One of a kind: Stabilized Starfruit Burl pen blanks

One of a kind: Stabilized Starfruit burl 

Bring something a bit different to the lathe with these stabilized starfruit burl pen blanks. Each piece is one of a kind — what you see is exactly what you will receive. Simply choose your favourite blank from the dropdown menu.

What size are the blanks?

Each blank measures approximately 3/4" square by 5" long (19 mm × 19 mm × 127 mm), which is the standard size for most pen turning projects. No two pieces are the same — pick the exact blank you want. What you see is what you get! Select your preferred blank from the dropdown menu above.

What makes starfruit burl special?

Starfruit burl is valued for its unusual origin and distinctive figure. Unlike more common burl species, it offers a different visual texture with subtle voids, swirls, and natural complexity. Starfruit burl comes from the carambola tree, best known for producing the distinctive star-shaped fruit when sliced. The burl wood itself is far less common and features intricate, organic figure with flowing grain patterns and unique visual movement. When stabilized and dyed, these blanks often display bold, eye-catching colours combined with natural burl character, making every finished pen completely unique.

What is burl?

Burl is a rare, abnormal growth that forms on a tree in response to stress, injury, or disease. Instead of straight grain, burl produces tight swirls, eyes, and complex figure, making it highly prized for high-end furniture, decorative inlay, and premium turned objects like pens.

What does “stabilized” mean?

Stabilized wood has been infused with resin under vacuum and pressure. This process strengthens softer or highly figured wood, reduces the risk of cracking or tear-out, and improves machining and finishing performance. It enhances both strength and appearance, making it much more predictable to turn while preserving its unique character.

How should I finish these blanks?

Stabilized starfruit burl finishes beautifully with a variety of methods. After turning, sand through your normal grits. From there, you can apply a cyanoacrylate (CA) or friction polish finish for a high-gloss, durable surface, or sand to a very fine grit and polish using a plastic polish such as Novus or One-Step for a glass-like shine.

Fun facts about starfruit and starfruit burl

• The starfruit gets its name from the perfect star shape revealed when the fruit is sliced crosswise — a feature that makes it popular for garnishes and presentation.
• Burl wood from fruit trees like starfruit is relatively rare, forming as a natural growth response to stress or injury, which is why highly figured pieces like these are not commonly available.

Price per blank in Canadian dollars.