Four Local Artisans Who Give Us a Woody

A Renovo craftsman sands a wood bike frame.

Ever noticed how many bumpers around town shout out “I HEART Wood”? Portlanders love wood and working with it. My own love affair with woodworking was short-lived. I still have the squirrel bookends and oversized key-shaped key holder I sawed and sanded (and sanded) for shop class in sixth grade. These days, I’ve retired the drill press, table saw and sandpaper in favor of the local talent’s creations. And there are options a plenty. Stumptown woodworkers are introducing new trends in wood, rousing fans here and abroad.

Shwood Sunglasses

The last time I spent any real cash on sunglasses was for a pair of Revos that wound up flying down Highway 14 at 70mph. I haven’t extended my sunglass-bedecked face out the car window since then. Nor have I entertained spending more than $15 for a new pair of shades—until last month. That’s when I spied Shwood sunglasses at the Lizard Lounge in Northwest Portland. The genius of Eric Singer, Shwoods are designed and manufactured in his Beaverton shwoodshop. Lightweight and retro, they come in two classic lines—the Canby and Govy. They’re made from woods like maple, zebrawood and East Indian Rosewood and feature Carl Zeiss Italian lenses. Polarized models are available, too.

Find Shwood sunglasses at Lizard Lounge, Local 35 and Compound Gallery.

Renovo Hardwood Bicycles

Wooden bikes in Portland? It’s only natural. Renovo makes hollow wood and laminated bamboo bike frames. They say it's “the smoothest bike you'll ever ride, stealth quiet, lightweight and responsive, stiff as you want.” Founder, Ken Wheeler, claims he and his team aren’t woodworkers or even carpenters. They’re engineers and designers who chose to make their frames from wood because of its “excellent properties.” You pick the wood, including Oregon-sourced options, and the Renovo team will custom fit the frame to your frame. They design, machine and hand finish the bikes in their Hosford-Abernathy workshop. A blend of fine design, innovation and brilliant engineering, these easy riders are sustainable and beautiful.

Find Renovo bikes online at www.renovobikes.com.

Sticks & Stones

Rings—my favorite accessory. My jewelry boxes are bottomless pits for rings of every material. And, now I can add wooden ones to the mix. The rings about town these days are two-finger designs from Sticks & Stones. The company does bowties, cufflinks and one-finger rings, too. But, the two-finger numbers are decidedly their coolest—and their best sellers. All their wares are designed and made by the collective in their Clinton studio. Layers of FSC-certified hard woods like Russian birch and maple impart a Samsonite indestructibility, while the designs themselves yield a unique, must-have aesthetic. Some are accented with gemstones, fine metals, leather or resin.

Find Sticks & Stones at Lizard Lounge, Local 35 and Compound Gallery.

Substrata

A mac fan (not the Big kind), I was excited to run across Substrata’s beautiful iPhone, iPod and iPad cases crafted of gorgeous hardwoods like African mahogany, maple, walnut, fir, padauk, zebrano and wenge. They make docks and stands for them too in their Gresham workshop. The smart designs feature sliding or hinged lids, and allow access to everything you need: screens, ports, buttons, speakers and microphones. The iPhone and iPod cases don’t just look good, they feel good too—to the touch and to the heart. The company donates $3 from the profit of every iPhone and iPod case sold to relief and reforestation causes. How’s that for good wood?

Find Substrata’s cases online at www.substrata.net.

Got a woody fave of your own? Tell us about it!