About Our Exotic Woods - Exotic Wood Descriptions

About Our Exotic Woods - Page 1 (Woods A-L)

Our inventory of exotic woods traces its roots, so to speak, to virtually all across the globe — including various locales in Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America, as well as Mexico, Central America, and the United States.

Most of our woods have been air dried, with the moisture content of individual pieces varying. Some woods have been kiln dried. If a piece has been kiln dried, we try to note this information on our Web site (such pieces, incidentally, are usually two inches thick or less). Many of the woods have been treated with Paraffin wax to help prevent cracking; some woods have been treated on the ends with Anchor Seal in addition to, or in lieu of, the wax. None of the woods has been impregnated. The wax will come off naturally when the wood is turned, or it can be scraped off using a simple paint scraper.

We generally ship within two business days of receiving an order.

Click on Any Photo Below for a Larger Version

Name/Origin of Exotic Wood	Photo	Finished Product Photo (if available)	Additional Details
African Blackwood Botanical Name: Dalbergia melanoxylon Country of Origin: South Africa More African Blackwood Info			Highly prized for making woodwind instruments due to its tonal qualities Heartwood ranges from shades of brown to black Very hard, heavy, and dense Fair amount of oily dust generated when cutting or sanding; good ventilation is required Average Specific Gravity: 1.2
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, musical instruments, various types of handles

Afzelia Burl Botanical Name: Afzelia spp. Countries of Origin: Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria			Orange-ish heartwood matures to a deep reddish brown with exposure to air Dense and heavy Irregular, interlocked grain Turns and finishes well Recommended to rough turn this wood and then set aside to season fully Average Specific Gravity: 0.82
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, furniture, musical instruments, flooring, veneer

Amboyna Burl Botanical Name: Pterocarpus indicus Countries of Origin: Myanmar, Laos More Amboyna Burl Info			Heartwood ranges from golden yellow to deep red Also called Narra Fragrant aroma Carves well Considered excellent for both turning and finishing Average Specific Gravity: 0.66
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, furniture, pool-cue butts, musical instruments, handles, veneer

Australian Myrtle Burl Botanical Name: Nothofagus cunninghamii Countries of Origin: Australia and Tasmania			Also called Myrtle Beech Trees are host to an orange-yellow fungus that produces sweet and edible clusters (about the size of small apples) Known for having high bending strength Takes a high polish Average Specific Gravity: 0.58
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, fine furniture

Black Palm Botanical Name: Borassus flabellifer Country of Origin: Myanmar More Black Palm Info			Stringy grain with multicolored, streak-like figure Dense hardwood Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools Average Specific Gravity: 0.68
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, inlay work, cooking spoons and other utensils

Black-and-White Ebony Botanical Name: Diospyros embryopteris Countries of Origin: Myanmar, Laos			Features distinct black streaks Rare species of ebony Turns and finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery

Bocote Botanical Name: Cordia elaeagnoides Country of Origin: Mexico More Bocote Info			Figure consists of multicolored, wavy stripes Hard, dense, and fairly oily Can sometimes be sliced into highly decorative veneers for paneling Polishes to a smooth finish Average Specific Gravity: 0.85 (varies widely)
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, boxes, furniture, boat decking

Bolivian Rosewood Botanical Name: Machaerium scleroxylon Country of Origin: Bolivia			Also known as Pau Ferro Sometimes used as a substitute for Brazilian rosewood Heartwood is light to medium brown or purple with dark growth lines Finishes well
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, musical instruments, handles, furniture, inlay work, veneer

Brown Ebony Botanical Name: Caesalpina paraguariensis Country of Origin: Argentina			Very dense and hard Stable; fairly easy to work with Polishes nicely
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, veneer

Burmese Blackwood Botanical Name: Dalbergia cultrata Countries of Origin: Myanmar, Laos, Thailand			Varies in color from shades of brown to black Turns and carves well Polishes nicely
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, musical instruments, furniture

