For the CHEVALVUE horseheads we are using 200 year old French oak (Quercus robur, Quercus sessile).The oak is so called ring-porous tree. The heartwood is very hard and has a light to dark-brown color. The oak can become up to meters 40 high, and possess a diameter of up to three meters. The maximum age is approx. 1000 year. Approx. 200 years old wood reaches as sufficient diameter so that the CHEVALVUE horse heads can be made of one singe piece
German oak cannot be used due to the danger by garnet and ammunition fragments from two wars. Many old trees contain metal arrears without outwardly visible traces to exhibit. Enclosed metal discolours the wood and increases the risk with the mechanical treatment.
NEWS - CHEVALVUE horseheads are also availible in red oak (Quercus rubra)
Although the red oak is plant in France initially since the 18. century - above alll as park- and alley trees - we sometimes can aquire logs with sufficient width. The red oak is characterised by a thin sap an a red-brown coloured wood.