Page 1 Exotic hardwoods used in knifemaking, handles and grips for knives

*HARDWOOD LISTINGS*	*Page menu*

AMBOYNA BURL (Latin name)

It comes from Cambodia and Burma. Very rare.
A dense burly pattern with eyes and swirls..
Weighs (xx) lbs per cubic foot.

ANGICO (Pitpadenia Rigida)
It is found in India, Burma, Ceylon(Sri Lanka) and the Andaman Islands and it is also known as Mesua, Indian Rose Chestnut, and Ironwood in India.
The wood is very hard and heavy with a very distinct pattern, regardless of which way it is cut. Close stripe to open wavy pattern.
Color ranges from tan to brown when freshly cut and turns to a reddish brown with time.
It works easily with sharp tools and finishes well.
Weighs 65 lbs per cubic foot.

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AFRICAN BLACKWOOD (Dalbergia Melanoxynol)

It is mistakenly called Granadillo
Other Names: Congowood, Mozambique ebony, Senegal ebony, Cape Damson ebony.
This tree is widely spread over the African continent. From Sudan southward to Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria and Senegal.
Color is dark purplish brown with black streaks, giving a nearly black effect. It is exceptionally dense, very hard and heavy wood, slightly oily with fine texture.
Finishes exceptionally well but really it does not require any finish.
This wood has exceptionally good working qualities. It cuts very smooth and evenly, taking an excellent finish directly form the tool of the drill or lathe. It can be tapped for screw threads almost like metal. It is considered to be the best wood available for ornamental turnery.
Has strong odour when work get heated and readily clogs up sanding belts if at all dull.

Main use is for music instruments such as clarinets, flutes, bag pipes, etc...
It is superior to Ebony for this purpose because of its oily nature and resistance to weather and temperature changes.
The wood is also used for knife handles, Pen-blanks, chessmen and pool cues.

Weighs 82 lbs per cubic foot.

NOTE on true Granadillo
Species - LEGUMINOSAE - Platymiscium pleiostachium
Granadillo is also called Cristobal or Quira Macawood and it is listed in CITES appendix II of Endangered Species - logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets.

AMAZON BLOODWOOD / SATINE (Brosimum Paraense)

Found in Brazil.
Hard and heavy, free from warpage and shrinkage. Takes a high lustrous finish
Color varies from Rich strawberry red, sometimes with golden yellow stripes, to rich deep red with undertones of purple, but very little figure.
Weighs 60 lbs per cubic foot.

As listed by: XYLO-australis
If you supply this wood, this space is for you. Click here for details

BEEFWOOD (Manilcara Bibentata)

Beefwood name comes from this woods resemblance to a slice of fatty beef.
Comes from Guyana, it is also called Bulletwood by some suppliers. It is different from Australian Beef Oak, also called Beefwood
Hard and heavy, takes a fine polish.
Color is reddish brown to plum red.
Weighs 60 lbs per cubic foot.

BOCOTE (Cordia Eleanenoides)

Found in Mexico and Central America.
Hard and heavy, medium density and works well. Appears oily with a medium luster. Takes an outstanding finish and it is one of the most sought after woods in the knifemaking. Fragrant when working.
Color is tobacco yellow to reddish brown with black stripes, often highly figured with eyes.
Weighs 50-60 lbs per cubic foot.

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BOIS D'ARC (Maclura pomifera) Bois D'arc - French for the "wood of the bow"
It grows along the rivers from East Texas, to Lousiana, Arcansas and Oklahoma.
Other common names: BOIS DE ARC, HEDGE and OSAGE ORANGE.
Native Indians, exlusively Cadda, used it for making tomahawks, bows and for the trade.
This wood is incredibly hard and almost indestructible. It lasts a very long time in the ground and has been used for generations as both fence posts and as pilings for stilt houses built in the swamps. It is so hard that it can make sparks fly from your chainsaw! When freshly worked it finishes to an incredible deep yellow color, which mellows over time to a rich orange-brown. It is the source of those big, round, knubby green "horseapples" you used to throw as a kid.

