What kind of wood is this?

[Tom Lewis]

This wood is hard heavy and dense. I don't think it is a rosewood, or red heart, or blood wood. I don't know where it came from as it was given to me by the wife of a former woodworker.

 

[Matt Rochester]

Kinda looks like mahogany. Does it have any chatoyance in the light?

 

[Frank Niro]

I think it's blood wood, Tom.
Frank

 

[Willie71]

Similar grain to purple heart, but the colour is a bit off. I think bloodwood is probably correct.

 

[RayseM]

I picked up a piece of exactly that last weekend from a friend. I have yet to accurately identify it except to say that it is not Mahogany or Jatoba. I don't think Ipe either. Blood wood? Not sure. Paduak? Maybe. You can tell I'm on it. I need to scrape it down and reveal some fresh surface and slice off and end to see the cell structure.

I'm hoping you can tell me


Ray

 

[Greenberg Woods]

I highly doubt it's ipe. My bets would be purpleheart, bloodwood, Jatoba or merinza

 

[Willie71]

If that isn't freshly cut, I think it's purple heart. I thought possibly Paduak, but the grain is coarser than any of the Paduak I've used. Purple Heart gets that brownish colour as it's exposed to uv rays and oxygen.

 

[Matt Rochester]

Have you put anything on the top of it or is it natural? I have a piece very similar that a lady brought me to use on a kitchen knife. I'm not sure what it is either so I'm definitely interested. I'm just going to finish it with teak oil or something similar. This piece has no finish. I will see if I can find out what it is.

Edit: After looking closer I don't think this piece is the same as what you have. Sorry.

 

[Willie71]

Have you put anything on the top of it or is it natural? I have a piece very similar that a lady brought me to use on a kitchen knife. I'm not sure what it is either so I'm definitely interested. I'm just going to finish it with teak oil or something similar. This piece has no finish. I will see if I can find out what it is.

That looks like zebrano to me (zebrawood.) use a Danish oil finish. (I like tried and true from Lee valley for zebrano, as it doesn't darken the wood as much as other oil finishes. I usually recommend watco, but not for zebrano.

 

[Matt Rochester]

That looks like zebrano to me (zebrawood.) use a Danish oil finish. (I like tried and true from Lee valley for zebrano, as it doesn't darken the wood as much as other oil finishes. I usually recommend watco, but not for zebrano.

Thanks Warren! This whole wood identity guessing thing is tough but kinda fun.

Turns out mine is Brazilian cherry.

 

[Tom Lewis]

Thanks to all who showed interest in identifying this wood.
The wood in the picture is natural, no finish on it.
I think I can rule out mahogany, purple heart and paduak. I have lots of those woods on hand and this is different.
I am not sure about blood wood. What I have seems to be denser than blood wood.

 

[Del Raso Knives]

Grain looks very much like merbau to me, colour is more red than usual though. Used extensively for decking and window sills in Oz. Comes from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

 

[RayseM]

Here is some info on Bloodwood - http://www.wood-database.com/bloodwood/
The grain still doesn't look quite right to me. No kidding though the piece I have looks exactly like yours. Testing in order...



Ray

 

[chumaman]

first one....Redheart according endgrain
http://www.wood-database.com/redheart/
second one... maybe Tulipwood
http://www.wood-database.com/brazilian-tulipwood/

 

[Tom Lewis]

Thanks again for everyone's interest. Ray, I hope you find out what it is and let me know.
I have had a lot of experience with Redheart, and Tulipwood, and it is neither of those.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Can you sand down a section of it?

What does it smell like when sanded? What's the fresh sanded color?

 

[chumaman]

first one maybe Katalox
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/katalox.htm
http://www.wood-database.com/katalox/

 

[assuva]

I think padauk.

 

[RayseM]

Well upon closer inspection Tom I am concluding that your piece is Paduak - specifically African Padauk - Pterocarpus soyauxii. Faintly aromatic when cut? Blood red to orange -red? A thin slice of the end with close inspection at at least 10X magnification would reveal with more accuracy with a comparison to images on the Wood Data Base. Their examples show more figured grain than your piece but from my "A Guide to USEFUL WOODS OF THE WORLD book - the image is very representative of your piece. The very straight grain is what made me hesitate in my first go round of guesses. Of course if you say no to my questions I am wrong again.

I now believe my piece is IPE - more brown than yours and no odor. Not PURPLE HEART because PH is either brownish or purple - in my experience and from my samples - never as red as your piece. Not MERBAU either as this wood tends to nut brown - has an astringent taste and an irritating odor.

Still just a guess but a studied guess.

Ray

 

[Burl Source]

The color of fresh cut sawdust and the smell will help with the ID.
My first thought was Paduak but I have only used a little so I could be way off.