# What type of "mahogany"?



## southernclay (Aug 19, 2015)

Hi all, got this board in a craigslist deal as a throw in, seems to be one of the many "mahoganies" but not sure what type. The edge is pretty rough and wooly. I've sanded it with 150 grit and no strong smell. Thanks for the help!

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## phinds (Aug 20, 2015)

The ribbon stripe in the second pic looks like that found in African mahogany, but the red color in the first pic does not. Can you get an actual end grain shot?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## southernclay (Aug 20, 2015)

Thanks @phinds
Here are a few shots, sanded down real quick this am, hopefully it shows enough. Wetted it down a bit too to help. The board is 10'x14" 7/4thick
I just moved and my shop is a wreck with no lighting so sorry for the pics not being better. Appreciate the help.


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## phinds (Aug 20, 2015)

Can't tell anything from that end grain shot and the deep red still says to me it's not likely mahogany, but the last pic directly above is brown not red, so I don't know what to think about the color. Some of your pics are clearly red and some are clearly not red but brown.

Can you send me a cutoff? If it is mahogany, the best I can do is distinguish between African mahogany (genus Khaya) and American mahogany (genus Swietenia). Telling Cuban from Honduran with the American group is impossible for me.

Also, if it is not mahogany I may be able to figure out what it is.

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## southernclay (Aug 20, 2015)

The lighting does stink, have two bare bulbs currently, getting the bride happy getting the whole house settled then diving into the shop.

I'd be happy to send you a piece. If ok with you I'll just slice off a nice size chunk so you can have something to play with when you're done.

Shoot me your address and one day next week I'll get it out to you.


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## phinds (Sep 1, 2015)

OK, got the piece, did the analysis. Here are the pics followed by the analysis. I sanded one corner to 400 grit (face and end, side is only to 240)


















 


end grain showing fading marginal parenchyma:




As expected for both khaya and Swietenia species:
strong rays at 10X
graininess of the face grain
ray flakes in quartersawn surfaces
frequency of radial pore multiples as expected

and then there's
1) sparse marginal parenchyma; not a guarantee that it's African mahoganies
(genus Khaya), but strongly indicative.
2) marginal parenchyma that comes and goes; VERY strong indicator of Khaya species
and strong counter-indicator for Swietenia species (American mahoganies). Very remote (essentially 
zero) possibility of Entandrophragma (sapele), which I have never seen with such sparse
marginal parenchyma
3) dark brown color is just slightly more indicative of Khaya but certainly could be Swietenia

The ribbon stripe that is present in some of the original pics above, but not in the sample I have, is also indicative of Khaya.

So I conclude that it is one of the Khaya species (African mahogany) but impossible for me to tell which one.

Reactions: Informative 3


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## southernclay (Sep 2, 2015)

Wow, thanks! I really appreciate you doing that. Very cool and good to know.....tried to send you a big enough piece to get to do something fun with although I have a feeling you aren't running low on wood, lol.

I do appreciate you taking the time to do that as well as so quickly.


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## phinds (Sep 2, 2015)

southernclay said:


> Wow, thanks! I really appreciate you doing that. Very cool and good to know.....tried to send you a big enough piece to get to do something fun with although I have a feeling you aren't running low on wood, lol.
> 
> I do appreciate you taking the time to do that as well as so quickly.


Warren, no problem. Actually it was the fact that you sent such a big piece (thanks, by the way) that caused me to get it done quickly because if I hadn't, it would have taken up too much space on my desk until I did

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