# What rosewood is this?



## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 28, 2018)

@phinds 

Paul, I cut this rosewood yesterday but have no idea what it is. Got it from Rick Hearne a few years ago
and he said it came from Nicaragua but wasn't sure of the exact ID. 

What do you think? These are pen blanks arrange to show adjacent sides. The color is as close to actual as I can get. Would an end view be needed? 

Thanks, Larry

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Mar 28, 2018)

Larry, Paul is going to ask you for a close up end grain shot sanded to at least 320 I think. Tony


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 28, 2018)

Thanks. Let me work on that.

Reactions: Like 1


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 28, 2018)

Paul, here is a scan of the end grain at 600 dpi. Straight off the saw. Now that I re-read Tony's note
I'll go sand it to 320 grit.


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 28, 2018)

Let try this again. End of a blank sanded to 400 grit


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## phinds (Mar 28, 2018)

Unfortunately, rosewoods are VERY hard to tell apart. You can definitely use end grain to narrow it down, as there are distinct groupings, some with very obvious lines that others don't have and also pore densities varysomewhat.

The end grain shot above is, I'm sorry to say, not quite adequate. Since you have the wood, you can best compare it directly to the rosewoods, here on my rosewood end grain page -> http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_anatomy/diffuse porous/rosewood/_rosewood.htm

The pen blanks look like they could be cocobolo and what I can see of your sanded end grain is consistent with cocobolo


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 28, 2018)

Thanks Paul. I'll take a hard look at your site again. Maybe I can take it back to Rick and see if he knows anything else.


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 29, 2018)

@phinds

I took the piece to Rick Hearne's place today and they said it is cocobolo. They had other pieces like it. One guy there said something interesting... that cocobolo and Nicaraguan rosewood is being crossed and a hybrid is now growing. Do you know anything about that. First I've heard of that.


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## phinds (Mar 29, 2018)

FranklinWorkshops said:


> @phinds
> 
> I took the piece to Rick Hearne's place today and they said it is cocobolo. They had other pieces like it.


HA! My SWAG was right



> One guy there said something interesting... that cocobolo and Nicaraguan rosewood is being crossed and a hybrid is now growing. Do you know anything about that. First I've heard of that.


Nope, first I've heard of it too, but that's good to know. Thanks. I don't suppose he had any idea what SPECIES is being hybridized with Dalbergia retusa? "Nicaraguan rosewood" is a name used by at least 3 different Dalbergias, one of which is Dalbergia retusa itself.

@Mr. Peet do you know anyhing about the hybrid?


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 29, 2018)

phinds said:


> HA! My SWAG was right
> 
> Nope, first I've heard of it too, but that's good to know. Thanks. I don't suppose he had any idea what SPECIES is being hybridized with Dalbergia retusa? "Nicaraguan rosewood" is a name used by at least 3 different Dalbergias, one of which is Dalbergia retusa itself.
> 
> @Mr. Peet do you know anyhing about the hybrid?


He only said Nicaraguan but not the specie that I recall. I will ask the next time I go up.


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 30, 2018)

phinds said:


> HA! My SWAG was right
> 
> Nope, first I've heard of it too, but that's good to know. Thanks. I don't suppose he had any idea what SPECIES is being hybridized with Dalbergia retusa? "Nicaraguan rosewood" is a name used by at least 3 different Dalbergias, one of which is Dalbergia retusa itself.
> 
> @Mr. Peet do you know anyhing about the hybrid?



They been working on several hybrids since the 70's. The plants don't do well in plantation settings, so they were hoping hybrids would perform better. Dr. Grantnor touches on it in his one book (Dictionary of trees, Central America?). The band on _D. nigra_ had influenced some of the breeding programs as well. We should hear more in 30 years on how it is working, if any are here to listen...

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 2


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## phinds (Mar 30, 2018)

FranklinWorkshops said:


> He only said Nicaraguan but not the specie that I recall. I will ask the next time I go up.


Just FYI, that's "species", not "specie". Specie is a word that only applies to money (specifically coins).


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## FranklinWorkshops (Mar 30, 2018)

phinds said:


> Just FYI, that's "species", not "specie". Specie is a word that only applies to money (specifically coins).


It'd help if I could type. I leave letters off many word. There, I did it again. Rats!!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## phinds (Mar 30, 2018)

FranklinWorkshops said:


> It'd help if I could type. I leave letters off many word. There, I did it again. Rats!!


That was supposed to be "I leave letter off many word. There, I did it again. Rat!"

Reactions: Funny 1


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