As listed by: XYLO-australis

If you supply this wood, this space is for you. Click here for details

Owl

BRIAR (Erica Arborea)

Grows in Algeria, Greece and Turkey.
Warm brown, burly figure with many bird eyes and tight swirls.
Medium hard and heavy, polishes easily with high luster. Very rare.
Weighs 45- 55 lbs per cubic foot.

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BUBINGA (Guibotia tessmannii)

Found in Africa, this wood is light tan with a pink cast, machines well and takes a nice finish.
Weighs 55 lbs per cubic foot.

As listed by: XYLO-australis
If you supply this wood, this space is for you. Click here for details

Owl

Other Common Names:
Beefwood (Guyana)
Macaranduba (Brazil)
Chicozapote (Mexico)
Ausubo (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)
Nispero (Panama)
Bolletri (Surinam)
Balata rouge (French Guiana)

Grows throughout the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America.
Color:
Lght to dark reddish brown heartwood, the whitish or pale brown sapwood.
Texture:
texture is fine and uniform with straight to occasionally slightly wavy or interlocked grain.
No distinctive odor or taste. Finishes to medium luster
Weighs 65 lbs per cubic foot.

CAMEL THORN (Acasia erioloba)

Other Common Names: Giraffe Thorn, Kameeldoring, Mimosa, and Transvaal camelthorn
It is one of the dominant tree in the Southern Africa savannah. Plentifull is Botswana and, like everywhere else in the country, very common in Moremi, and the Okavango Delta, Namibia, Kalahari Desert.
Dark brown, heavy dense wood, polishes well.

COCOBOLO (Dalbergia Retusa)

It is imported from Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
One of the most colorful woods available, varies from red to black, dark brown to gold and yellow. It is very dense, finishes beautifully and is very durable. Works well with machine tools, avoid overheating when working.
Dust is very irritating and hazardous to those with respiratory problems.
A good mask should be worn while working with it.
Weighs 60-77 lbs per cubic foot.

EBONY - BLACK, GABOON, MACASSAR (Diospyros Ebenum, Discolor)

Found in East Indies and Africa.
Hard and heavy, fine texture with metallic luster, finishes smoothly and takes a high glossy polish.
Black Ebony - Generally jet black but sometimes with lighter streaks.
Macassar Ebony - Black with yellowish or reddish brown streaks, or gray tan.

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TEXAS EBONY (Pithocellobium flexicaule)

The Texas Ebony is called this because it is dark and hard and heavy BUT it is NOT a True ebony ie is not a Diospyros species.
Other common names: - Ebony blackbead, Apes earring, Ebony Ebano and Paloferro.
It grows in south Texas and Mexico. The heartwood is described as dark reddish-brown tinged with purple. It is close grained, strong, is oily or waxy and very heavy.
It is noted for its strength and finishes naturally to a high natural lustre. It machines and turns very well.
Weighs 63 lbs per cubic foot.

NOTE:
Ebony is an extremely fragile wood and care is needed to prevent cracking.
After working it, seal the surface with a coat of varnish, or just wrap in the Saran wrap till you are ready to work it some more.
Keep ebony from sudden temperature and humidity changes, and store in a cool place.
Ebony makes fantastic handles, but tends to be unstable (and expensive). Vendors and knife makers cannot guarantee that it will not crack.

As listed by: XYLO-australis
If you supply this wood, this space is for you. Click here for details

GONCALO ALVES (Astronium Fraxinifolium)

Found in tropics, Southern Mexico to South America, primary source Eastern Brazil.
Also called Tigerwood, light golden brown to reddish brown with blackish brown streaks, exhibiting vertical bands or stripes of black. Sometimes has a mottled figure.
Hard and heavy, fine texture and takes a glass-like polish.
Weighs 53 lbs per cubic foot.

