Burlwood Go Bowls

by John N. Hansen

Product Features

• Beautiful hand-carved and rubbed burlwood bowls.
• Perfect for storing Go buttons
• Bowls are Approximately 5" diameter
• Matching lids
• Buttons not included

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.5 x 12 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000G65PWQ
• Item model number: 100600
• Manufacturer recommended age: 8 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,777 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Burlwood Go Bowls. Complete your Go set with these beautiful, hand-carved and lidded burlwood bowls perfect for storing Go buttons.

Product Description

A set of two hand-carved burlwood bowls perfect for storing "Go" buttons. Buttons not included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ugliest go bowls ever, March 11, 2011

By 

Emommy - See all my reviews

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Burlwood Go Bowls (Toy)

My husband got these to go along with the bamboo board and synthetic stones I had asked him to order (This set is for our playroom, where things get used hard--I don't want my nice set to be trashed). It was the cheapest bowl out there, and he didn't know any better. I wish we'd just stuck with the plastic containers that came with the stones. Yes, these are the cheapest wooden bowls you can get, but not even worth the low sale price we paid for them.

First of all, the wood is by no possible stretch of the imagination actual burlwood. It is ordinary, plain-grain wood. Second, the picture on the box shows bowls that are cut with the grain going across the bowl (like most go bowls)--growth rings would slice through the center of the bowl. So that there is a side where you see vertical grain, and a side where you see circles. To turn a bunch of bowls back into the log they came from, you would line them up next to each other. That picture is misleading.

These bowls, you would stack them up one on the other. The growth rings are concentric around the vertical axis of the bowl. This produces some mighty ugly grain. It is probably also not terribly durable, as delamination of growth rings could cause big flakes to peel off the bowl (I don't know that this would ever happen). Also, there is a separate inset in the bottom of the bowl--it is not turned from a single piece.

So what can you do with a super-ugly grain? Give it a really ugly stain and a plasticky looking finish, of course. I guess it's a choice--to choose a stain that emphasizes the grain, which is certainly an unusual feature in these bowls. The effect is kind of stripey and psychedelic.

But do the bowls hold Go stones? Yes. And is Go not one of the greatest, most fascinating and deep games ever, capapble of improving the mind in many ways? Yes. However I am not sure that these bowls are likely to enhance the Go-playing experience relative, to, say, a pair of nice tupperware bowls. If you want nice wooden bowls, save up to get nicer ones. If you can't afford nice wooden bowls, stick with plastic.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Bowls, June 16, 2008

By 

Katie Wong (Grand Prairie, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Burlwood Go Bowls (Toy)

This product is only the wooden bowls; you have to buy the game and pieces separately. That said, the product is extremely good quality, with lots of space for the pieces.
For the serios Go player, it will be a very nice addition, to your personal collection or to the family's.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinarily Beautiful Wooden Bowls, August 28, 2009

By 

E. Toreau - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Burlwood Go Bowls (Toy)

I bought these as a gift for my son who recently received a wooden "Go" board and is fascinated by the game. These wooden bowls are exquisite. They are larger than I imagined, but this seems to be the usual size of "Go" bowls. These are a special addition to the beautiful board and pieces. They really add to the aesthetic of the game!