Shop Our Store
Specialty woods make specialty stirrups – the kind that raise eyebrows, the kind that just may even provoke a little envy from your performance competitor! Besides constructing stirrups in red oak, we also build stirrups in other woods, which puts them in a class of their own. Nettles Premier Stirrups offers five exotic woods - Elm, Mesquite, Purple Heart, Walnut, and Wenge and periodically other specialties such as Bodark, Cocobola and Curly Maple. And, we are always on the look-out for that special wood to create an absolutely gorgeous yet functional stirrup!
What Finish Can I Pick?
--- The Exotic Woods
The Exotic Elm Flatbottom
Elm is the new kid in the Nettles stable of stirrup woods. Varying in shades from light to dark brown it sometimes carries a reddish tinge and a lineup of eye-catching swirls and embellishments that only Mother Nature can provide.
The sturdy Elm once shaded the streets of nearly every American town but a fungus, most likely imported from China in 1930 marched its way across the country for the next 50 years, killing the symbol of Main Street. Dutch researchers finally discovered the fungus and its antidote, and the Elm now flourishes once again. Be a trendsetter and be one of the first to own a pair.
Shown in 3 inch Flatbottom. Also available in 2 inch treadwidths.
The Exotic Mesquite Flatbottom
Long before the Spanish Conquistadors set foot on North America the rugged Mesquite dotted the Texas landscape. It was a staple to the lifestyle of the Native American who produced a meal called pinole from its ground seed, stripped its bark for medicine, baskets and fabrics.
Today’s Mesquite is best known, however, for its strength and beauty and is used to build everything from floors to cabinets to stirrups. While other products can work with the flaws in Mesquite, Mesquite woods without flaws are necessary for stirrups, making them that much more of a prize to own.
Shown in 2″ Flatbottom. Also available in 3 inch treadwidths.
The Exotic Purple Heart Flatbottom
Purple Heart is a classic wood that makes a classic stirrup. The tree is native to Central and South America and is brown when freshly cut. It oxidizes, however, to a violet purple. This finely textured wood with a straight grain offers a wide variation in color, texture, and density, all relating to the age and environment of the tree.
The beautiful purple color can be deceptive and change to a dark brown patina with age. Whichever stage it is in, Purple Heart has a lustrous finish and makes an absolutely gorgeous stirrup. Because of the difficulty in bending Purple Heart, a laminate of the wood is usually overlaid onto an oak stirrup.
Shown in 2″ Flatbottom. Also available in 3 inch treadwidths.
The Exotic Walnut Flatbottom
Walnut is the perfect wood for exquisite stirrups. Not only is it rich in color, it is also easy on the feet. Known for its excellent shock resistance, Black Walnut is regarded as the most beautiful and most valuable cabinet wood in North America. With such a reputation, it naturally makes a superior discriminating stirrup. Black walnut is primarily grown in the central and Appalachian state.
The Exotic Wenge Flatbottom
Wenge, a heavy coarsely textured wood is almost black in color and has excellent bending and shock resistant properties. Since it is hard and heavy, Wenge is an excellent source for handles and carving, and also for designer stirrups. Wenge grows in open forests in the southern
Shown in 2″ Flatbottom. Also available in 3 inch treadwidths.
Updating...
