Wood ID

[Lo/Rez]

I was gifted some wood scales and have been using them but don't know what some of them are. This would be another case of using something that I have absolutely no idea what it is. Any help would be appreciated. This is sanded to 2500 grit.

 

[Cactus Kid]

Looks like Hickory to me. How was it to work with, hard to shape/sand or relatively easy?

 

[Lo/Rez]

I would say it was relatively easy.

 

[Cactus Kid]

So maybe is a softer wood eh? I'm just not sure, hopefully someone else on here can ID it better.

 

[Lo/Rez]

This is what it looked like prior to sanding.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Bocote. Almost no doubt. Its a great wood, it has lovely figure. It forms eyes that rarely compromise the wood structure as well. If you have a lot of it, it respondes well to stabalization, thought it doesnt really need it. It machines very nicely and holds up pretty well. As it ages it will take on a much deeper yellow than the pale yellow/ cream it has now.

 

[Lo/Rez]

Thanks. Would Danish oil and satin finish Varathane be a good way to finish this?

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Thanks. Would Danish oil and satin finish Varathane be a good way to finish this?

Personally im a fun of just tung oil. While its not nearly as oily as something like rosewood, the varnish parts of danish wont cure very well. Sand to probably 1000 and a light buff with a coat of tung is the best way. Do be aware that its not crazy hard. Its roughly on par with rock maple in terms of janka rating, though much denser.

 

[Lo/Rez]

Thanks for the tip. How would you finish African Blackwood?

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Thanks for the tip. How would you finish African Blackwood?

I have been working blackwood a fair amount recently "work at a high end carpentry/ lumber shop", it is like ebony in that it can take practically infinity fine shine. You could take it all the way up to 5000 if you wanted. I often sand with a slack belt to 600, then go through 1000, 1500, 2500 and 5000 by hand, then buff. Its in the Dalbergia genus, which is what the rosewoods are in. Super oily, so the heat created in buffing and fine sanding will finish it for you. Its also insanely hard. Stronger than ebony in terms of janka rating, and its more stable. It doesn't suffer the different lateral/ radial shrinking that leads to the cracks ebony is famous for.

 

[Lo/Rez]

Thanks. I didn't know any of this and used some Danish oil on one that I made (sanded to 2500 grit) and have put a few coats of Varathane on it. I guess I'll just wipe it off and call it a day with that one. When you talk about buffing, what exactly do you do? Just a dry cotton cloth or do you use a wheel with something on it?

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Thing is, both of those require oxygen to cure. The oil present in most exotic woods prevent that. I'll bet the handle is still tacky, because none of it can cure. For buffing, i like to use my buffing wheel because im pretty lazy, but if you get a soft lint free cloth, you can "carefully" clamp the blade in a vice, strech the cloth over the handle so both ends are down and just pump your arms to rub the cloth along, should bring out a nice shine. Last thing about this stuff is, before you glue you want to wipe them down with acetone. the oils that are present weaken any bond, and while 2 part epoxy is self curing "doesnt require oxygen", you get a better bond if you wipe them down first, wait about 10-15 minutes then glue.

 

[Lo/Rez]

Excellent advice. Thanks. I will probably be doing another set of scales tomorrow so I will be sure to wipe them down prior to gluing. I do have acetone but could isopropyl alcohol be used as a substitute if I ever run out?

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Excellent advice. Thanks. I will probably be doing another set of scales tomorrow so I will be sure to wipe them down prior to gluing. I do have acetone but could isopropyl alcohol be used as a substitute if I ever run out?

It should work, but acetone is more effective. If you or anyone else here as any exotic wood questions, please just ask.

 

[Lo/Rez]

OK. Another question. I'm guessing the wood I showed in this thread is African Blackwood. Am I correct? I did cut it and can take some pics of the cut pieces.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1266031-How-do-I-cut-this

 

[Greenberg Woods]

OK. Another question. I'm guessing the wood I showed in this thread is African Blackwood. Am I correct? I did cut it and can take some pics of the cut pieces.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1266031-How-do-I-cut-this

What did it smell like? Was it bad? Kind of a bitter musty smell or a little sweeter, kind of a sharp, mildly sweet scent.

From the look it is probably blackwood. Gabon has much less grain too it and would probably come fully waxed.

 

[Lo/Rez]

I was wearing a mask when I was cutting it but would describe it as more of a bitter smell when I took the mask off. it was covered in something just like these other ones.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

I was wearing a mask when I was cutting it but would describe it as more of a bitter smell when I took the mask off. it was covered in something just like these other ones.

I have samples of both, i'll do some quick testing tomorrow and get back to you

 

[Lo/Rez]

Thanks. This is a pic of the stuff I cut.

 

[Lo/Rez]

What did it smell like? Was it bad? Kind of a bitter musty smell or a little sweeter, kind of a sharp, mildly sweet scent.

From the look it is probably blackwood. Gabon has much less grain too it and would probably come fully waxed.

I just asked my wife to smell the cut wood and she said it kind of smelled like perfume. It's not unpleasant.