Garage Sale Wood - ID?

Brock Cutlery

Brock Cutlery

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Jan 10, 2015
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My wife found this at a garage sale thinking it was desert ironwood, but I don't think it is.
Anyone?
 

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This looks like some type of laminate to me. It reminds me of a rifle stock color that was called apple jack.
 
Macassar Ebony (Diospyros celebica) vs New Guinea Striped Ebony? (Diospyros insularis) would be my guess FWIW
 
I'm not normally superstitious but if that's a fertility god, and you cut it up, you might find that the lead will be removed from your pencil for a while ;0)

Cool statue
 
Think of the marketing "scales made from the breasts of a fertility god":D...Is it pretty dense/heavy? If so, i'd cut it up!
 
Looks a lot like cocobolo to me- find a place to scrape or sand it and tell us if it has a strong smell.
 
There are many different stripped woods like that that are used by the African and Asian carvers. It could be any of them. Guessing wood type from a photo of a finished carving is like looking at a photo of a show car and trying to guess how fast it will go.

Some tests and investigations:

Pick it up....If it is heavy for its size, that is good.

Slice a leg off and make a cut across the stripes. Look at the wood in the cut. If it looks like the outside, that is good. If it is much lighter, that is bad.

Cut a 2"X2" block about 4" long ( long grain). Weigh the block on a gram scale and measure it carefully in millimeters. Calculate the density. If it approaches 1.0, that is good.

Use a sharp knife and see if it splits easily with the grain on either long axis ( with the grain - top/bottom, and side/side). If it is difficult to split, that is good.


Most of the woods they use for those carvings will stabilize OK. The heavier, denser, and oilier woods don't stabilize well, and usually don't need it.
 
Take a small chuck (any size) and drop in fresh water - if it sinks, density is more than 1.0, if floats about level with water, density about 1.0 and if floats high out of water, density a good bit less than 1.0
 
I like the scientific approach Stacey, but haven't had time to do more than drop a piece in water. It sinks straight to the bottom.
Inside is as dark as outside.
It does not split easily.
Smells a bit like Ironwood, stinky a bit. I'll compare with a fresh cut ironwood piece later this afternoon.
 
It looks like Macassar Ebony but a piece that big would be rather expensive, I was thinking Cocobolo or Rosewood which are closely related someone did mention cocobolo above or it could be possibly Zebrawood? No matter what it is, it's most likely an irritant be careful.


Here is a good reference database


http://www.wood-database.com/
 
Dopic1 said:
It looks like Macassar Ebony but a piece that big would be rather expensive, I was thinking Cocobolo or Rosewood which are closely related someone did mention cocobolo above or it could be possibly Zebrawood? No matter what it is, it's most likely an irritant be careful.


Here is a good reference database


http://www.wood-database.com/
Click to expand...

Correct that is macassar and is worth a lot of money especially when it was in the statue...that size peice of that type of wood in that god is valuable. That isnt king nor zebra nor Asian striped ebony ... it is macassar.

I used to sell it and other woods.
 
333_okh said:
Correct that is macassar and is worth a lot of money especially when it was in the statue...that size peice of that type of wood in that god is valuable. That isnt king nor zebra nor Asian striped ebony ... it is macassar.

I used to sell it and other woods.
Click to expand...

I hope it will make many nice handles. I'll have to google some handle pics.
 
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