it usually results in at least some weakening of the wood's structure, occasionally a piece of wood can be spectacularly spalted with no appreciable degradation in the wood's strength and hardness. This was the case with the piece of bigleaf maple from which this shoehorn was made. It is a "man-sized" shoehorn with a hefty handle over an inch in diameter and a broad blade that is over two inches across.

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If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it within thirty days for exchange, credit, or refund. Wooden rings are returnable for replacement only (see Wood Ring pages for details). All items must be accompanied by the original receipt.

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Site updated 12/14/2011