# Lignum vitae?



## TimR (Apr 25, 2019)

I’ve had this about 10 yrs, got as part of an estate sale. I think LV but not sure.
Specific gravity is 1.19, not all that many in that category alone. Hope I got right pics!


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## phinds (Apr 25, 2019)

End grain shot is not good enough to tell much but from what I can see it's not LV. Can you clean up the end grain and get a better shot?

Also the face grain color is very unlikely for LV but not impossible


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## DKMD (Apr 25, 2019)

The lignum I’ve got is really dark green. Fresh cut it looks much different, but if that’s been sitting around for 10 years, I’d expect it to be much darker. 

How’s your sniffer? Lignum has a very distinct and pleasant smell... like vanilla leather.


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## phinds (Apr 25, 2019)

DKMD said:


> The lignum I’ve got is really dark green.


Are you sure it's LV? Dark green suggests verawood as much more likely.

They're easy to tell apart by the end grain. The difference is clear.


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## Mr. Peet (Apr 26, 2019)

What are the dimensions of the piece as well as weight? I'll work numbers to confirm your density if you like.

The growth rings look big for LV. Can't recall ever seeing white blotches within the heartwood either, but that could be a drying issue.


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## Arn213 (Apr 26, 2019)

I have some old slabs of genuine LV from the 1980’s woodworkers old stock from upstate NY. I have some cut-off and quick photo’s of it. The color is clear representative of the actual samples.

Weight per board foot ranges from 5.8 pounds to 6 pounds per board foot.

When you cut it fresh you do get a floral like aroma, unsurfaced, untouched in the stack, it smells like old leather bound library books.

LV color does have a wide range to a dark olive brown to a light olive greenish color. Argentine Vera shares the same light olive greenish color, but it does not come in the other form of dark olive brown. I have had both rainbow of colors of LV. Tell tale of Argentine Vera is the face grain has pattern like “feathers” and “chevron like pattern”. Outside of that per Paul, the clearest way to tell between the two species is the end grain- pores on the LV are smaller and they do not touch each other or linked to each other. Vera are arranged vertically and are linked going north and south.


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## Mr. Peet (Apr 26, 2019)

I was thinking Leadwood / Wawra, _Combretum imberbe_...?... Looking forward to that endgrain shot.


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## DKMD (Apr 26, 2019)

phinds said:


> Are you sure it's LV? Dark green suggests verawood as much more likely.
> 
> They're easy to tell apart by the end grain. The difference is clear.



Turns out that my memory sucks as badly as the lighting in my shop. I’m used to seeing this endgrain view of a pile of lignum on one of my shelves.






Here’s the round spindle blank above in the sunlight.





Side by side... lignum on the right and the Argentine imposter on the left.


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## phinds (Apr 26, 2019)

Just so I am understanding you correctly, you are recognizing that the one on the right is verawood, yes? I can't tell for sure about the one on the left, but the one on the right has the unmistakable strong interlocked grain of verawood.

Hm ... re-reading your post I think I misunderstood, and that you are saying that the one on the right is LV. I don't think so.


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## TimR (Apr 26, 2019)

Guys, sorry I've not got around to further sanding and camera for that end grain shot. Will try tomorrow. Thanks for patience!


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## Arn213 (Apr 26, 2019)

Doc, the one on the right I am in agreement with Paul that one is Vera- there is that “feather pattern” towards the left side one which is the cylinder block (arched grain outer) . You will not see that on LV. Both can have interlocked grain.


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## Bob Ireland (Apr 27, 2019)

phinds said:


> Are you sure it's LV? Dark green suggests verawood as much more likely.
> 
> They're easy to tell apart by the end grain. The difference is clear.


Is Verawood as oily as LV? Not sure if I've had Vera wood before but LV definitely clogs up the sandpaper quickly.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## phinds (Apr 27, 2019)

Bob Ireland said:


> Is Verawood as oily as LV? Not sure if I've had Vera wood before but LV definitely clogs up the sandpaper quickly.


http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_discussion_lignum_vs_verawood.htm

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Apr 27, 2019)

phinds said:


> Just so I am understanding you correctly, you are recognizing that the one on the right is verawood, yes? I can't tell for sure about the one on the left, but the one on the right has the unmistakable strong interlocked grain of verawood.
> 
> Hm ... re-reading your post I think I misunderstood, and that you are saying that the one on the right is LV. I don't think so.





Arn213 said:


> Doc, the one on the right I am in agreement with Paul that one is Vera- there is that “feather pattern” towards the left side one which is the cylinder block (arched grain outer) . You will not see that on LV. Both can have interlocked grain.



Here’s the endgrain of the wood I thought was LV. Tough to get great pics with the phone, but I’m not sure how good is good enough.


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## phinds (Apr 27, 2019)

Definitely LV, not verawood. Is this the wood on the right in this pic? I've never seen LV with the strong interlocked grain of that one on the right, but the end grain that you show is definitive (well, definitive that it is not verawood and from the other characteristics added to the end grain then it's LV).


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## DKMD (Apr 27, 2019)

phinds said:


> Definitely LV, not verawood. Is this the wood on the right in this pic? I've never seen LV with the strong interlocked grain of that one on the right, but the end grain that you show is definitive (well, definitive that it is not verawood and from the other characteristics added to the end grain then it's LV).
> 
> View attachment 165119



Yes, it’s the piece on the right. I don’t see the interlocking on the quartersawn surface of the cylinder... it’s only there near the flat sawn surface. I can see it everywhere on the Argentine stuff...


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## phinds (Apr 27, 2019)

DKMD said:


> Yes, it’s the piece on the right. I don’t see the interlocking on the quartersawn surface of the cylinder... it’s only there near the flat sawn surface. I can see it everywhere on the Argentine stuff...


Yeah, it's much more obviously present in the verawood, but I've just never seen LV with that much obvious interlocked grain, quartersawn or otherwise. Could just be lack of experience. I doubt that I've handled more than 4 or 5 pieces of actual LV. I've seen a LOT of verawood, misidentified as LV. Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.


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## TimR (May 6, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> What are the dimensions of the piece as well as weight? I'll work numbers to confirm your density if you like.
> 
> The growth rings look big for LV. Can't recall ever seeing white blotches within the heartwood either, but that could be a drying issue.


@Mr. Peet and @phinds 
Here’s a cleaner endgrain shot. 
Dimensions of the wood is .85” thick, 4.94” wide, 12.81” long. My calc is 0.03113 cuft. Weight is 2.31 lbs. A cu ft of this stuff would weigh 74.2 lbs, compared to cu ft of water at 62.427 lbs...spec gravity should be 1.188


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## phinds (May 6, 2019)

Appreciate the attempt but still not showing any real detail


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