Holly Lends Itself to Burnishing

My new favorite wood to work with.

I tend to dislike anything that stabs me in the garden...

 but now I have a new appreciation.

While working with the holly Y's I noticed the wood was very different, it tended to fray especially when I filed it.

But I also noticed, when it was rubbed hard, it shined as though it had a gloss coat on it. 

Wow, so I kept rubbing! I used cut-offs of the holly at first... 

 but then got the job done with a big screw driver!

On the left, white and frayed and on the right shiny and smooth.

I wish all wood was like this!