Claro Walnut Burl Botanical Name: Juglans californica Country of Origin: United States			Widely variable grain and color Wood comes from trees that are a mixture of species, created by grafting English Walnut (Juglans regia) to the rootstock of either Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) or California Walnut (Juglans hindsii) Principally found in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. Strong yet bendable; finishes well Average Specific Gravity: 0.56
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, gunstock, fine furniture

Cocobolo Botanical Name: Dalbergia retusa Country of Origin: Mexico More Cocobolo Info			Boasts a striking, multi-colored appearance Natural oils in the wood make it practically waterproof Very durable Needle-like crystals embedded in the wood can cause skin irritation in some people; other people are allergic to the wood's dust, so proper precautions should be taken Average Specific Gravity: 0.89
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, inlay, veneer, chess pieces

Curly Bubinga Botanical Name: Guibourtia spp. Countries of Origin: Cameroon, Gabon			Features a captivating curly grain pattern The wood's fine pores often contain a reddish gum, which can sometimes make drying, carving, or gluing problematic Cuts and finishes well; works well with hand tools, despite its hardness Average Specific Gravity: 0.72
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, handles, furniture, musical instruments, veneer

Curly Maple Botanical Name: Acer saccharum Country of Origin: United States			Figure consists of criss-crossing "curly" lines and streaks, which form when wood fibers in the tree become distorted as they grow Heartwood is a light cream color Turns well Average specific gravity of about 0.72
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, handles, furniture, musical instruments, veneer

East Indian Rosewood Botanical Name: Dalbergia latifolia Country of Origin: India More East Indian Rosewood Info			Considered a tonewood for its consistent acoustic qualities Heartwood varies in color from rich rose to dark brown and contains purplish-black streaks Dries fairly quickly with little degrade Hard, heavy, dense, and strong Average Specific Gravity: 0.85
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, fine furniture, musical instruments

Gabon Black Ebony Botanical Name: Diospyros crassiflora Country of Origin: Gabon More Gabon Ebony Info			Heartwood is often jet black, sometimes with a wavy grain Very hard, dense, and heavy Somewhat difficult to work with, requiring sharp tools Average Specific Gravity: 1.03
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, inlay work, musical instruments, piano keys

Granadillo Botanical Name: Platymiscium yucatanum Country of Origin: Mexico			Found widely throughout Latin America Dark brown heartwood contrasts nicely with light yellow sapwood Turns and carves well Heavy and dense, although it has high bending strength Excellent polishing characteristics Average Specific Gravity: 0.79
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, carving, musical instruments, fine furniture, cabinets

Honey Mesquite Botanical Name: Prosopis alba Country of Origin: Argentina			Spiral to interlocked grain often creates a 3D-ish appearance Very dense Honey-like scent Widely used in Argentina for furniture making and fine carpentry; especially prized for its low volumetric shrinkage Average Specific Gravity: 0.76
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, furniture, flooring

Kingwood Botanical Name: Dalbergia cearensis Country of Origin: Brazil			French kings in centuries past reportedly favored this wood for their furniture; thus the name Very hard and heavy, and oily Some people are allergic to the wood's dust, so proper precautions should be taken Average Specific Gravity: 1.20
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, fine furniture, cabinets, handles, inlay work

Lignum Vitae (Argentine) Botanical Name: Bulnesia sarmientoi Country of Origin: Argentina More Argentine Lignum Vitae Info			"Lignum Vitae" means "Tree of Life" in Latin; also called "Palo Santo" ("Sainted Wood") in Argentina Very hard and dense wood Despite its density, cuts well due to its natural oils Polishes well Average Specific Gravity: 1.10
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, handles, mallets

Louro Preto Botanical Name: Nectandra mollis Country of Origin: Brazil			Features a contrasting, often wild, grain Sometimes used as a substitute for the more expensive Brazilian Rosewood Very hard wood Good finishing qualities Average Specific Gravity: 0.70
	Some Common Uses: Turnery, flooring, furniture, veneer

Page 2 (Woods M-Z)