As supplied by: The Lumberlady - Hardwoods of Yuma

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GRENADILLO (Species: Granadillio Platymiscum yucatanum)

Also known as Kirawood, Coyote, Cocobolo, Granadillo, Guayacan Trebol, Jacaranda do brejo, Koenatepi, Macacauba, Macawood, Trebal.
Grows in central latin America in tropics. Southern Mexico to South America to the Brazilian Amazon region, and Trinidad
Used as a substitute wood for Cocobolo, or Bolivian rosewood Pau Ferro and Honduras Rosewood. It is very hard, heavy and dense.
It glues, nails and screws well, finishes smoothly, takes a high polish, and is rated highly durable.
Frequently used for fine furniture and cabinetry, decorative veneers, flooring, musical instruments, turnery, joinery and specialty items such as violin bows and billiard cues.
Exotic hardwood with reddish-brown heartwood, some orange, violet to purple with dark streaks; Sapwood is creamy white.
Weighs 75-78 lbs per cubic foot.

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ARIZONA or DESERT IRONWOOD (Olneya Tesota)

The best grades come from deep in Mexican Sonora desert and are becoming very scarce.
The presentation grades (figure and color) are the most beautiful of all woods. Supplies are dwindling and prices are increasing.
It is very heavy, hard and oily wood, takes an outstanding finish just with only buffing, and gives an extradimentional effect.
Color ranges from light to very dark brown to a golden color sometimes with dark streaks, held in very high esteem by custom knife collectors.
Weighs 68 lbs per cubic foot.
Read more about this fast disappearing natural resource in the article, one of many on the net

SOUTH AMERICAN IRONWOOD (Swartsia Tomentosa)

This wood comes from Surinam and is not yet listed anywhere, unless you find Swartsia Bannia, which is inacurately listed as IPE. There is another variety that is slightly violet in color.
Rich looking with dark bars across lighter brown background. Looks good
Very hard and heavy and takes good finish.
Store with care and well sealed to prevent cracking.
Weighs 70-80 lbs. per cubic foot.

KOA (Acacia koa)

Grows on Hawaiian Islands. Also called KOA-KA or Hawaiian Mahogany.
Color is light to dark brown with distinct golden luster, sometimes with irregular dark streaks. Often curly figure and fine texture.
Moderately hard and heavy, takes a high lustrous finish.
Weighs 50 lbs per cubic foot.

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LACEWOOD (Cadrwellia Sublimis)

Grows in Queensland, Australia.
Light pink to light reddish brown with a silvery sheen, flaky, texture fairly coarse.
Moderately hard and heavy, works easily and takes a lustrous finish.
Fairly scarce.
Weighs ( ) lbs per cubic foot.

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LEADWOOD (Combretum imberbe)

Common name(s): Hardekool, Bastard yellow wood, Elephant trunk, Ivory tree, leadwood
The Lead Wood is protected specie of tree in Southern Africa.
This African wood grows in the Okavango Delta and in the Moremi Game Reserve, it is abundant and readily availiable from Tanzania to Kwazulu-Natal.

The wood is exeptionally hard and very difficult to work but suitable for ornamental workd as well as furniture
Dark brown with close grain, Takes a lustrous finish

Weigh up to 1,200kg per cubic meter when air-dried.

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As listed by: XYLO-australis

LIGNUM-VITAE (Guaiacum Officinale)

It grows from Mexico to South America.
Also called Guayacan and Guaiacum, and Ironwood
It is the hardest and most dense of all the woods.
The color varies from piece to piece. From light olive green, golden to brown or nearly black.
The pattern is quite plain but can be mottled or striped, herring wood patterns. This wood is oily .
It polishes well and is extremely durable. Exotic spice smell when working.
Weighs 83 lbs per cubic foot.

Lignum-vitae Important notice:
Species - ZYGOPHYLLACEAE - Guaiacum officiale - Holywood, Tree of life
is listed in CITES appendix II of Endangered Species - logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets.
Lignum Vitae

As donated by: The Lumberlady - Hardwoods of Yuma

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